The Utah Jazz have a lot of decisions facing them this summer. They will be looking to build a playoff-contending roster around their core, which includes Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler, and they will have seven players on good value contracts, with other spots open to fill.
This season, Keyonte George has made an incredible leap from an inefficient scorer to a borderline All-Star player, giving the Jazz a hit on one of their recent draftees, but also a predicament that needs special care - a young player with one season of stellar play that is eligible for an extension.
With averages of 23.6 points, 3.7 boards, and 6.1 assists on 45/37/89 shooting splits, Keyonte's value has risen dramatically from a year ago, when he was getting 16.1 points, 3.8 boards, 5.6 assists, on 39/34/81 shooting marks.
What is Keyonte George worth?
A quick look at the top-paid point guards in the NBA shows players at the top - Steph Curry, Cade Cunningham, Jamal Murray, and Tyrese Haliburton, all making between $48-53 million per year.
Keyonte is arguably not at their level, so the Jazz would likely be able to argue his value down a bit.
The next group makes between $39-43 million a year. Guys like James Harden, Jalen Brunson, Darius Garland, Ja Morant, Tyrese Maxey, Lamelo Ball, Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and Trae Young.
Keyonte may only have the one season at a level similar to this group, but that's likely going to be a reference point in negotiations this summer.
Below that, you have players like Jrue Holiday ($33.6 million), DeAaron Fox ($32.6 million), and Immanuel Quickley ($32.5 million).
Key can easily argue that he's worth as much as this tier, and probably higher, based on age and potential.
The Jazz have some constraints based on the current roster. Jaren Jackson Jr. ($49 million) and Lauri Markkanen ($46 million) are topping the Jazz salary list in 2026-27, not to mention the money the team will dole out for Walker Kessler this summer (likely $25-30 million a year).
So the Jazz are likely looking at a contract extension for Keyonte George in the $35-40 million per year range that would start in the 2027-28 season.
The Jazz have to avoid the mistake that the Kings made
The final thing the Jazz have to consider is the cautionary tale of the Sacramento Kings in 2021, who had a 23-year-old star guard in De'Aaron Fox (in his fourth season) and a rookie guard who played like a veteran, Tyrese Haliburton.
This has parallels with the Jazz situation involving Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier. Both are best suited as point guards, with different styles of play.
The Kings chose wrong, in hindsight, dealing Haliburton for frontcourt help in big man Domantas Sabonis.
And while they were a winning team for several years afterwards, they watched as Hailburton became an All-NBA performer and led his new team, the Indiana Pacers, to the NBA Finals in 2025.
To make it worse, their relationship with Fox soured, and they ended up dealing him away too, leaving them in their current predicament as one of the worst teams in the NBA.
The Jazz absolutely cannot make the same mistake with Keyonte George. If he's their guy, they need to re-sign him this summer and pay him, and hope they can keep Collier in the fold a little longer.