The Jalen Duren saga has only made the Utah Jazz continue to look good for how they handled the Walker Kessler situation. Not only did they resolve it quickly, but Utah also maxed out his value when the opportunity arose. Detroit and Duren have had a massive staring contest that could very well end with him taking the qualifying offer.
The Pistons clearly want him back but only at the price they set. After his abysmal postseason performance, no one can blame them. The Jazz should be proud of themselves, but shouldn't get too comfortable because it's very possible that they will enter a similar situation with Keyonte George next summer.
It makes sense why Utah opted not to extend George this summer. Despite his breakout, it's smart of them to see whether that translates once the team starts to win more games this coming season. Plus, with the NBA's tax restrictions, it's become as difficult as ever to make that call, with the ramifications that could follow.
Utah alreaduy has Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. taking up a good chunk of their cap by themselves, which makes it harder to extend a star on the rise like Key.
That's nothing against George, as not only has he proven his talent, but he's proven that he wants to be a Jazzman for the foreseeable future.
George has been active in Utah's business
After having his best season as a pro, George has gone out of his way to be involved with the Jazz off the court. During the lottery, he represented the team when the NBA revealed how the lottery would shake out. Utah getting the No. 2 pick may have proven he's a good luck charm.
It didn't stop there either. Once the Jazz were awarded the No. 2 pick, he went down to the NBA Combine to observe the prospects in order to give his input on who would be the best pick. To top it all off, he wanted to be part of the Jazz's coaching staff before the league blocked him for... some reason.
George isn't just a blossoming star but a leader. If that translates into a winning team next season, there may not be much for Utah to think about with this situation.
If George thrives in playoffs, this should be no problem
Part of why Detroit has been so hesitant to extend Duren at the price he wants is because he badly underwhelmed in the playoffs. Because of that, they understandably don't want to pay good money for a playoff dropper.
The Jazz aren't in the same predicament with George, but they could be. He hasn't played in the playoffs, but that could (and very likely will) change in 2027. Utah has every intention of going as far as humanly possible this season, and George will play a big role in that.
But if George falters in the playoffs in a similar fashion that Duren did, that makes this situation a bit complicated. No one knows for sure, and George's breakout last season would heavily insinuate that won't happen with what he proved.
But we won't know for sure until we see this product on the floor. You'd be hardpressed to find anyone who is against the idea of keeping George, but despite both his breakout and his embrace of Utah, keeping George in the long run may not be so simple, and Duren is proof of that.
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