Utah Jazz's Starting Lineup Decision Just Got More Complicated

The Utah Jazz made an eye-catching change to their starting five just two games deep into their 2026-27 campaign.

After the Jazz had opted to start veteran big man Jaxson Hayes during the first game of the season on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies–– leading to a humbling 103-123 loss–– Will Hardy and Utah's coaching staff decided to pivot against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

Rather than plugging in Hayes as their starting center for the night, they would instead slot in Jaren Jackson Jr. as their center to start the night. Ace Bailey would become the fifth starter to enter the lineup and take Hayes' place, and that group actually wound up performing relatively well to start the game off.

However, it didn't take too long into the game before the Jazz decided to revert back to their previous ways with Hayes. Utah inevitably decided to close out the game with him as a part of their five-man lineup in the fourth quarter, along with the same group they started against Memphis.

But the reason didn't seem to be because of any matchup advantages or lackthereof. Instead, it seemed more as if Hayes had willed his way onto the floor because of the high-end impact he brought to the table down the stretch.

Hayes finished the game with 17 points on 7-8 shooting from the field, along with five rebounds, two assists, and a block, while also leading the entire Jazz roster in plus-minus at +9.

Now, the Jazz have their next game coming up against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, and they've rolled out two different starting fives in their first two games.

So the question must be asked: who will Utah decide to roll out in their starting lineup later this weekend?

What Will the Jazz's Starting Five Look Like vs. Lakers?

Based on our early sample size through the preseason and regular season, the Jazz seem to feel pretty confident about four of their five starters heading into game three of the season: Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson lead the way in the backcourt, while Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. fill out the frontcourt.

But it's that fifth spot for the Jazz that's been largely undetermined, even dating back to the start of training camp. And based on Utah's latest showing against the Pelicans, that decision to decide on a solid starting five isn't getting much easier with time.

For however long Jusuf Nurkic is sidelined with a foot injury, the decision for Utah's fifth starter seems to be down to two names: Ace Bailey and Jaxson Hayes.

Bailey provides more length on the wing, along with another dose of scoring and perimeter defense, while Hayes brings the size and rim-finishing ability that the Jazz benefitted from immensely on Friday against the Pelicans.

Both are due for a good share of minutes in any given game, but only so many starting spots are there to go around––which tends to make the conversation a bit interesting on how game three will inevitably pan out for the Jazz.

Head coach Will Hardy has gone on record multiple times throughout his tenure with the Jazz, noting that whoever starts the game doesn't tend to matter as much as how the entire 48 minutes of the game are distributed.

However, the first five players on the floor to begin any game do tend to hold some weight, which was made clear by Utah's quick lineup change just one game into the season. Those five players do set the tone for the first five to seven minutes of any night, and oftentimes can lead to a big hint on who winds up closing out the game in the fourth quarter.

So there's no doubt that Hardy and Co. are taking time to weigh their options of who to start for this Sunday against the Lakers. But between Bailey and Hayes, who might be their best option to roll with?

The Verdict: Start Hayes, Bring Bailey Off the Bench

For this game against the Lakers in particular, the Jazz might just have to keep their specific matchup in mind when determining their best course of action within the starting five.

On Sunday, the Jazz will have a tall task on their hands at the center position against none other than Walker Kessler; someone who offers size, rebounding, and a nice defensive presence on the interior that could lead to Utah valuing Hayes' skillset as a starter more than Bailey's.

And when paired alongside the breakout game that Hayes just had against New Orleans, it might be hard for the Jazz to let him start on the bench again. And in this game, losing Hayes in their lineup could then lead Utah to quickly getting overwhelmed by the Lakers' size rebounding in the frontcourt, and thus, get put in a deficit early.

So if I were in Will Hardy's shoes calling the shots for the Jazz rotation, their opening night rotation against the Grizzlies tends to make more sense on paper. If it doesn't work, Utah can then pivot to Bailey as a sixth man and hope his length and scoring ability can be a bit of a mismatch for the Lakers' defense instead.

Time will tell which direction Hardy and the Jazz staff go for game three against the Lakers, which will tip-off at 3 p.m. MT on Sunday night, potentially setting up a second win in a row for Utah after a close one against New Orleans.

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