Taylor Hendricks' Rookie Season: Has He Met Jazz's Expectations?

Where do things stand with Taylor Hendricks' development?

The marathon is well underway for a Utah Jazz team trying to strike a balance between winning now and building for the future. One of the storylines that’s been on my mind this season is the progression of Utah's three rookies — Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Brice Sensabaugh. 

The trio of 20-year-olds have each seen a unique set of circumstances on their journey to becoming consistent NBA performers. We’ll check in on how each of their seasons has gone to this point. 

After breaking down George, we're diving into Hendricks, Utah’s highest pick in nearly a decade.

Trouble Seeing the Court

The No. 9 overall pick in last June’s draft hasn’t been able to crack into Will Hardy’s regular rotation yet. Despite only logging 181 NBA minutes on the year, we’ve been able to get a good look at Hendrick’s development in the G-League. 

Hendricks has played 32 minutes per night across 19 games for the Salt Lake City Stars this year. While this is fairly uncharted territory for a top-10 pick, getting him on the court to get comfortable and work on some of his shortcomings is a positive.

What a shot! 😮 Taylor Hendricks from deep hitting our @TISSOT buzzer-beater of the night to end Q1! @slcstars #TissotBuzzerBeater | #YourTimeDefinesYourGreatness pic.twitter.com/po5c6n8VOo

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 5, 2024

Hendricks is averaging 4.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 stocks (steals and blocks) in just 13.9 minutes per game in the big league. He’s shooting just 39.7% from the floor and 34.3% from deep, but it’s a very small sample size. 

A Solid 7-Game Display

In early December, Hendricks cracked the rotation for a seven-game stretch during which injuries plagued the Jazz. During this time, those numbers bumped up to 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 stocks per game in a little over 18 minutes per night. Taylor looked increasingly comfortable in those minutes, which gave me confidence that he could slide into the rotation if a spot were to open up for him.

In the G-League, Hendricks has registered a very productive 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, an assist, and 2.3 stocks per game; he’s shot the ball much better, registering splits of 46.5% FG, 37.0% 3P, and 76.7% FT.

Experimenting as a Scorer

Unsurprisingly, over 80% of Hendricks’ field goals have been assisted in the G-League. While he’s not much of a creator with the ball in his hands, he has shown some flashes of putting the ball on the floor and either scoring, drawing a foul, or making a nice read as a passer. 

Although it’s still a work in progress, spending time in the G-League has likely given Hendricks more autonomy to experiment as a playmaker.

Check out this slick fake and athletic finish.

🎸 In our Taylor era 🎸#TakeNote | @tayxhendricks pic.twitter.com/9AuY2tL2cQ

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 14, 2023

While he’s more raw than many projected before the draft, Hendricks’ skill set still points to being a valuable supporting piece going forward. At 6-foot-9, and with the defensive instincts and athleticism that he possesses, Hendricks is going to be impactful on that end. 

Versatility at the 4 & 5 Spot

He also gives the Jazz the versatility to slide between the 4 and the 5. With the NBA continuing to move towards space and skill, having guys like Hendricks who can defend the rim defensively and also knock down threes on offense is intriguing.

The catch-and-shoot ability that Hendricks possesses is rare for a big. He knocked down 39% of his deep balls in college and is now shooting at a high clip in the G-League as well. 

On top of his shooting, I’m also intrigued with how the Jazz could use him as a rim roller — Hendricks has the athleticism to finish lobs above the rim, and his inside-out ability could put a lot of pressure on defenses.

"Hendricks with AUTHORITY"#ItStartsHere pic.twitter.com/mRugarmhN0

— Salt Lake City Stars (@slcstars) January 5, 2024

The Takeaway

With the trade deadline closing in, it’s plausible that the Jazz make a move to clear the deck for Hendricks. If that is the case, look for Hendricks to make an immediate impact on the defensive end of the court. 

Similar to his stints earlier in the year, he should be able to bother opposing players with his length, athleticism, and effort on that end. Offensively, I buy the shot, and I’m excited to watch how he develops as a scorer. We just have to hope we’re able to see him sooner rather than later.

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