The Utah Jazz have become more optimistic about reaching a rookie-scale extension with Keyonte George before the deadline, according to ESPN’s Tim McMahon.

“I’ve been telling you I didn’t think that an extension would be forthcoming for Keyonte George,” McMahon said on The Hoop Collective podcast, via HoopsHype. “I was informed that, hey, there’s a little bit more optimism of that possibly happening than there had been even a week or two ago. There’s a chance that there could be a meeting in the middle.”

George is entering the final season of his four-year, $18.8 million rookie contract, giving Utah a decision on whether to secure one of its most important young pieces before he reaches restricted free agency.

The Jazz previously appeared unlikely to finalize a long-term agreement with George, preferring to evaluate whether his breakout 2025-26 season represented a sustainable jump before committing significant money. However, the two sides could now be moving closer to finding common ground.

George took a major step forward in his third NBA season, emerging as one of Utah’s primary offensive options. The 22-year-old guard averaged 23.6 points, 6.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 54 games while starting every contest.

After shooting 39.1% from the field in each of his first two seasons, George improved his efficiency significantly in 2025-26. He connected on 45.6% of his field-goal attempts, 37.1% from three-point range and 89.2% from the free-throw line, posting a .532 effective field-goal percentage and a .609 true shooting percentage.

George also increased his scoring volume while becoming more efficient as a pick-and-roll creator. His 6.1 assists per game ranked second on the Jazz behind Isaiah Collier, while his 3.1 turnovers per game remained an area for improvement as he took on a larger offensive role.

Utah’s decision on George comes as the franchise continues building around a young core. The Jazz finished the 2025-26 season with a 22-60 record, the worst mark in the Western Conference, but George’s development gave the team a potential long-term backcourt cornerstone alongside recent lottery additions.

The Jazz also faced extension questions with Walker Kessler before the center was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Utah had reportedly offered Kessler a five-year, $140 million extension before the sides failed to reach an agreement.

Unlike Kessler, George’s contract situation is tied more directly to his offensive upside. The guard entered the league as the No. 16 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and averaged 13.0 points and 4.4 assists as a rookie before improving to 16.8 points and 5.6 assists in his second season.

A potential extension would give Utah cost certainty while continuing its investment in a developing roster that now includes No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen and other young players such as Ace Bailey, Brice Sensabaugh and Kyle Filipowski.