The Utah Jazz have spent the last week getting their house in order for 2026-27. The roster is filled to 15 spots, the draft is behind them, and the picture for next season is finally clear.
That makes the next big item on the agenda pretty obvious: Keyonte George.
After a breakout third season, George is moving toward a major payday, and the Jazz will eventually have to decide how far they want to go on a rookie-scale extension. The expectation for a while has been that those talks could wait until 2027, especially if George is aiming for a max contract and Utah wants another season of proof before making that kind of commitment.
But that timeline may be shifting.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective podcast that he’s been "informed" there’s now a little more optimism that George and the Jazz could reach an extension before the 2026-27 season begins.
"I've been telling you I didn't think that an extension would be forthcoming for Keyonte George," MacMahon said. "I was informed that, hey, there's a little bit more optimism of that possibly happening than there had been even a week or two ago. There's a chance that there could be a meeting in the middle."
The Jazz’s trade of Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers may have changed the math. Moving Kessler and the next contract tied to him, worth $32.5 million AAV, opens up more room on Utah’s future cap sheet and gives the team more flexibility to pay someone like George.
Without that move, the Jazz would have been looking at four players making $30 million a year, with Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. both climbing above $45 million on their deals. With Kessler gone, a long-term deal for George becomes much easier to fit.
That would be even more workable if George is open to something less than a max. A max deal would be worth 25% of the salary cap, or around five years and $251 million total, with a $50.2 million AAV.
Utah would clearly like to keep him around. George is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 23.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 45.6-37.1-89.2. He’s also shown real growth as a leader on and off the floor over the past two offseasons, and at 22 years old, he fits the Jazz’s timeline.
The only real questions left are how much the deal will be worth and when it gets done. For now, the possibility of an extension before October is very much alive.
In Other News...
Wembanyama's Surprise Extension Twist Could Matter Big For The Jazz
Victor Wembanyamas new extension in San Antonio is the kind of move front offices across the league notice, because it speaks to how teams are thinking about the next several years, not just the next season. By taking the lower salary path, the Spurs kept more room on the books for the future, a reminder that even star-driven decisions now come wrapped in cap strategy and long-term planning.
For Utah, that matters because the Jazz are heading toward their own contract decisions with Keyonte George, and the leagues current rules make every extension negotiation feel more delicate than it used to. The Jazz have already shown a willingness to value flexibility, and with the CBA and apron restrictions tightening the margins, the challenge is finding a way to keep promising young talent without boxing in the roster around him. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Face A Defining Keyonte George Decision This Offseason
After a busy offseason that included drafting Darryn Peterson and moving Walker Kessler, the Jazz still have one of their most important decisions left to sort through. The front office is weighing whether to lock up Keyonte George on an extension now or let the situation ride into next year, a choice that says as much about Utahs timeline as it does about Georges place in it.
There is real appeal in waiting for another season of growth before making a major commitment, especially with the Jazz trying to preserve flexibility as they build around a young core. At the same time, there is renewed optimism that the two sides could find common ground this summer, which would give Utah clarity on a player whose next step could shape the roster well beyond this offseason. [Read more 🡒]