It's Summer League, but Kyle Filipowski is making one Jazz trade look inevitable

It was already one thing to see Brice Sensabaugh look like he was in a league of his own for the Utah Jazz during the Salt Lake City Summer League, but now Kyle Filipowski is doing the same, only longer and more so than Sensabaugh. So much so that Filipowski's play is making one Jazz move feel only more like it's coming one way or the other: trading Lauri Markkanen.

While that may sound drastic, Filipowski's exceeded expectations his rookie year, despite Utah limiting his minutes, and it's hard to argue against his results since Utah started their Summer League in Las Vegas.

Yes, it's Summer League, but this is the stage where guys like Filipowski should show that there's no question they are way too good to be playing on a stage like this, and he's doing just that and then some. His inside-out game has looked unstoppable, and he has only continued to dominate on the boards.

The defense is still a little suspect, but there's just so much to like about what FIlipowski does when he takes the floor. He makes Markkanen looks expendable because, even if he may never be a star, he could do a lot of the same things that the Finnisher does.

Coming into the NBA, Filipowski was compared to former Jazz stretch big Kelly Olynyk. While there are some similarities, it's also clear Filipowski is a better athlete than Olynyk ever was, plus he doesn't have Olynyk's alligator arms. His skillset and body type have made him the MVP of the Summer League.

In short, being the next Olynyk looks like Filipowski's floor as an NBA player. As for his ceiling, it might be too big of an overreaction, but Filipowski could be... perhaps a lesser version of Markkanen? That might be a little too lofty, but every time Utah has given Filipowski a challenge, he's been more than up for it, and he's done so by playing in a similar style to Markkanen.

Maybe setting the bar that high isn't fair for Filipowski because Markkanen has proven far more, and it's unlikely the former will ever reach the latter's level. It's not that he has to be good enough to be at the same level as Markkanen is, but he could potentially play well enough to help Utah make that transition away from Markkanen all the easier.

Filipowski's potential leap make the Jazz more comfortable trading Markkanen

The Jazz's offseason has only made it seem like their only option at this point is to trade Markkanen. There haven't been any concrete rumors involving Markkanen lately, but Utah simply got rid of John Collins, Collin Sexton, and Jordan Clarkson, which leaves Markkanen as the only veteran left on the roster.

That alone makes it feel like a trade will come not too long from now, but Filipowski thriving in a bigger role may make it easier for Utah to live with trading the only star they have on their roster. It's not that Filipowski has to play at the same level as Markkanen has, though it would obviously be nice if he could, but he just has to play well enough for the Jazz to be fully on board with trading Markkanen.

That would require other moving parts as well, including some of their other young talent coming through, and that doesn't seem too outlandish for anyone who's watched some of the Jazz's other youngsters. The Jazz moving in a completely new direction, along with Filipowski's ascent, feels more and more like an elephant in the room they eventually won't ignore anymore in regards to Markkanen.

Now, Jazz fans shouldn't expect a trade right away, as Markkanen's trade value isn't that high, so if this is the route Utah takes, expect them to make an effort to rehab Markkanen's value before they do. That might be what's best because Filipowski's role increasing may be better off being gradual rather than immediate.

With the Jazz only further signaling that they want to embrace tomorrow, Lauri Markkanen's days on the team only look more and more numbered, and Kyle Filipowski's ascension might be the final nail in the coffin.