A former star of the Duke Blue Devils could be in danger of losing his NBA minutes this coming season.
As the new NBA season draws closer, one former star big man from the Duke Blue Devils could be in danger of losing his rotation spot.
Center Kyle Filipowski of the Utah Jazz has put together a decent start to his NBA career, but given where the team currently is, he may need some help. Filipowski was drafted by Utah in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft following two years with the Blue Devils.
At Duke, Filipowski played two seasons, helping the Blue Devils greatly. Over 72 games played with Duke, the big man averaged 15.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while shooting 47.3 percent from the field.
While he wasn't a first round pick, Filipowski was expected to be a solid contributor to any team that rook him. So far, he has been a nice backup option for the Jazz, but Utah is now ready to start competing for a playoff spot.
Utah's front office has made some big-time moves of late, bringing in more talent, especially in the front court. This could leave a hole in the rotation for the former Duke star, and he will be entering a crucial season in 2026-27.
While Filipowski has played well for Utah so far, the team has multiple options in the front court heading into the NBA season. This could see Filipowski having a hard time earning rotation minutes, putting his value to the team in jeopardy.
One reason for this could be that Filipowski hasn't shot well enough from beyond the three-point line throughout his career. So far, the big man has shot 35.0 percent in his rookie year and then 32.5 percent a year ago.
These aren't the type of numbers that a team wants to see from someone who was expected to help stretch the floor as a center. But Filipowski has helped in other areas, allowing him to remain in the rotation.
There just aren't enough minutes to go around, and Filipowski could end up being the odd man out. Last season, Filipowski averaged 11.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Jazz, playing in 77 contests.
Utah has made it a point to focus on having strong depth in the front court, and the team has a potential logjam of players. Stars Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen lead the way, with Jusuf Nurkić, Jaxson Hayes, and Filipowski behind them.
Overall, this will be an important year for the former Duke star, but if he can't figure it out, he could be looking for a new job. Filipowski is a talented big man, but the NBA can be unforgiving, and it's all about what a player has done lately.
