The Utah Jazz are nearing the end of a season that hasn't exactly progressed as some might've hoped. There are productive players across the board, including Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, and Collin Sexton, but at 16-56, cohesion hasn't exactly been achieved.
As the Jazz look for ways to salvage their vision and build toward a brighter future, the answer appears clear: Trade Sexton and firmly decide how Keyonte George fits into the equation.
George has been one of the most promising players on Utah's roster since arrived via the 2023 NBA Draft. He's productive, dynamic, and crafty at a crucial position, but efficiency hasn't yet become a weapon in his arsenal.
As a result, head coach Will Hardy has moved George back to the second unit—explaining that it's in no way a demotion, but more of a detour on his path to improvement.
"Keyonte understands that this is a part of his journey. That moving him to the bench is not meant as a punishment. He's obviously still playing a lot of minutes. It's about establishing a different mindset for him. I think that on the whole, he's handled it great...[Development]'s not a straight line going up, it goes up and down, but you hope it's trending up, and I think that's how Keyonte has handled it."
For as valid as that approach is in the short-term, the Jazz can't afford to go through another offseason without committing to George for a full season in a prominent role.
Trading Collin Sexton creates minutes for Keyonte George, new assets
Sexton is a productive guard who can score as well as anyone on Utah's roster. Thus far in 2024-25, he's averaging 18.1 points, 4.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.8 three-point field goals made in 28.1 minutes per game, converting shots at a clip of .479/.406/.859.
Compounded by the fact that he's still just 26 years of age, it's admittedly difficult to justify trading Sexton at this stage of his career.
In saying that, there's no established way to reliably play George and Sexton together. They make for an undersized backcourt at 6'4" and 6'3" respectively, and neither have emerged as a strong enough defensive presence to justify overlooking that reality.
Perhaps patience is what's necessary with this duo, but it seems far more rational to move Sexton for future assets and prioritize George's unwavering development.
Hardy makes an excellent point about a player's path being less of a straight line and more of a series of trends. George, however, is done no favors by playing in a backcourt with another ball-dominant guard, even if both are effective catch-and-shoot players.
George simply has too much upside as a playmaker and scorer to wait any longer before enabling him to play through his mistakes for a full and decisive season.
George has showcased that potential over the past two months, averaging 17.9 points and 6.0 assists per game since Jan. 15. He's inefficient, but he's also a 21-year-old point guard who's showing talent and productivity that ranges well beyond his years.
If the Jazz want to truly explore the potential of the team they've assembled, as well as their incoming draft picks, then clearing space for George and adding assets via a Sexton trade will prove essential.