The biggest concern for every Utah Jazz projected starter

The Utah Jazz’s current starting five has some concerns heading into week two of preseason basketball.

As of the second preseason game the Utah Jazz have played, the team has rocked the same starting five twice; Talent Horton-Tucker and Collin Sexton at the guards, Lauri Markkanen and John Collins at the forwards, and Walker Kessler at center. And so far, it’s been rough. Sexton has looked bad, Collins has turned the ball over more than you’d think a power forward should have the opportunity to. And Horton-Tucker has been both hero and villain so far.

Really, it’s just Markkanen and Kessler doing what is expected of them. That said, they aren’t without their fair concerns. In fact, watching the first two preseason games has reminded us that, while optimistic for a good season, the Jazz’s starting five (and a few extras) all have some serious concerns that shouldn’t be overlooked.

So what are those concerns?

Talen Horton-Tucker

You’re going to hear this a lot; “Horton-Tucker has trouble spacing the floor”; that’s NBA journalist speak for “can’t shoot”. He’s nimble and agile and can get to the basket for some strong shots at the rim, but if you make him shoot from any further than 10′, who knows where that ball is going to go? He’s the basketball equivalent of a knuckleball pitcher. When he shoots, just get ready to duck.

Collin Sexton

Sexton doesn’t space the floor much either, but unlike Horto-Tucker, it’s less to do with not being able to shoot and more preferring for long-two-point shots and mid-range jumpers. He can shoot. He just chooses high-percentage shots over threes. Fair, but not great for the current starting five. His defense is also a serious point of concern. He’s someone who, if his shot isn’t falling, is a liability on the court.

Lauri Markkanen

Markkanen has a lot of pros, and his only real con is consistency. Can he repeat the success he had last season in 2023-2024? He can rebound, play defense, shoot, and score inside, but can he do it to the same level this year as he did last year? That’s the question that has to be answered. We’re expecting his points per game to dip with the arrival of Collins, but if he’s still in the 20s, and shooting efficiently, we’ll be happy.

John Collins

For Collins, it’s all about the finger injury. We know that his floor is that of a starting, nearly All-Star-level power forward. At least, that was his floor, now it’s an unknown. Everyone, ourselves included, believes Collins will not only bounce back from his 2022-2023 offering but put on a season more fitting to what Markkanen did last season. But if that injury hasn’t healed correctly, then who knows what Collins will look like. There’s also the concern about him fitting with this team as is, but that’s a concern you can make for any new player on any new team.

Walker Kessler

For a man his size, Kessler can move. The concerns about him being stiff weren’t credible and he looked good all last year on defense. He’s going to give up more than most on defense, but only because he’s going to challenge far more than anyone else on the team. So no one should be worried about his defense. The problem with Kessler will center around his offense; can he score enough and in unique enough ways, to be able to utilize him more efficiently? He’s a great lob threat, and he can cut pretty well for a center, but if he can’t figure out a way to create his own shot more effectively, he may never turn into the two-way powerhouse we all hope he could become.

Jordan Clarkson

We’re including Clarkson because it’s very likely he starts at some point. If we’re talking Pokemon, Clarkson is Sexton’s final form. A great scorer inside and out; but not much else. Clarkson isn’t a great passer – at least not a good enough one to guide the offense – and his defense is suspect at best. He does try hard, he just doesn’t do well. He’s a pure scorer and a sixth-man role is his perfect fit, otherwise you have to worry about him rushing shots when you have 18 seconds on the shot clock left.