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SALT LAKE CITY — Will Hardy has a message — a warning, even — for the three Utah Jazz rookies ahead of their first training camp: This isn't Summer League, this isn't open gym, and it certainly isn't college.
But …
"I think there is a world where each of them could play themselves into minutes," the Jazz head coach said.
That was the case last year when Walker Kessler immediately earned minutes for the Jazz. On the flip side, Ochai Agbaji took a bit more time, going to the G League to earn a spot in the rotation later in the season.
So what will the journeys of Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh include? The Jazz will begin to find out Tuesday when they open up training camp.
The good news: All three will be able to fully participate to make their individual cases.
Hendricks and Sensabaugh both missed all of Utah's summer league games due to injuries, and George suffered a sprained ankle during Utah's Las Vegas run. All three, though, have been full participants in open gym sessions leading up to camp and have impressed Hardy from afar.
"They go at it, they have not backed down one second out here playing with our veteran guys," Hardy said. "And so training camp is going to show us a lot, because it is a very different environment."
The rookies will have their work cut out for them to jump into the rotation.
George was a revelation during summer league, but how will he look against NBA players? Plus, he and Sensabaugh are part of a crowded backcourt that features Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kris Dunn and Agbaji.
Hendricks, meanwhile, was the No. 9 pick, but joins a deep front court that includes Lauri Markkanen, Kessler, Kelly Olynyk and John Collins. Minutes won't come easy, especially with Hardy.
The second-year coach is a believer that time has to be earned. He doesn't think it's good for a player's development to just give away minutes just because a player was a lottery pick or is considered the "future." So if the rookies play rotation minutes early, it's a sign the team thinks they can contribute to winning.
"I think the biggest thing for those three players in training camp is not about me or (Jazz general manager Justin Zanik) and what we think of them, it's about earning the trust of their teammates," Hardy said. "Because if their teammates think that they can help them win, they'll be all about it. If their teammates feel like they're being sort of shoved down their throats by myself or Justin, then we have an issue."
So far, the young trio have made a good impression on the franchise. They stayed in Utah for much of the summer to work out and to work with the team's training staff. There's also been positive reports coming out of open gym sessions about the young rookies.
"They are extremely hard workers," Zanik said. "They've all been here basically all summer. We've even tried to kick them out of the gym; they keep coming back. They are what we thought about them as far as their character, their work ethic and let alone their talent. I'm excited to have them start their journey."
