Utah Jazz preseason schedule released, what to watch for .. who starts?

Utah Jazz preseason schedule released, what to watch for .. who starts?

The pre-season schedule for the Utah Jazz is released. Let’s talk about the most interesting things and points. It’s the Hoopser Show. All right, guys. Like always, like the video, subscribe to the channel, and if you really want to help out, watch till the end and even leave a comment. All right, so the Utah Jazz preseason schedule was released yesterday, but I had already done a writing thing about Debansa and I did the video on Cam Johnson. Today, I wanted to talk about the preseason schedule. It’s four games. It starts on Wednesday, October 8th. It ends on Thursday, October 16th. So, like always, but the first two games are away. Last two games are at home. First two games are at Houston and San Antonio. Last two are home against Dallas and Portland. I think those first two games are going to be just fascinating. This preeason, we’re going to see, I think, two players that have a for sure starting spot for the Utah Jazz. And that’s the biggest question for me going into preseason is what is that starting lineup going to look like? So, the for sure two starters and I’m sure everyone will agree. I guess if you disagree, let me know in the comments, but Lowry Markin, Walker Kesler for sure going to start. Outside of those two, that’s where things get interesting. I wrote about this on SLC Dunk. You can go read about it there, but I’m going to talk about it here. So, whatever you want to do, I think the most interesting thing about the preseason, number one, is who starts? What is that starting lineup going to look like for for Will Hardy? I know I did a video about this before, but after having talked about it, I did an NBA reacts on SLC Dunk and got people’s voting and opinions. I have my prediction for the starting unit and this is what it is. So, starting at number at the one spot, I don’t call it point guard anymore. I call it the one. It’s lead. It’s the lead guard, I guess. Walter Clayton Jr. The reason he had an exceptional summer league where Isaiah Kier I don’t feel as though he did um he had an injury in that summer league and it kept him from playing which really was not great but in the three games he well he played in Salt Lake City. I can’t remember if he played all four arrested one but he played well in Salt Lake City and then he came and he played in Las Vegas. Cannot remember I’ll just be honest if he played one or two but he left with the hamstring injury. But what was really impressive about Clayton is he played pretty well from the get-go and just got better and better and better as things went along. When it first started, I was a little bit nervous about his ability to play in the half court. There were some signs of just kind of confronting NBA size and athletes for the first time. But, you know, every player kind of confronted that including Ace Bailey in including Cooper Flag Coniple. Uh Dylan Harper, I don’t know if he really ever got over it to be honest watching summer league. He’s going to be really interesting. Like what if Ace Bailey is just easily the number two prospect in this draft after a little bit? We’ll see. Um but Walter Clayton just played really well and he figured it out as he went. He was just finding more and more ways to be efficient not only in transition where he was awesome, but also in the half court he was just doing really well in the pick and roll. He had some plays where his size and inexperience in the league showed, but he also showed a lot of great things with his shooting, his knowhow, his toughness. He even showed some defensive chops. It’ll be interesting to see how those defensive analytics come out when he starts playing. And I think it can’t be underestimated that he is one of the first Austin picks. You know, I think the most the least tradable guys right now for the Utah Jazz, Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton. You know, less likely after that, you could argue who’s less likely after that, I guess, but those two are the least likely to be traded. They’re his guys. There’s who he’s starting with, and you can bet that he’s going to be very interested in developing those two, and they fit kind of a mold of what they want. Uh, so Walter Clayton Jr. at the one. Sorry, I had a piece of food in my mouth and I finally was able to swallow it. All right, number two. Bryce Sensiba is who I think is going to be at the number two. I know we’ve talked about maybe Isaiah Collie or Keonte George. Personally, I think Bryce Sensibah has done enough to prove that he is that number two and I think he has the size that Utah probably wants. The shooting is absolutely there. And if Utah has really good shooting at each of these four positions outside of center, it really helps them out. I think Utah would prefer to have five shooters on the floor. I think that’s a definitely a Danny A thing and an Austin A thing and a Will Hardy thing that they would like. But if you can’t, you better have four. And one thing we know about Bryce Enab 40 plus 3% three-point shooting from last year. It was like 65% in summer league. It was just ridiculous shooting from three. But he did it in all sorts of ways. He was scoring in a variety of ways. And I was going to talk I’ve still got to do a Bryce Sensaw video, but I was surprised that his turnover percentage got better from year 1 to year two. And I think that there’s a a chance that that gets even better. I mean, he’s going to play off the ball a little bit. He does handle it. And if he can be a willing passer at that too, that’s going to be the one weakness of that backcourt is playmaking. You know, Walter Clayton Jr. can definitely do it, but he is not the pure point guard or passer that I guess Isaiah Collier is more likely to be. So, I think those two are going to have to be willing passers and be able to play and be playmakers in those positions at at least a very willing level. They can’t be just ball stoppers. They’ve got to move the ball within the offense. But I think Walter Clayton is extremely smart and I think Bryce Sensibah has enough time under his belt with Will Hardy now that he knows the system that he can move the ball within it. You don’t necessarily have to have the Chris Paul, John Stockton point guards of old these days. You can have you need to have shooters at all positions and they also need to be able to be playmakers of their own. It in any if I guess I shouldn’t say John Stockton, you know who the player that really doesn’t happen anymore. It’s like the It’s like the catch and shoot three. The Raja Bells of the world. No more are in existence. You know, the Bruce Bowens where they’re just defenders on one end and they just shoot the ball on the other. We live in a day and age where every player needs to handle needs to be able to shoot dribble pass. And that sounds really simple, but it’s not always it’s not always something everyone can do. Bruce Bowen is not like a playmaker in any way, shape, or form. Raja Bell, great defender, good good shooter. That’s it, you know. And so, uh, that’s what happens with Bryce Sensibah. That’s what happens with Walter Clayton. Shoot, dribble, pass. They can do all of it. And then the other thing Utah needs is defense on the other end. So, that’s the thing that this duo is going to have to prove. Can they defend? I don’t know what the defense is going to be like with those two, you know? So, Utah definitely is not set as a team for contention, but I do think I just hit the microphone. I do think those two are going to start and probably make the most sense with the team the Jazz have now. Okay, number three, Ace Bailey. I think this is something the Jazz have to do. If they don’t, maybe this is wishful thinking on my part. I’m trying to not get my hopes up and and get crushed, but you know what? This is what I They are already up. Their hopes are up, ready to be dashed. But I think Ace Bailey has to start and I think honestly he will be someone they they need to start him there. Who else plays the three outside of him? You could argue Lowry Markin, but Markin’s more of a four is he’s not as athletic as Ace Bailey and can’t defend like Ace Bailey does at the three. and Taylor Hendricks coming off industry injury could probably play the three, but I don’t know if he’s not more he to me he’s more of a four five at this point and with the injury I wonder if it’s going to be a little slow for him coming back. Utah is not going to want to rush him too much and so I wonder if he comes off the bench and you know I think Taylor Hendrickx can play 345 and maybe that’s the the the move they make. Maybe it’s Lowry Markin at the three, Taylor Hendricks at the four, and Walker Kesler at the five. I just would much prefer Ace Bailey getting those starting units because I think Ace Bailey is a core part of the future. It’s partly why I’m kind of pro-rading Lowry Marketing because I would like to give Taylor Hendricks those minutes at the four. But it’s okay if if a trade comes, this is I guess that’s what I’m saying. I’m kind of rambling here a little bit. I would like to see Ace Bailey start at the three. Uh I’m already um spoiling number four, but it’s probably not a surprise that Larry Markin at the four. And then Taylor Hendrickx comes off the bench and replaces either one. And that makes a lot of sense to me in terms of of front court. I think that is those interchangeable parts right there. And the thing that’s nice about Taylor Hendricks is he can also come in and back up Walker Kesler. I think with how big and strong Taylor Hendricks is looking, he looks like a potential five at least in spot minutes. But maybe he can play it consistently. You know, that’s going to be a really interesting storyline this season. Does Taylor Hendricks slip into that center spot at some point? I don’t know. We’ll see. Like we talked about, um, Walker Kesler is is extension elig eligible right now. Utah could give Walker Kesler an extension right now. Both sides are saying they would like an extension, but it hasn’t happened. So, that tells me either Walker Kesler’s as asking for too much or Utah is pro maybe okay giving him that amount, but wants to see him play another season because Kesler has had two like one really good season, a bad season, and a pretty good season last year, right? It’s not been like a home run every year. The rookie season was really nice. USA basketball happened and kind of got in his head. It seems like he had a really down year two and then last year it felt like he improved, but he needs to show more consistency. And so that’s what I I’m sure the Jazz want to see. So anyways, I have already spoiled it, but I have Lowry Markin at the four. I think that’s probably his more natural position at this point and plays better there anyway. I think he can defend that position better and I think he rebounds in that position pretty well. So I think that’s where he needs to go. With John Collins gone, there is no worry about where Collins is going to play. And I honestly think Collins was Utah’s best player last year. So they have moved John Collins. Lowry Markin gets the four spot and that’s pretty much in stone at this point unless he gets traded. So, I like that starting four uh outside of center, shooting at every position. We’ll see how well the defense holds up, but I do think Ace Bailey is going to earn those minutes with his defense. And that’s where I think it’s going to be interesting with with Lowry Markin. Can he defend at the four and show that he can defend. Otherwise, if he shoots it well and another team gives him a big offer and Utah feels like Taylor Hendricks is the future, then he might get moved. Uh, and then I’ve already spoiled it at two, but Walker Kesler at the five, I don’t think anyone’s surprised. And like I said, Walker Kesler just needs to show consistency. Can he consistently show great effort? Can he consistently rebound? Can he consistently offensive rebound? We know he’s a good offensive rebounder. He does it really well. But can he defensive rebound? Can he be a dominant force night after night? Walker Kesler has to prove he’s worth a contract, and Utah’s going to be watching closely. And so we’ll see how things go. Uh, also, can he shoot free throws consistent? It’s just not gotten much better. He needs to shoot those free throws better or he is not going to be a player you can play in crunch time because it will just be Hacker Kesler, right? And so that’s going to be interesting to watch. And then I think subs are obviously Isaiah Collier, uh, Keonte George, and Taylor Hendrickx off the bench. I think uh that’s makes a lot of sense and I think that’s a big- time move if they do that. Putting Walter Clayton Jr. who by the way is the same age as as Kee George I believe at this point. Um it’s pretty interesting. I think that if he earns that spot it’s a big deal. It shows he really earned it. Um I don’t think Isaiah Collier is the the de facto best player to play at that starting spot. We’ll see if Will Hardy does that. I think he wants these players to earn their their spots and so if Walter Clayton starts it’s because he earns it. So that will be interesting to see. Uh the other thing I think it’s going to be interesting to watch is do the Jazz get blown out in those first two games. I am predicting they do uh because the defense for Houston is top five. It’s incredible. They are going to come out ready to play. And Utah is a very, very young team, very, very new team with veterans that just got traded. That is a recipe for getting blown out. Now, does do they come out and not get blown out? That would be incredible. I mean, if you talk in that first half, cuz you know, they’re going to rest players in the second half. Probably both teams. We’ll see. But how does Utah do in that first half against an elite top five Houston defense? How do they look? Are they discombobulated? Do they play well? We’ll see. But that is a huge test right off the bat. I’m exc I mean, guys, I’m so excited to watch it. I can’t believe we got to wait until October 8th to watch, but it’s going to be a lot of fun. But that is going to be the big test. And San Antonio is going to be I think they are going to be a very good team next year. Webenyama is going to be in very good. I think he’s going to be in the running for DPI, possibly MVP if he plays really well. Uh you’ve got Stfan Castle. He is going to be someone that is going to come out and ready to prove himself. Dear Fox is a is I don’t know if he’s a great defender, but he’s a quick and solid defender who steals the ball. And then you’ve just got veterans on that team. Now, uh, Vel, I think, is probably I don’t know what to I don’t I’ll be honest, I don’t know Vel enough to really, uh, say here or there how good a defender he is, but, you know, Harrison Barnes, nothing to scoff at. That team, and I can’t remember if Barnes got traded or not, but either way, that team is going to be interesting. I think they’re going to be good and, uh, and it’ll be interesting to watch how does Utah play against them. Uh, Dallas and Portland, it’s going to be a fun matchup against Cooper Flag and Ace Bailey. Does Ace Bailey look good against Cooper Flag? That’s going to be fun. And then Portland, my guy Scoot Henderson and that Portland team with Yang Yang Hansen. I like the last name. It’s a good one. We’ll see how well the Jazz do against that. All right, guys. That’s really all I’ve got. I cannot wait till preseason. What are you looking forward to preseason? Let me know in the comments. Uh like and subscribe to the video. Shout out to the Allstars. I appreciate you so much. Thank you to everyone. I will talk to you next

The Utah Jazz preseason schedule was released and it’s got some interesting games to start for the Jazz. This offseason is still going but we’ll be starting the NBA season soon!

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