Preseason notebook: Guards, Favors, and more

The roles for guards like Clarkson and Sexton are still up in the air as the preseason continues. (Rick Egan, The Salt Lake Tribune)

The preseason is winding to a close, and the Jazz’s 2023-24 season will officially start in just eight days. Here are a few items of note to digest as the exhibition season continues on.

Point guard position still undecided

Talon Horton-Tucker and Collin Sexton were the starting guards for the first two preseason games, but Saturday’s date with the Blazers shifted Sexton to the bench in favor of Jordan Clarkson at his natural shooting guard position in the starting lineup. Add in veteran Kris Dunn and rookie Keyonte George, and the backcourt is crowded, to say the least. 

Looking at Sexton and George specifically, the two have come to be the fan favorites for the position. To be honest, neither is probably the guy for day one, despite Sexton specifically saying he desires to be so, but they show tantalizing ability in the modern NBA game.  For example, Sexton exploded off the bench against the Blazers for 16 points, six assists, a block, and a steal while going 8-for-8 from the foul line and 2-for-3 from deep. It was a great performance. 

Perhaps the eventual point guard, rookie of the year hopeful Keyonte George is showing flashes of ability at the position as well. Against the Blazers, he played 23 minutes and scored 17 points. Everyone is learning the dude can shoot, slash, and score, but it’s his playmaking and vision that is setting him up for a promising role in the future. 

Neither guard played a ton of minutes in Utah’s exhibition against the New Zealand Breakers on Monday, but both came away with eight points.

Four games into the preseason, the point guard position is still up for grabs, with all the candidates showcasing a reason for and against getting that starting nod. The THT-Clarkson combo again got the backcourt starting nods on Monday. Speaking to Tony Jones of The Athletic, head coach Will Hardy said, “As a staff, we have a lot of work to do in order to determine to figure out what the groups can and should be.” 

D-Favs making a comeback; talks Jazz

Over the weekend, former Jazzman Derrick Favors sat down for a one-on-one with Hoopshype writer Michael Scotto outlining his attempt at an NBA comeback via the G League.

Since then, though, the 15-year-vet got a call from the Chicago Bulls and signed a training camp contract. Favors says he is driven by the love of the game and the desire to be a mentor to the rising generation of ballers. “I still love the game. I love everything about it. I love the whole process of working out, getting better, the weight room and conditioning, and the on-court work,” he said. “Part of me (looking for G League/camp deals) is trying to continue my career, finding ways to get better, hopefully get back to the league, and be a mentor to the young guys.”

The wide-ranging interview also covered his time in Utah. When asked about mentors, Favors gave credit to bulldog Earl Watson, big Al Jefferson, and workhorse Paul Millsap. “They helped me out a lot as guys I could talk to.” What made them special was how they connected to younger players. “They understood what was going on for a younger player, like not getting minutes, enough opportunities, or touches,” he said. “They knew what to say to keep me level-headed, motivated to keep getting better, and not lose myself mentally.”

Regarding the state of Utah and the fan base, Favors admitted it was a culture shock going from Atlanta and then New Jersey to all of a sudden being in Utah. It took him a few years to get comfortable but was confident saying Utah is an amazing place to play. “The fans were always supporting you there, standing up and cheering loudly,” he said. “The people there are extremely nice,” he added. “It was a great place for me to be in terms of basketball and building a family. It was the perfect place for me.”

Favors was also asked why he believes the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert run of Jazz basketball couldn’t be more successful. Injuries at the wrong time was a big reason, he said. Mike Conley went down against the Clippers one year, while Mitchell wasn’t 100% either. Having seen a lot of basketball in his 15 years, Favors also added the insight of just how good Houston and Golden State were. “You’ve also got to remember that we were going up against Houston and Golden State when they had the best record in the league and the best team,” he said. “I think some of it was matchups, going against two historically great offensive teams. We couldn’t match up with them, but who could in the league? If it wasn’t for Golden State, Houston probably would’ve won championships.” What ifs could go all day, but Favors added, “If it wasn’t for those two teams, we could’ve won a championship.” 

Love from Lue to Kessler

While the Jazz and Clippers matched up twice in preseason action, Clipper coach Ty Lue was reunited with Jazz center Walker Kessler. The two spent plenty of time together this summer as Team USA competed in the FIBA World Cup and the ramp-up practices and exhibition games. Lue lit up when asked about Kessler. “All the guys loved him,” Lue said. “When he got in the game, the whole bench and everybody was cheering for him. He is a great person.” Perhaps recalling an inside story, Lue paused, chuckled, and added: “I like Walk. He’s a funny dude.” 

ESPN ranks five Jazzmen in the top 100

As chronicled by John Keeffer, another listing of top NBA players was finalized a few days ago. 

NBA Rank is an annual survey that asks 150 reporters, editors, producers, and analysts “to rank players based on their predicted contributions — quality and quantity” strictly for the upcoming 2023-24 season. The Jazz had five guys listed in the top 100. 

Collin Sexton came in at 98, John Collins was next at 90, and Jordan Clarkson was found at 77. Like Keeffer, I find that ranking criminally low. The next ranking also feels too low, with Walker Kessler’s rise listed at 70. If he can keep growing, he should quickly rise up the ranks. To finish, All-Star Lauri Markkanen was placed at 28, ahead of Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr., and other rising stars like Jalen Bronson and Mikal Bridges.