Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz shooting guard Johnny Juzang (thumb) has been ruled out for the Jazz's season opener on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Juzang has a right thumb sprain and the team has not given a potential return date yet. The 23-year-old performed well from deep during the preseason, shooting over 50% from three. However, he was still likely to find himself outside of the Jazz's rotation. His absence will likely go unnoticed for Utah fans. Fantasy managers looking for depth at the guard position may want to consider Svi Mykhailiuk who came over from Boston this offseason. Mykhailiuk's output wasn't inspiring off Boston's bench but he did shoot 38.9% from three. During the preseason the 27-year-old averaged 12.5 PPG on 9.5 FGA while averaging two threes made per game. He is much more likely to have a significant fantasy impact than Juzang once Juzang is back and healthy.

Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler is back in trade discussions as the young big man heads into the third season of his career. According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, the Jazz are seeking at least two first-round picks in exchange for Kessler. With two first-rounders as a starting price, the trade discussions haven't seemed to get too far. The New York Knicks were one of the teams that had some serious interest until they made an "all-in" move when they traded for Karl-Anthony Towns. Outside of the Knicks, the phone lines have been pretty dry. On unofficial depth charts, Kessler is listed as the first center off of the bench, but the Jazz drafted Kyle Filipowski and added Drew Eubanks in the off-season.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reports that Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler beefed up to 272 pounds after weighing 245 last season. Starting in 40 games in 2022-23, the 23-year-old made only 22 starts in last year's campaign.A bulkier Kessler will again have to compete for playing time, with the Jazz having a deep frontcourt as Lauri Markkanen andJohn Collins will command most of the starter minutes. The young center will likely not be a fantasy factor for the 2024-25 season.

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is happy to remain on the team following an offseason full of trade rumors. "It was a nice feeling to know that a lot of teams wanted you to play for their franchise," Markkanen told Tony Jones of The Athletic. "It was kind of a cool thing to be honest. It tells me that I've been able to get a lot better as a player. But I tried not to think about it beyond that. I know that I wanted to come back to Utah, and that's where my priorities were." Markkanen, who signed a five-year, $238 million extension on Aug. 7, has been the main man in Utah for the last couple of campaigns, and his fantasy value could have taken a significant hit with a move elsewhere.

Utah Jazz point guard Collin Sexton appears full of confidence ahead of the new campaign, making a bold claim that he's among the best players in the NBA in his position. Sexton was asked on the Come And Talk 2 Me podcast if he's a top 10 point guard in the league. "If I'm putting myself in there, for sure," said Sexton. "I put myself against anybody. At the end of the day, I don't back down from nobody. I got a different type of chip on my shoulder. I got a different type of grind that when I step between those lines, it's me against you." Utah and fantasy managers alike would be delighted if Sexton could consistently play like a top-10 point guard. The 25-year-old enjoyed a strong finish to last campaign, averaging 20.8 points and 5.8 assists after the All-Star break.