If Keyonte George can only provide passing when he plays, it's time to turn those minutes to Kris Dunn

Will Hardy should play the guys who can help him win games.
Jan 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) leaps to
Jan 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) leaps to / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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Keyonte George isn't having a good season. He's 14th on the team in field goal percentage per game, 10th in three-point accuracy, sixth in free throws, 12th in true shooting, 11th in offensive box plus-minus, 12th in defensive box plus-minus, 12th in BPM, and dead last in VORP (value over replacement player). He's having a bad season.

Is this to be expected? Maybe, it depends on who you ask, but a rookie struggling and then finding his legs later in his career isn't uncommon, it's just not very common. The Utah Jazz are really not a team that can afford to let a bad player get minutes just to see if he can "get better". The Jazz are a team that is on the cusp of being a genuine playoff team this season and have the talent to really make a dent in April and May.

They can't keep giving George all of these minutes just for him to play badly. And he has played badly. Not every game, but a lot of games, George has looked terrible. And it's absurd that we're still giving him the minutes the Jazz are. George's fellow rookies, Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh are playing big minutes for the Salt Lake City Stars in the G-League; why not George?

George isn't a reliable player, and the only consistent thing he provides the Jazz is passing. He's not even good on defense. Of all the regular players, only Jordan Clarkson is a worse defender than George, but Clarkson can hit his shots at least.

Yet, because George has "upside" and "potential" (but not actual production), the Jazz keep giving him minutes he isn't earning. Kris Dunn, on the other hand, is a more reliable scorer, and a better passer, and comparing their defensive prowess is like comparing how fast a sloth moves to the top-end speed of a Lamborghini.

Yet, Dunn is only getting just over 17 minutes per game, while George is getting 24.3 minutes. Now, many who like George will cite that he needs time and experience, and sure. He can get that. In the G-League. The Jazz blew up a playoff team to get better and playing guys like George the amount they have has been holding them back.

It's time to send George to the G-League and it's time to give Dunn the minutes he deserves.

Next. The Utah Jazz should only make trades if it improves the roster this year. The Utah Jazz should only make trades if it improves the roster this year. dark