Jazz Mailbag: Ideally, who is team’s best player in three years?

Somewhat surprisingly, the outlet identified Keyonte George as the Jazz’s top player, citing his breakout 2025-26 season.

Jazz Mailbag: Who are the most overlooked players on the Jazz roster?

That projection isn’t unreasonable, as George has made significant strides during his first three NBA seasons and continues to expand his game.

With a slight twist on Bleacher Report’s concept, let’s rank the best-case scenarios for current Jazz players to become the team’s best player three years from now rather than predict who will actually hold that title.

1. Ace Bailey: Bailey tops this list largely because of his size and seemingly unlimited two-way upside. If he develops into the Jazz’s best player over the next three years, the franchise’s future becomes very intriguing.

Before Victor Wembanyama entered the league, versatile, supersized wings ranked among the most coveted prospects in basketball, in large part due to LeBron James’ influence on the game.

At 6-foot-8 with elite athleticism and an impressive but still-developing skill set, Bailey possesses the highest ceiling of any player on Utah’s roster.

Ace Bailey last 3 games (first 3 starts):

17.0 PPG (67.0% TS), 5.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG pic.twitter.com/aSKLnJdiIX

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) November 14, 2025

The 20-year-old has already flashed elite shot-making ability, strong rim-finishing, and promising defensive instincts. He also owns physical traits rarely seen, even at the NBA level.

If Bailey becomes the Jazz’s best player, it would mean he has transformed those flashes into reliable strengths, while improving as a ball-handler, playmaker, on-ball defender, and foul-shot merchant.

The former Rutgers standout has the size and length to create matchup problems every night, giving the Jazz an ideal centerpiece around which to build a roster.

2. Darryn Peterson: Three-point shooting has become increasingly important in today’s NBA, and its value on the offensive end continues to grow.

Peterson has a strong case as the most dangerous shooter in the 2026 draft class, and that skill could quickly become a game-changing weapon.

Kansas Darryn Peterson pic.twitter.com/EO7qjoOJuc

— Pitless (@pitlessball) March 23, 2026

Beyond his natural shooting touch, Peterson displays a level of body control rarely seen from a player his age, and has shown encouraging signs as a playmaker on both ends of the floor.

If the 19-year-old develops into the Jazz’s best player over the next three years, he could emerge as a true offensive engine whose floor spacing, two-way potential, and ability to draw fouls make him one of the NBA’s elite scorers.

3. Keyonte George: George’s blend of youth and proven production has already made him one of the NBA’s most exciting young guards.

The former Baylor star finished among the league’s top 20 scorers at age 22 while also showing the ability to run an offense and deliver in the biggest moments.

KEYONTE GEORGE IS A PROBLEM

CLUTCH. 🥶

pic.twitter.com/0CMSM0n2zl

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 9, 2026

During his three seasons in Utah, George has matured both on and off the court, earning the trust of the front office and his teammates as a key leader within the organization.

Defense remains a concern, and his good-but-not-elite physical tools could limit his path to superstardom. Still, there are pathways for George to develop into one of the NBA’s 15 best players.

4. Jaren Jackson Jr.: Jackson likely enters his first full season in Utah as the best player on the roster.

The former Defensive Player of the Year can average 20 points per game while anchoring a defense, making him exactly the type of two-way star NBA teams want anchoring their frontcourt.

At 26, the New Jersey native still has room to improve, but he sits much closer to his ceiling than the three players ranked ahead of him.

Early usage for Jaren Jackson Jr in Utah. Double drag with him and Nurkic as screeners. JJJ slips to the wing, catches and swings. Flows into empty side pick and roll, able to roll for 2. pic.twitter.com/pcMk0gAQEf

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) February 8, 2026

If Jackson remains the Jazz’s best player three years from now, it would likely indicate that Utah’s younger talent failed to fully develop, but he’s already proven he can play a significant role on a playoff-caliber team.

5. Lauri Markkanen: If Jackson is not the Jazz’s best player this season, Markkanen almost certainly will be.

Markkanen has produced All-Star-caliber numbers in three of his four seasons in Utah and could once again lead the team in scoring this year.

Despite being the oldest member of the Jazz’s current core, his combination of size, athleticism, and shooting ability should allow his game to age well over the next three seasons.

Lauri.
Markkanen.
Masterclass.

47 POINTS to get above 30 PPG for the season and power Utah’s 2OT win! pic.twitter.com/DNvHHEhz5a

— NBA (@NBA) November 17, 2025

However, unless he makes unexpected strides as an on-ball creator and defender, the Jazz’s long-term ceiling likely falls short of current expectations if younger players have not surpassed him by the 2029-30 season.

Ultimately, the Jazz possess one of the NBA’s most promising young rosters, complemented by proven All-Stars capable of helping the team compete for a postseason berth this season.

To climb to the top tier of the league, however, Utah will need one of its young talents to reach a level the franchise hasn’t seen since the late 1990s.