The Utah Jazz are facing a sudden frontcourt test, and the answer now has to come from inside the roster.
With Jaren Jackson Jr. out for at least December after tearing the MCL in his right knee, Utah has lost an All-Star forward and a former Defensive Player of the Year for the next several weeks. That leaves the Jazz looking for production, defense and minutes in a rotation that already has to adjust on the fly.
There’s still talent on hand, though, and three players stand out as the ones who need to absorb the shock and carry more of the load while Jackson Jr. is sidelined.
Ace Bailey is the most intriguing name in the group. His role can grow right away, and so can his responsibilities. Without Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt, Bailey should get a bigger share of the defensive burden thanks to his size and length, and he may also pick up some of the offensive touches that are suddenly available.
He’s already flashed enough to suggest he can handle it. Through four games, Bailey is averaging 13.0 points while shooting 52.5% from the field and 36.8% from 3-point range, along with 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He’s also averaging close to two blocks per game in the games he’s played, which gives Utah at least a partial answer on the back line even if he isn’t the same rim protector Jackson Jr. is.
Jaxson Hayes is another player who looks set for a larger workload. The offseason pickup has been exactly what Utah wanted early on, giving the team an interior presence and a lob threat in the first three games he’s played. With both Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic out with their respective injuries, Hayes has a real chance to become the full-time starter at center for the stretch.
Even if that happens, the Jazz already know what Hayes can provide in a nightly role. He’s shown he can handle about 20 to 25 minutes a game, and his size gives Utah a different look offensively. That role should only grow in the weeks ahead.
Then there’s Kyle Filipowski, whose spot in the rotation matters more now than it did a week ago. His third season in Utah has started slowly, though, as he appears to still be ramping up after offseason back surgery.
Filipowski has played just 25 minutes over the Jazz’s first four games, and in one of those he didn’t enter at all. Over that stretch, he’s averaging 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds while shooting 16.7% from the field.
It’s a tiny sample, so there’s no reason to overreact, but the opening is there for him to earn more minutes. His size, rebounding and offensive versatility could make him useful with the second unit.
With Jackson Jr. out, Utah’s margin for error gets thinner. That means Bailey, Hayes and Filipowski all have a chance to matter more than they otherwise would.
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Mo Bamba May Have Forced His Way Into Utahs Rotation
Mo Bambas latest outing gave the Jazz something they have been short on lately: a reminder that there may still be a usable option waiting in the frontcourt. Against Memphis, he logged meaningful minutes and looked the part, giving Utah production on both ends while the rest of the rotation continues to feel the strain of a battered big-man group.
The timing matters because the Jazz are still sorting through a frontcourt picture that is far from settled. With Jaren Jackson Jr. out for an extended stretch and Lauri Markkanen, Jaxson Hayes and Jusuf Nurkic all dealing with various injury concerns, Bambas performance could not have come at a better time. If Utah needs size and rim protection in the near term, he may have done enough to force his way into a larger role. [Read more 🡒]