10/24/2026, 3:08 PM

Hits for 17 off bench Friday

After getting the start in the season opener, Hayes swapped places with Ace Bailey as Utah went with a smaller lineup against New Orleans. Hayes was more productive off the bench, leading the second unit in scoring and boards, and he ended up playing more minutes than Bailey on the night. The duo might continue to switch in and out of the starting five depending on matchups, but Hayes' workload figures to be steady in either role while Jusuf Nurkic (foot) remains sidelined.

10/24/2026, 3:04 PM

Drains four treys in Friday's win

With the Jazz roster rapidly getting stronger around him, Markkanen's usage could be set to decline. The 29-year-old forward averaged 19.2 FG attempts over 42 regular-season games in 2025-26, but through two games to begin the current campaign he's attempted exactly 13 shots in each, with Jaren Jackson, Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson all seeing similar volume in Friday's win. Markkanen still figures to be busy from beyond the arc and grab his share of boards, but his overall scoring could dip well below the 23-25 PPG his fantasy investors have been used to getting from him since he arrived in Utah.

10/24/2026, 2:58 PM

Big double-double in comeback win

The 24 points led the Jazz on the night, and Jackson was instrumental in the team's fourth-quarter comeback. The 27-year-old big has recorded multiple blocks in each of the first two games of the season, as he looks to average 2.0 rejections or better for the first time since 2022-23 with the Grizzlies.