3 under-the-radar NBA players primed to breakout in the second-half of 2023–24

F Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz seem more self-aware than Chicago when it comes to understanding what the rest of this season should look like. The organization is giving their young players more run, which could give Taylor Hendricks a big breakout opportunity.

The Jazz selected Hendricks with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While the UCF Knights product was raw, there was something about his body and skills that the Jazz realized they could develop.

As a project, of sorts, Hendricks hasn't received a big opportunity from coach Will Hardy this season. He's played in 20 games, averaging 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest while hanging on the deeper end of the Jazz's rotation.

Hardy has loosened the reins in recent days, though. In the past three games, Hendricks has played at least 26 minutes in each contest, including his first career start. He's rewarded Hardy by scoring at least eight points in each of those games, fouling out in one of them but committing a total of zero turnovers over the stretch.

The path for more playing time was paved by the trade of Simon Fontecchio. The Jazz acknowledged that they weren't a playoff team at the trade deadline, instead prioritizing valuable development minutes for Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh, and Keyonte George.

With the season slipping away from the Jazz, it's time for the organization to see what it has in some of its younger players. Hendricks arguably has the most raw potential of the three mentioned above, giving him the best shot at a breakout in the final weeks of the year.