The Utah Jazz were dealt a somewhat serious blow when it was confirmed that Jusuf Nurkic would miss four weeks due to a toe injury. Not the worst fate possible, but definitely an unwelcome development. It also means the Jazz will ask someone to fill the void, and it wouldn't be surprising if Kyle Filipowski is who they turn to.
For a second-round pick, Filipowski has been consistently productive in Utah. Not only has he proved how offensively dynamic he is, but he also shown himself to be a crucial part of some positive Jazz lineups in the past.
It was already brought up that Filipowski may actually be the Walker Kessler replacement the Jazz are looking for. Not because Filipowski can bring what Kessler did - don't worry, no one would ever believe such a ridiculous assertion - but what he brings to the court could off-set what was lost from the Kessler trade strictly from an impact point of view.
Well, we could actually see if that holds true with Nurkic out until November. Filipowski isn't the sexist option, but compared to the likes of Jaxson Hayes, a quality backup and nothing more, and Mo Bamba, who's simply trying to keep his career alive, Filipowski may not only be who they turn to, but could turn out to be the key to helping the Jazz reach their potential.
Filipowski's skillset should make Utah tough to beat
It's already going to be hard enough for opponents to figure out how to beat the unique duo of Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. Well, Filipowski would make it even harder. Not only is he a stretch big, but he is very offensively well-rounded for a big man. Yeah, he's entering Year 3, but even at 22, Filipowski is more polished than most players around his age.
While shooting threes is obviously a plus, Filipowski isn't a bad rebounder for his size (11 rebounds per 36 minutes last season), which would help with the Markkanen-JJJ duo, but he also possesses some savvy passing chops. Defensively, there isn't much there, but guys, it's not like Nurkic is exactly a rim protector.
It's not that Filipowski is necessarily a future star, but he has the potential to be that connective tissue that title contenders crave. He's not going to be the same player Kessler is (or Nurkic for that matter), but he doesn't necessarily have to do in order to fill in for what Utah will need when Nurk is absent.
Nurkic's injury is inconvenient, but the notion that Utah doesn't have the firepower to fill in for him is incorrect. Filipowski could not only fill in, but he may prove to be better.
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