Minutes Will Be Hard To Come By In Young Jazz Rotation
Oct 17, 2025, 3:53 PM | Updated: 3:55 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – With two new first-round picks on the roster, plus four experienced veterans, rotation minutes may be hard to come by for the 2025-26 Utah Jazz.
The team will open the regular season on October 22, leaving head coach Will Hardy little time to sort out his rotation.
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Who Will Crack Jazz’s Opening Night Rotation?
The Jazz begin their new season with a sharper focus than in recent years: prioritizing the development of their young talent, regardless of the veterans on the roster.
Rookies Ace Bailey and Walt Clayton Jr. join six other second- and third-year players –Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, and Kyle Filipowski — in a crowded pool of eight faces aged 22 or younger, all vying to become foundational pieces in Utah’s rebuild.
Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler have already locked in their roles as high-minute starters. Meanwhile, veterans Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Jusuf Nurkic, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Kevin Love are battling for rotation spots.
The @utahjazz mailbag: Why does Lauri Markkanen continue to be the main character in NBA trade rumors?#takenote https://t.co/Dkgo4btdGa
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 15, 2025
Most NBA teams run a rotation of nine to 11 players, but Hardy faces a deeper roster of 15 from which to choose.
Injuries may simplify his opening night decisions: Collier (hamstring), Anderson (knee), and Niang (foot) missed preseason time, though none of the injuries appear long-term.
Kessler also sat out the first three preseason games with a shoulder bruise, but returned to action in Thursday’s final exhibition against Portland.
How Will Hardy Divide 240 Minutes of Playing Time?
Markkanen and Kessler are expected to start and play around 30 minutes each. Hendricks, who has bounced back from last season’s leg injury, led the team in preseason minutes at just under 30 per game in a starting role.
Bailey, the fifth overall pick and Utah’s top developmental priority, averaged 35 minutes before leaving Monday’s game against Dallas with an injury. His strong training camp performance likely earned him a starting spot.
Related: Ace Bailey leaves Jazz home opener with knee soreness
If Markkanen, Kessler, Hendricks, and Bailey each play 25-30 minutes, they’ll account for nearly half of the team’s nightly 240 minutes.
Guard Minutes Are Tight
George started at point guard throughout the preseason and appears poised to hold that role on opening night. After earning praise from team executives and leading the team in minutes last season, he should approach 30 minutes per game early on.
Sensabaugh, Utah’s leading preseason scorer, looks ready for a breakout year. Despite averaging 22 points per game, he’ll likely serve as the team’s sixth man, playing 20–25 minutes a night.
could you 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢 8-0 run coming??? pic.twitter.com/O3FqCitv2m
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 9, 2025
Clayton has shown flashes during the preseason, but isn’t ready for a starting role. He should provide steady backup point guard minutes and can also share the floor with George for stretches, making 15-20 minutes a night a strong possibility.
Collier ended last season as the starting point guard, but a hamstring injury and a lukewarm Summer League showing have clouded his role. Once healthy, his playmaking could earn him minutes, though the team hasn’t set a date for his return.
Mykhailiuk has been a regular in the preseason rotation but played sparingly last year. He should fill a similar role this season.
Big Men Battle for Minutes
Nurkic has been Utah’s most consistent offensive contributor in the preseason and will back up Kessler at center. If Kessler plays 30 minutes, only 18 remain at the five — likely all going to Nurkic.
Markkanen and Hendricks can both play power forward, which limits bench opportunities at the four. Filipowski, who missed the first two preseason games with a sciatic nerve issue, may come off the bench despite being last season’s top rookie and averaging 25 minutes post-All-Star break, but could be a sneaky starter despite limited minutes in exhibition play.
he is the summer league MVP after all 😏#TakeNote | @kylefilipowski pic.twitter.com/CA4J5YR88W
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 14, 2025
Niang led all Jazz summer additions in minutes last season and should rejoin the rotation once his foot heals — likely in November. His absence gives Hardy more time to evaluate his role.
Love has played in all three preseason games, averaging nearly 18 minutes off the bench. Those minutes could shift to Niang once he returns, and even that much playing time may be a stretch.
Wing Depth Remains Uncertain
Small forward may be the Jazz’s thinnest position to start the season. Markkanen will likely start at the three, though it’s not his natural spot. Bailey, Sensabaugh, and Hendricks could also see time there depending on lineup combinations.
Williams, last year’s lottery pick, averaged 22 minutes in three preseason games — boosted in part by injuries to Bailey and Anderson. His strong on-ball defense is a plus, but he may benefit from offensive development in the G League once the Salt Lake City Stars begin their season.
Anderson was also in the mix for wing minutes, but his knee tendinopathy could limit his early-season availability.
Projected Jazz Opening Night Depth Chart
Based on preseason performances and current injuries, the Jazz’s likely opening night rotation includes:
- PG: Keyonte George / Walt Clayton Jr.
- SG: Ace Bailey / Brice Sensabaugh
- SF: Lauri Markkanen / Cody Williams
- PF: Taylor Hendricks / Kyle Filipowski
- C: Walker Kessler / Jusuf Nurkic
With several players set to return from injury in the coming weeks, Hardy’s rotation could shift quickly. Everyone in the opening night lineup will need to prove they belong as the season unfolds.
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Ben Anderson is the author of the Jazz Mailbag, a Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports, the author of the Jazz Mailbag, and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
