The Utah Jazz and guard Keyonte George are unlikely to agree on a rookie contract extension despite the franchise's confidence in his long-term future, sources told ESPN, with Utah's front office seeking further confirmation of his breakout 2025-26 campaign before committing to a maximum-level deal.
George, who struggled through his first two NBA seasons, averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season while posting a .609 true shooting percentage, a dramatic improvement in efficiency that repositioned him as a core piece of Utah's rebuilding effort.
While the Jazz remain open to extension discussions, the organization is not yet comfortable approaching the rookie extension maximum without seeing George sustain that level of production into next season.
As with restricted free agent center Walker Kessler, Utah's front office is willing to allow George to enter restricted free agency if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, giving the Jazz the right to match any outside offer he receives.
George's situation is further complicated by the upcoming NBA Draft, where the Jazz hold the No. 2 overall pick. Top prospect Darryn Peterson, projected as a shooting guard who could play point guard, shares the same agency as George. Utah's front office has maintained internally that the two can coexist on the court, pointing to playoff teams that successfully deploy multiple ball handlers simultaneously.









