The Keyonte George train has kept on humming for the Utah Jazz 15 games into the season. There's no doubt that he's been a much different player this season and in a good way. However, even with George's ascension, Bill Simmons begged a question that Jazz fans probably don't want to think about: Is George the best guard on a title team?
Simmons brought this up during his latest podcast with Zach Lowe. Just a heads-up: Simmons didn't bash George; he raised the possibility that, despite his talent, George may not be the guy Utah wants when the team plans to make some serious noise.
"Keyonte George isn't my cup of tea, but he's been really good," Simmons said. "I don't know if you're winning three straight playoff rounds with the best version of him seven years from now, but he's definitely better. That's definitely an asset for them."
Again, the Jazz don't have to think about this right now. They are an up-and-coming team this season, where they're simply trying to figure out who should stick around and who shouldn't. This was a make-or-break season for George before it even started, and he's done enough to show that he's made it.
The only Jazzman who has played better than George this season has been Markkanen, and that's because he's reached a new level as a scorer that the Jazz haven't seen in decades. George has just been all-around better. The shooting inconsistencies are there, but there's still time for him to round out that edge of his game.
George has shown that he can take over games as a scorer. Just not consistently and not as a shooter. If he unlocks that part of his game, George may make Simmons eat his words.
We will know more when the Jazz start winning games
The Jazz are on a trajectory for yet another losing season, but at the very least, it appears like the team has some promise again. A lot of that has to do with George, but they will bank on other youngsters like Ace Bailey and Kyle Filipowski to blossom.
If and when Utah starts winning more games, and that could be as early as next season, then the team will know what exactly George's ceiling is and how far he can take them. For all we know, he won't be the lead guard on their next playoff team. It's very possible he is the No. 2 to whoever is.
But hey, this season has been all about which youngsters should be on the Jazz going forward. George has proven that he is one of them. His improved play may not put the Jazz over the top as title contenders, but that doesn't he can't be one of the ingredients for one.