Utah Jazz sophomore Taylor Hendricks will enter his second NBA season with a chip on his shoulder. Not just because he's young, but because there's vacant starting small forward for the Jazz right now that doesn't really have a clear-cut candidate at the moment.
The Jazz gave Hendricks the nod at starting small forward when they took on the New Zealand Breakers - making a certain someone wrong about their projected lineup - and Hendricks looked promising when he was on the floor.
Taylor Hendricks locking down on one end, then gets the big dunk on the other end pic.twitter.com/ADGiauihzm
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) October 5, 2024
Be patient with Taylor Hendricks... he's going to be a monster and is still only 20 years old pic.twitter.com/meF8Su0c0h
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) October 5, 2024
Hendricks has already flashed his defensive potential, so he isn't exactly breaking new ground. However, he apparently has a new mentor at his behest.
Hendricks has been working with Avery Bradley
The Jazz hired NBA champion Avery Bradley as Vice President of Player Development earlier this year. Bradley won the title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 (though he did not play in the Bubble) and made two All-Defense appearances in 2013 and 2016.
While talking with reporters on October 3, Hendricks admitted that he was in Utah for most of the offseason, and part of that time was spent under Bradley's tutelage. Hendricks explained why he worked with Bradley.
"He was an elite defender when he was playing so getting a lot of gems from him is always good," Hendricks said.
Bradley, who was drafted by Ainge back when he was with the Celtics in 2010, built a reputation off of being an elite one-on-one defender as a pest who was tough to beat off the dribble. He played a key role on several playoff teams, most notably with the Celtics and Lakers.
Bradley's influence could come in handy for players like Hendricks, knowing the latter's calling card and his potential as a player stems from his individual defense. Bradley's IQ made him such a drag when other players tried to go up against him
However, there was more to Bradley than his defense. Though that's what he was known best for, Bradley also evolved into a dependable floor-spacer and cutter which made him a positive offensively despite being undersized. Hendricks doesn't have that problem at six-foot-nine, so if he turns into a taller version of Avery Bradley, that's a home run for Utah.
Even if the Jazz's best approach is to tank at the moment, they can at least take the time to see what they truly have in some of their youngsters like Hendricks. If Bradley can help Hendricks turn into the player the Jazz want him to be, it's another stepping stone to a glorious future for Utah.