The Utah Jazz got an early look at what makes their frontcourt so tricky in a preseason win over the Denver Nuggets, and the appeal went beyond the numbers. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen showed how much damage they can do together simply by the way they move across the floor and switch roles.
The pairing started with Jusuf Nurkic, but the flexibility became even more obvious once Ace Bailey came in for Nurkic and the Jazz could slide from the 3/4 look to the 4/5. That kind of shape-shifting is exactly what makes this group hard to pin down, and Jackson made that clear after the game in comments reported by Jazz.com’s Eric Spyropoulos.
“It’s an honor to play with him. He can fit on any team and I feel like I’m the same way.”
That line fits the way the game played out. Markkanen is a seven-footer who can slide between both forward spots and center, while Jackson’s value comes from a different kind of versatility - he can defend almost any matchup even though he hasn’t spent much time at the three. Put them together, and the Jazz have two players whose skill sets travel anywhere.
That’s what makes the fit so dangerous. Markkanen can play like a big wing, and Jackson can punish teams in the post or step out and hit from deep. They don’t just score; they score in different ways, from different spots, which gives Will Hardy a lot of room to work with.
No matter where Hardy places them, the Jazz should be tougher to attack with those two on the floor. That’s why this has a chance to be such a rare big-man pairing for Utah, and maybe for the league as a whole.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo are definitely more talented than them, but Jackson and Markkanen were still the two highest-ranked Jazzmen on ESPN’s Top 100 for a reason, and they could be ranked higher by this time next year.
When people talk about why this Jazz season feels so fun, Markkanen and Jackson aren’t the only reason. But they’re the main reason.
It’s one thing to have two All-Star bigs in their prime. It’s another to have two of the NBA’s most unique players sharing the same frontcourt.
In Other News...
Jazz Roster Move Creates A Tough New Bubble Decision
The Jazz are making another small but meaningful shuffle at the back end of the roster, bringing in guard Kobe Bufkin on a two-way contract after he was waived by New Orleans. For Utah, it is the kind of move that can quietly reshape the developmental picture, especially with the team still sorting out which young players deserve a longer look and which ones might be squeezed out by opportunity.
To make room, the expected casualty is forward Blake Hinson, who would head to unrestricted free agency if he clears waivers. Bufkins arrival gives the Jazz another prospect to evaluate in their system, and because the deal covers one season, the timing adds a little extra urgency to a decision that could ripple through the rest of the bubble for the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Opener Brings An Emotional First Test For Utahs New Core
The season opener in Memphis already has a little extra edge for Utah, with the Jazz immediately thrown into a test against a Grizzlies team eager to reset after a wrecked injury year and an offseason that brought nine new faces into the mix. It is also the first chance to see top draft picks Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer share a stage in meaningful game action, a neat opening-night wrinkle that gives the matchup a little more than the usual early-season feel.
For Utah, the bigger storyline is the return of Jaren Jackson Jr. to the building where he built his early NBA identity before landing in Salt Lake City. His first game against his former team since the trade gives the opener an emotional layer that goes beyond standings and rotations, especially with both sides still sorting out new pieces and new roles. For the Jazz, it is a chance to see how their reworked core handles a familiar opponent that now looks very different from the one Jackson left behind. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Take Opening Night Flier On Former First Round Guard
The Jazz used their newly opened two-way spot to take a flier on Kobe Bufkin, a former first-round guard whose early NBA path has already included stops with the Hawks, Nets, Lakers and Pelicans. For Utah, it is the kind of low-risk addition teams make when they want another look at a young player with draft pedigree and a chance to earn a longer stay.
To make the move, the Jazz waived two-way forward Blake Hinson and cleared the roster spot for Bufkin. The appeal is obvious: a guard who arrived in the league as a high pick and still has room to prove he can carve out a role, even if the path to that opportunity has taken him through more teams than most players see this early in their careers. [Read more 🡒]