Three thoughts on the Utah Jazz’s 86-76 Summer League win over the Toronto Raptors from Jazz sportswriter Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune.
1. Taylor Hendricks’ redemption
More than a few readers left comments after Taylor Hendricks had a great game on Wednesday. Finally, on Monday, Triple Team noted that I was “concerned” about Hendricks, saying, “His basketball IQ and overall level of play will need to improve dramatically for him to be a part of the Jazz’s rotation next year.”
Well, Wednesday definitely qualified!
Hendricks played extremely well against the Raptors, scoring 23 points, hitting 9 of 10 from the field and adding nine rebounds, a block and a steal. He hit 3 of 4 from long range, which was nice to see after some more ugly misses on Monday. The highlights are worth watching.
So what was the difference?
His summer league coach, Sean Sheldon, said, “I think he was just more aggressive and more physical from the beginning… how you stay in a rotation, how you stay in the NBA, just depends on how he played tonight.” Hendricks himself, meanwhile, said the key for him was to “let the game come to me a little bit more.” It’s an interesting dichotomy.
Hendricks needs to be an opportunistic scorer, as he doesn’t really have the ability to shake off defenders and gain advantages. But he also needs to be very aggressive in the moments he gets the ball: he needs to shoot quickly, attack quickly, or move the ball quickly. In transition, he needs to sprint and get ahead of the counter, where his athleticism in the open field can come into play. Getting to the right spots to attack is key – and sometimes I see his teammates having to direct him up the field anyway.
The same is true even more so on defense, where positioning is even more important. If Hendricks is in the right spots, he can have a huge impact, but to do so he has to be aggressive.
Ultimately, I hope this performance can be a springboard for Hendricks to showcase his potential, a film session he can watch and replay. Remember, I was excited about Hendricks’ selection; I thought he was maybe the fourth or fifth best prospect in the 2023 draft class. Performing at that level more consistently will mean a successful NBA career.
2. Kenneth Lofton Jr.’s Summer League
The basketball world loved Kenneth Lofton Jr.’s first two summer leagues, and for good reason: He was a face-off forward who showed he knew how to score, pass, and rebound. He was the bulkiest player on the court in any game, and his physique made it entertaining to watch, too.
But this summer league? Lofton is really disappointed. The biggest problem was how much Lofton demanded the ball in his hands: He demanded to bring the ball up like a point guard on every throw-in, then held it up in the open space for too long. Too often he calls his own number for a bowling ball drive into the box while defenders are nearby. Wednesday’s performance was the pinnacle of that kind, as he completed 1 of 8 shots with five turnovers in his 20 minutes.
I understand that Lofton is fighting for his NBA life and is desperate to show what he can do. But this is exactly the wrong way to show it. When NBA decision-makers look to expand their rosters, they look for players who can play a role, not future ball-dominant shooters.
The shame is that Lofton, at his best, can be a good and creative passer; that’s the skill the Jazz were most looking for from him this summer league. Maybe he heard that and that explains his current fixation. But they’re also looking for a player who can play as part of their system, and too often Lofton has hijacked the offense.
3. Review of the Ochai-Agbaji trade
Many Jazz fans were stunned when the trade of Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji for the No. 29 pick was announced last February. After all, the team had told reporters in the summer of 2023 that Agbaji was one of the nearly untouchable players on the roster, along with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Then, just before the deadline, they said they hoped to get a first-round pick in exchange for Olynyk. It was a big surprise when they traded those two players for a 2024 first-round pick.
For now, however, this trade looks like an excellent deal for the Jazz. Agbaji, who was almost invisible in his second season with the Jazz, was even less impactful in his two months with the Raptors. His performance in the summer league was similar and he is already 24 – the same year he was born as Darius Bazley, for example.
The Raptors re-signed Olynyk, but it’s far from clear whether the Jazz could have kept the Canadian. At $13 million a year for the next two seasons, it might not even have made sense for them.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Collier – who the Jazz selected with the No. 29 pick – looks like a pretty promising player; he certainly has his weaknesses, but his combination of speed, power and shot is really interesting. I’d probably pick Collier in the 2024-25 season, not to mention he’ll play better in the future, even though Collier is five years younger.
It’s so easy to overvalue your own assets. Perhaps the fact that the Jazz didn’t draft Agbaji, but traded him, helped. But regardless, the last-minute deal looks like a smart move by the Jazz front office at the moment.
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