Jazz Mailbag: What Has Been Best Development To Open Season?
Oct 28, 2025, 3:30 PM | Updated: Oct 29, 2025, 1:45 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz mailbag, where this week we look at the best development during the first week of the season.
Each week, we will send out a prompt on X and BlueSky asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.
Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s Jazz mailbag in the Jazz Notes podcast.
Jazz Mailbag: What’s The Biggest Development So Far This Season?
What has been the most exciting thing from the Jazz you’ve seen in the first two games?
— Spence Johnson (@sportyspence17) October 27, 2025
Question: What has been the most exciting thing from the Jazz you’ve seen in the first week of the season?
Answer: Three key developments have fueled the Jazz’s 2-1 start and could shape the team’s trajectory moving forward. Let’s break them down before deciding which one matters most.
1. Lauri Markkanen Looks Like an All-Star Again
Markkanen has picked up right where he left off at EuroBasket. Through three games, he’s averaging nearly 35 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from three. He’s been the Jazz’s most reliable offensive weapon.
The team has moved away from experimenting with Markkanen as a high-usage creator in the middle of the floor. Instead, they’re leaning into what he does best—catch-and-shoot looks, lob finishes, and straight-line drives that exploit mismatches. This simplified role allows him to produce efficiently and consistently.
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2. Keyonte George Is Emerging as a Lead Guard
George is starting to look like the primary ball handler GM Justin Zanik envisioned when the Jazz drafted him in 2023. His talent has always been evident, but inconsistency and maturity have held him back.
Now in his third season, George is averaging 20 points and 9.7 assists, despite shooting just 42 percent from the field and 18 percent from three. His shooting should improve—especially from deep, where even a return to his career average of 33 percent would significantly boost his efficiency.
More importantly, George has taken a step forward defensively. While he’s not locking down opponents like Gary Payton, his two-way impact reduces the pressure on his scoring and makes him a more complete player.
any questions??? 🔑🤠#TakeNote | @WalkerKessler13 pic.twitter.com/G1silrTH85
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 28, 2025
3. Walker Kessler Is Expanding His Offensive Game
Kessler’s early-season shooting is a pleasant surprise. He’s hit 13 of 17 free throws and even knocked down 3-4 from beyond the arc. While he doesn’t need to become a volume shooter, his ability to stretch the floor or punish teams at the line adds a new dimension to the Jazz offense.
If Kessler continues to show touch from the perimeter and consistency at the stripe, head coach Will Hardy will have more flexibility in designing sets that maximize spacing and open up the floor for others.
saddle up, The Sheriff’s back in town 🤠 pic.twitter.com/gdCG2S0ZSj
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 28, 2025
Which Development Is Most Important For The Jazz?
While there are arguments for all three of these developments to be the most important, I believe George’s growth, if sustained, will be the most critical for the team going forward.
Ball-in-hand shot creators are essential for modern backcourts, and with his improved playmaking at just 21 years old, he could be a central piece of the roster for the foreseeable future.
You’ve probably heard about Keyonte George’s improved maturity this year, but it may not be obvious just watching him on the court.
Here he is from last night talking about what changed for him this summer.
This is a different person than the kid who the Jazz drafted in 2023. pic.twitter.com/kpusFEcEkr
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 28, 2025
George credited his improved mental health as part of the reason for his quick start to the season.
“The mental piece of the game is a big piece, and I think I’ve really bought into that part,” George said.
During the offseason, the Baylor product began spending time with the Jazz’s sports psychology team to help calibrate his approach on and off the floor.
“It’s been real good for me to talk to somebody else that has no clue about me, has no opinion about me, they’re just listening,” George added. “I’m just feeding them, if it’s good things, bad things, they’re just listening. It’s felt great, it’s taken a weight off my shoulders.”
If George, after two years of highs and lows, can channel his best self, he’ll be a major building block at point guard, and arguably the best success story so far in the team’s rebuild.
Want to ask questions in next week’s Jazz mailbag? Follow us at @benshoops.
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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.
