Utah Jazz's Projected Leading Scorer for 2026-27 Emerges

The Utah Jazz have several talented scorers on their roster heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

Lauri Markkanen just came off his highest-scoring season in terms of nightly averages. Keyonte George was the Jazz's highest scorer on the roster last year. Jaren Jackson Jr. is finally going to suit up for a full season, and the duo of Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson will be developing into dangerous scoring threats themselves in due time.

But of the entire batch of scorers that the Jazz have on their roster, who will be the one leading the way in points throughout the year?

In the eyes of sportsbooks, there's one clear favorite to make that happen.

Who the Jazz's Projected Highest Points Scorer Is

The gauge for projecting who on the Jazz's roster will be projected to score the most points next year comes from odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: particularly by looking at who in Utah has the best odds to lead the league in scoring next year.

And the guy with the best odds––albeit pretty unfavorable––is the man who's led the Jazz in points per game through the past four seasons: Lauri Markkanen, who sits at a distant +25,000 odds to lead the NBA in scoring for the 2026-27 campaign.

Jan 27, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the basket against LA Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Markkanen actually sits next to a handful of talented scorers, all things considered. Those same +25,000 odds are in play for James Harden, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flagg, and Tyler Herro.

Again, all unfavorable, but it gives you a scope of just how Vegas views the Jazz's chances to host the NBA scoring champion. And if it is going to be anyone, Markkanen's going to have the best shot at making it happen.

But there's going to be a time–– and it might not be this season–– where Markkanen isn't going to be the top scorer on the Jazz's roster. Really, there's a slim, but real chance, that Markkanen sees that drop this season, or at the very least, see his numbers drop a little bit less than 26 points per game.

Why Lauri Markkanen's Place as Jazz's Top Scorer Is Far From Cemented

Markkanen's spot atop the scoring totem pole is on a bit of a timer moving forward, which is simply because of the talent––and particularly young talent––is around him on the roster with a chance of moving up the scoring ladder in a short amount of time.

Keyonte George averaged upwards of 23 points a night last season. Ace Bailey saw his numbers go up for 13 a night and will likely see those averages increase for year two. Darryn Peterson could join the Jazz's lineup to be an immediate 20-point scorer on a nightly basis.

Those three guys alone threaten Markkanen's status as the Jazz's top scorer. Markkanen's experience, talent, and ability to play off the ball certainly help him remain a key piece of Utah's offense. But being the top option Will Hardy looks towards at the end of games might just be numbered.

Bottom Line

Again, will Markkanen's gradual dip in offensive production come as soon as this season? Maybe not. After all, the Jazz's emerging core is still young and developing, and might still be a year or two from leapfrogging an All-Star forward in scoring production.

But that change, in all likelihood, will soon be in play for Markkanen and in place within this Jazz offense. Markkanen's only getting older, and Utah's young talent will only be getting better year after year.

How the team and Markkanen himself will adjust for that when the time comes remains to be seen. For now, Markkanen has the keys and might still soon be on pace to average upwards of 25 points a night this year to certify that.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Be sure to follow Utah Jazz On SI on X to stay up to date for daily Utah Jazz news, rumors and analysis!

Add us as a preferred source on Google