The trio of Utah Jazz rookies aren't supposed to be world-beaters (just yet) but they are supposed to be NBA-ready players who can contribute to a winning culture. They are not. Not only have they not been at any point this year in actuality, but recently Keyonte George, the best of the trio, has regressed so badly that he's become unplayable.
On Friday night the Utah Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in, what's becoming a trend this season, one of the worst losses in franchise history. The Jazz left the first quarter down 41-16. They ended the half trailing by 30 and they would end up losing by 29. To say the team was never in this game would be an understatement.
The Clippers only played Paul George for 21 minutes, that's how lopsided this game was. They didn't need one of their best players on the court. Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy was so disgusted with the effort of the rookies, that he pulled them after the first five minutes of actions and kept them out until after the 3rd quarter started.
We're trying to be optimistic about these youngsters, but George is only as good as he is due to his athleticism. He's not a good shooter and his supposed high-level passing vision has disappeared. Now, maybe he's just going through the motions and he's not really trying anymore, but that's not better. Either he's not as good as advertised or he can't motivate himself to play well.
Neither bolds well for his future. Taylor Hendricks has shown some solid defense of late, but he got roasted by a very mid-Clippers team. One that was missing Kawhi Leonard. Hendricks couldn't keep up with anyone on the court and looked lost and confused for most of the game.
Brice Sensabaugh continues to be as impactless as any of the guys on the roster. And it's not getting better. Rookies are supposed to improve as the season goes on, but as Hardy goes on to describe it, he's gone through every method with the trio and they just aren't getting it, saying (via KSL.com)
""There are a lot of different methods to teach. There are a lot of different methods to hold people accountable. We've cycled through a bunch of those methods, and sometimes minutes are the only thing that will reveal to you what needs to be done. That's not meant in a malicious way. I love every person in that locker room. I care about them all as people and as players, and I want to help them be successful.""
While he may try to sugar on some praise at the end, the fact is that the Jazz's rookies aren't getting what is being laid down. Is that on Hardy? You could say that John Collins has struggled a lot, as has Jordan Clarkson, and Talent Horton-Tucker. Is this an issue with Hardy, or has he just had the misfortune of trying to coach a team that was put together and held together by an ever-growing out-of-touch Danny Ainge?
If a trade opportunity opens up this offseason for a major name, the Jazz shouldn't hesitate to trade either one, or all three of these current rookies. They may turn out to be superstars but the odds aren't in their favor. History says that most NBA rookies will turn into fringe starters at some point after their first contract, or guys keeping the bench warm.
It may be time to cash out on them while they still have trade value.