3Takeaways, Keyonte George injury update

All the attention was on the debut of Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Klay Thompson in the first game, not in a Golden State Warriors uniform. But despite the hometown excitement, the Utah Jazz prevailed with a 107-102 win. Lauri Markkanen led all scorers with 27 points and was in All-Star form. Thompson finished the game with 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting in a losing cause.

The Jazz may have won the game, but the big news was Keyonte George's injury with 10:30 left in the third quarter. George had to be helped off the pitch after he attempted a crossover dribble and slipped on his right foot before falling to the ground. The Jazz reported that George suffered a mild knee sprain and would not return.

Now let's take a look at some key takeaways as the Jazz remain undefeated in the preseason.

George's status will be the biggest storyline for the Jazz for the foreseeable future. George is coming off a rookie season where he was arguably the bright spot in a down year for the Jazz. Aside from Utah's best player, Lauri Markkanen, George is the only player who should be a part of Utah's future.

The initial news is reassuring, but Jazz fans were in for a shock at the time of the injury. George will be out for some time and it will be painful until there is more clarity on the extent of the injury

If Utah needs two players to start the season quickly, it's John Collins and Jordan Clarkson. Both players are unlikely to be a part of the future and are playing on contracts that are difficult to move.

Clarkson scored 13 points on 5 of 10 from the field, while Collins contributed 14 points and seven rebounds. The veteran pair, adding to their trade stock, would help rebuild Utah. How they play when the season starts will be something to keep an eye on. Expect both players to be tied to rumors by the trade deadline.

For the second game in a row, Cody Williams failed to establish himself on the offensive side of the field. Williams attempted just three shots in 27 minutes against the Houston Rockets, followed by a two-shot performance in 21 minutes in Dallas.

It's far too early to conclude what this means in the long run, but it seems he's lacking some confidence for now. On the defensive side of the field, Williams appears to have all the tools to be a shutdown defender.

Regardless of how Williams develops in the future, Jazz fans can expect to see those developmental minutes at the NBA level. According to Jazz on Media Day, the focus this season is on the youth movement.

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