DETROIT — It seems kind of wild that the player who is often praised by the Utah Jazz coaching staff for standing out during practices or through training camp or being the most tenacious guy on the roster is one that’s at the end of the rotation and on a two-way contract.
Elijah Harkless was an undrafted guard with stops at Cal State-Northridge and Oklahoma before finally finishing his collegiate career at UNLV in 2023. He spent the following year in the G League and played in Canada before the Los Angeles Clippers showed some interest. Ultimately they ended up waiving him, and the Jazz picked him up in January.
Harkless, by that point, had already been noticed in NBA scouting circles for being a good shooter and good defender (he shot 41.9% from 3 in his first G League season and shot 39.3% from long last year). The problems are that Harkless is seen as undersized — very, very generously listed at 6′3″ — and has a limited offensive game.
But, with the Jazz, it’s gotten to a point that they can’t really deny his talent and ability to change the tone of a game with his defensive abilities.
“It’s always great minutes for him,” Keyonte George said of his teammate. “It’s not easy to maybe not play two games and then get six minutes and then you got to come out and guard Jaylen Brown. And I just think every single night he when he’s in the game...he has the ability to raise the floor for us on the defensive side of the ball.”
Monday night’s game against the Boston Celtics, with tough defensive assignments, was probably the most prominently featured Harkless has been so far in his NBA career. But it won’t be the last time.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy made the decision to use Harkless, not just in garbage time, but as one of the primary rotation players against the Celtics, while third-year wing Brice Sensabaugh got a DNP for the night.
“Individual isolation defense was going to be a huge part of the game,” Hardy said. “It felt like, to me, that EJ was going to be better suited for this game. But that’s again, where we are as a team. Not every night is going to be your night.”
It says a lot though that Harkless, who only played in 10 NBA games last season, already has more trust from the Jazz coaching staff to take on tougher defensive assignments than some of the other players on the roster. And it’s not just defense that Harkless brings. There’s an undeniable energy and edge that he has that rubs off on his teammates.
So, what happens next?
Well, if Harkless continues to get the nod throughout this season, with extended minutes and more legitimate game reps, the Jazz are going to have to contend with prying eyes from around the league. He’ll be a restricted free agent after this season, and is still eligible for more time on a two-way deal, but it would probably be pretty easy for him to get a standard deal if this season goes well.
The Jazz could convert Harkless to a standard NBA deal to keep the paws of the rest of the NBA off him, but there are things to consider when it comes to that decision. The 2026 draft and who the Jazz get, could change what the Jazz expect or even need from Harkless. So could any other incoming players from trades.
There’s also age and experience to consider. Harkless spent four years in college and is two years removed, so it makes sense that he seems farther along as a fully formed player than some of his Jazz counterparts. It also means that he’ll be older than some of the Jazz’s other players as they move through the years.
But the value and opportunity might be too good to pass on. The Jazz have a bit of a diamond in the rough with Harkless, and if they don’t convert him to a standard deal or offer one to him after the 2025-26 season, there are going to be teams that are interested, especially for someone that would likely be on a minimum deal.
“I have a soft spot for guys that make that fight their way from the bottom up,” George said. “He was in Utah all summer, working and trying to rehab to get back and didn’t know if he would get an opportunity. But every time he gets opportunity, he makes the most out of it.”
Given time in the G League, Harkless was voted the G League’s Most Improved Player last year. Given a spot on the Jazz Summer League team, he impressed the coaching staff as the best player during camp leading up to those games. Given a tough defensive assignment on Monday, he rose to the occasion and had huge moments, even the defensive play that closed out the game at the buzzer.
If he’s given more time with the Jazz this season, he’ll probably force the hand of the team. They won’t be able to keep him in the shadows much longer.