Kyle Filipowski has been the talk of the town for the Utah Jazz lately because of his dominant Summer League performance. As exciting as he's been, the Jazz will likely have Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler taking their frontcourt spots when this next season starts, putting Filipowski on the bench. However, the Jazz could work around that by starting all three.
That lineup sounds a little bizarre, but it also sounds too tantalizing for the Jazz to pass up on. The Salt Lake Tribune's Andy Larsen floated a starting lineup that could feature Filipowski. It would be a big lineup that's exciting enough. He outlined it below.
"If the Jazz swung Markkanen up to the three to get John Collins on the floor, could they do the same to get Filipowski to the four. A starting lineup of Isaiah Collier or Walter Clayton Jr., Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Filipowski, and Walker Kessler makes some sense, in my view," Larsen wrote.
One would say that since the Jazz's moves have signaled that they will organically tank, and hence, have nothing to lose from trotting out a lineup like this, that's not entirely true. Everyone should know by now that because of the top-eight pick they owe the Thunder, they, in fact, do have something to lose.
However, this could be an exciting lineup worth experimenting with, and the odds of it winning that many games immediately are a long shot. It's not so much of a "they've got nothing to lose" but rather, "why not?"
It's an ultra-big lineup that would feature a lot of versatility. Filipowski and Markkanen have some redundancy, but that might not be a bad thing since both are rare archetypes in the NBA, even if they are similar.
Still, it would have shooting, some proven scoring, and a lot of youthful energy. Utah's youthful players, such as Filipowski, Bailey, and one of Collier or Clayton, could get the green light to showcase their abilities while also having some nice safety valves in Markkanen and Kessler, both of whom the Jazz are familiar with and know exactly what they provide on the court.
On paper, it's talented and energetic, but there's also a solid chance it may not work out. That's the beauty of it, though. A young team goes through growing pains, and hence, they can try using multiple lineups. There might not be one that holds as much intrigue as the one Larsen floated.
It's still unclear what the Jazz's starting lineup will be
By trading Collin Sexton and John Collins, Utah got rid of two of its core starters from last season. It's a given that Markkanen and Kessler will start next season, but after that, it's a little ambiguous. Collier certainly deserved the starting nod over Keyonte George, but Walter Clayton Jr. has looked promising enough that they may compete for a starter's nod.
It seems like a given that Ace Bailey will also start next season because he is the Jazz's most prized pick in a while. However, between Filipowski, Cody Williams, and Brice Sensabaugh, Utah may plan to have him earn that spot from the beginning.
No matter what happens, this should make for a pretty exciting plotline next season, and it's possible Utah will try so many different starting lineups to see what sticks. Larsen's floated lineup may not be the best one, but it would likely generate the most hype.