There might not be a ball club that stunned the fans like the Utah Jazz did in the past week. After speculation of a Lauri Markkanen trade carried on for months, the Finland forward signed a lucrative extension with the Jazz. He expressed belief that the organization will alter its competing status in the future. So they aren’t wasting much time in doing so. They recently used their final $3 million cap space to sign Kyle Filipowski to the roster.

As a second-round pick, the Blue Devil’s center earned a four-year $12 million contract. According to Bobby Marks, it’s the highest sum offered to a second-round pick in the last two years. So how does his deal compare to the most popular second-round pick, Bronny James? The Lakers might have micromanaged everything to draft him, but they couldn’t offer nearly the affluent contract the Jazz have provided the 20 year old with.

The eldest son of LeBron James signed his deal with the Los Angeles Lakers well before Filipowski had a contract on his table. The 19-year-old USC product signed a four-year $7.9 million deal with the esteemed organization. Of that, $4,371,403 is guaranteed, which is close to three full seasons.

On the other hand, Kyle Filipowski has signed a significantly more generous deal than Bronny James. The Duke alumnus will earn an average salary of $3 million per season, nearly triple that of James. However, he only has two seasons guaranteed on his contract. The last two years will be a club option, reserving the right for the Jazz to make a decision based on his performances.

But the intriguing question is, why is his value so high in comparison to any other second-rounder?

Kyle Filipowski should have been a first-round pick

Before the draft began, most panel experts and pundits foresaw Kyle Filipowski being drafted in the first round. During his time at Duke, the ace center earned a reputation of not just being a model big man, but also boasting decent passing abilities. In his final season as a Blue Devil, the teenager even averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.

It was indicative of his two-way prowess. But surprises can never be ruled out in the NBA. And so on the first day of the draft, Filipowski sat in the green room without hearing his name. A visual even emerged of him being visibly upset over the result. However, it didn’t take long as he was the 2nd pick in the second round, swooped by the Utah Jazz.

After an uncharacteristic start to the Summer League, including a scoreless debut, Filipowski showed his immeasurable potential. At the conclusion, he had bumped his average to 11 points per game. In the final game, the versatile center covered the entire stat sheet. In his best showing, he supplied 26 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists against the Pistons.

Despite what many may believe, Kyle Filipowski has the ceiling of a first-round pick. The Jazz might consider him to be a steal and use him heavily in his rookie season to play behind Walker Kessler. High expectations have been pinned on the 20-year-old. Will he deliver?