Jazz Nightly

Lauri Markkanen is still the top scorer on this roster. Last season he averaged 26.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in 42 games, shooting 35.5 percent from three. Keyonte George ran the offense, with 23.6 points and 6.1 assists in 54 games. He shot 37.1 percent from deep. Jaren Jackson Jr. gives Utah a third scorer. Last season he averaged 19.4 points and 5.7 rebounds in 48 games. Markkanen and Jackson are both listed at F-C, which gives the front office size and shooting at the same two spots. Availability is the question with this group. Markkanen played 42 games last season and Jackson played 48. If the Jazz want to climb out of the bottom of the West, they need both on the floor far more often.

The newest face is Darryn Peterson, a 19-year-old rookie guard who wears No. 22. Ace Bailey, 20, is coming off a busy first season. He played 72 games and averaged 13.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. Brice Sensabaugh scored 14.9 points per game in 75 games and shot 36.7 percent from three. Kyle Filipowski was the most durable player on the roster, with 77 games, 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds. Isaiah Collier handed out 7.2 assists per game, but he shot 27.0 percent from three. Svi Mykhailiuk was the best shooter in the group at 40.8 percent from deep. Jaxson Hayes, Mo Bamba, Josh Green and Josh Okogie fill out the rotation. Hayes was the only regular with a positive plus-minus last season, at 1.1.

Three players are listed as out. Jusuf Nurkic has a right foot injury, and his estimated return is Nov. 4. That means he is expected to miss the full opening homestand. Last season Nurkic averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 41 games. Losing his rebounding and passing hurts a team that struggled to get stops. Tony Bradley is out with a left quadriceps injury. Trey Alexander is out with a left knee injury. Both have an estimated return of Oct. 23, the night of the opener. Bradley joined the team when Utah claimed him off waivers on Oct. 17. With Nurkic out, more of the center minutes should go to Filipowski, Hayes and Bamba until Bradley is cleared.

Ten players from last season are gone. Walker Kessler is now with the Lakers, and he comes back to Salt Lake City on Oct. 25. Cody Williams is with the Timberwolves, Elijah Harkless is with the Pistons and Oscar Tshiebwe is with the Rockets. Kevin Love, John Konchar, Bez Mbeng, Kennedy Chandler, Hayden Gray and Blake Hinson are unsigned. The front office kept making moves this week. On Oct. 17, Utah claimed Tony Bradley off waivers. The same day, it was reported that the Jazz converted Harrison Ingram to a two-way deal and cut two players. On Oct. 21, Jake Fischer reported that the Jazz are set to sign Kobe Bufkin to a two-way contract. That deal should be treated as pending until it is official.

Last season Utah went 22-60. The offense was not the main problem. The Jazz scored 117.6 points per game with an offensive rating of 112.7, an effective field goal percentage of 53.6 and a true shooting percentage of 57.5. The defense was. Utah's defensive rating was 120.8, and the net rating finished at -8.2. The Jazz also played fast, with a pace of 103.5. A fast pace with a leaky defense gives opponents a lot of easy chances. Most of last season's top scorers are back, so the scoring should be there again. The real test in 2026-27 is whether Jackson, a healthy Nurkic and a bigger rotation can bring that defensive number down.