Kyle

Filipowski

After struggling during Utah’s summer league games in Salt Lake City, Filipowski looked more comfortable in Las Vegas. The role likely had something to do with that, as Walker Kessler’s absence led to the rookie being moved from power forward to center. While Filipowski did encounter some issues defensively, he has the offensive skill set needed to force mismatches on the other end. With Utah appearing to be all-in on the 2025 draft class, playing time may not be hard to come by for the rookie. And if the Jazz were to trade Lauri Markkanen, Filipowski’s fantasy ceiling would increase significantly.

Despite a slow start to the summer, Filipowski has played much better during their games in Las Vegas. He moved into the starting lineup and has scored in double figures in four straight games. However, that isn’t a role that will be there for him during the regular season. Filipowski will be in a reserve role, though he has shown some upside so far this summer. If the Jazz make moves at the trade deadline, he could be a player that shines during silly season in extended minutes.

After struggling to begin summer league play, Filipowski has steadily improved for the Jazz. Since the action shifted from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, he has been used as a center, with Walker Kessler no longer playing. The position change has benefitted Filipowski, whose comfort on the perimeter enables Utah to play a five-out system on offense. He does need to improve defensively, but the stats (three steals and one blocked shot) were there on Wednesday. Filipowski would have value as a late-round pick if Utah’s roster goes unchanged. However, he’s a player whose fantasy value would benefit significantly if the Jazz were offered a deal for Lauri Markkanen that they could not refuse.

After coming off the bench during Utah’s games in Salt Lake City, Filipowski moved into the starting lineup for the Jazz’s Las Vegas opener. He filled the void left by Walker Kessler, moving into the center position. Whether or not Filipowski can defend that position full-time at the NBA level remains to be seen, but the more versatile he is, the better it will be for him in terms of minutes. Taylor Hendricks (8/8/4/1/3) offered good defensive production next to the rookie, blocking three shots, and that kind of cover may be required to ensure Filipowski is successful when asked to play the five.

Filipowski, tabbed by some as a potential draft steal after he slipped out of the first round, had an inauspicious summer debut on Monday. He missed all four of his shot attempts, and the failure to crash down on Zach Edey in the final moments of regulation contributed to the Grizzlies’ rookie forcing overtime by tipping in the missed free throw. Filipowski will have better nights, especially as he gets more comfortable with his new teammates. Fantasy managers should not read too much into his performance on Monday night.

Eubanks will leave the Suns behind to join a deep Utah frontcourt. He’ll fill out minutes at center alongside Walker Kessler, John Collins and Kyle Filipowski. It’s entirely unclear what the team’s rotation will look like next season due to the amount of depth they have. However, Eubanks won’t be providing fantasy value unless he fills in at times as a starter due to injuries in front of him in the rotation.

After a strong freshman season at Duke, Filipowski had a strong case to enter the draft last season. However, he came back for another season and made a number of statistical improvements to improve his draft stock. He doubled his block numbers and nearly did the same with his assists. He also made leaps with both his field goal and free throw percentage. Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 triples per game. He’s a strong passer for a big, and if he can continue to improve as a shooter, he should fit flawlessly in today’s NBA. It’s unclear how he’ll fit into the rotation, but he’ll take a back seat to John Collins and Walker Kessler to start while he tries to establish a role.