The Utah Jazz's near collapse against the Charlotte Hornets was truly one to worry about. The Hornets are one of the worst teams in the league but the Jazz's inability to get anything from their bench for most of the second half caused the score to go all wonky, allowing the Hornets back in the game.
It was a pathetic outing and one that really highlighted how bad the bench can be. Defensively no one really looked good, not even Walker Kessler. Kelly Olynyk looked good offensively, nearly putting up a triple-double in just 18 minutes of play (6 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) and Jordan Clarkson hit some shots, but overall the bench fell apart.
We've long stated that Clarkson should probably be on another team and that Keyonte George isn't ready and those two thoughts collided hard on Saturday. George was the only Jazz player, aside from Ochai Agbaji, to post a negative BPM. His defense is so bad that we're genuinely concerned he'll be a liability anytime he's on the court.
And while Agbaji's defense is better, offensively he's the inverse of George. He's terrible on offense and his defense isn't enough to make up for the lack of impact that Agbaji provides.
The bench is in shambles right now and it needs to be re-worked if you want a better chance at winning games and avoiding collapses. It's time to take George out of the rotation and trade Agbaji and Clarkson. Move Kessler to the starting rotation, and move John Collins to the bench.
Go get a defensive-minded guard, maybe a Matisse Thybulle type, and a second shooter, like a Luke Kennard-type player. It won't cost much, and it'll massively improve the Jazz's overall bench unit. Plus, you get out from a lot of inconsistent play night to night.