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He hasn't officially begun his second NBA season. He's not going to be a starter for the Jazz, unless injury forces coach Quin Snyder's hand. He has a long way to go defensively, and he won't legally be able to take a drink for another three weeks.
Despite all of that, Trey Lyles has a growing legion of fans among his teammates, players around the NBA and opposing coaches.
He is likely another year or two away from regularly filling up the stat sheet, mainly because playing time will continue to be a challenge because of the Jazz's deep frontcourt. But the 6-foot-10 Lyles' potential is so easy to see that most don't take very long to recognize it.
"Trey Lyles is the X-factor for their season," Phoenix Suns coach Earl Watson said while the Suns were in town to play the Jazz this week. "If you look at some of their older guys, they are who they are. They are going to be good and efficient, but they aren't going to do anything you haven't seen in the past. Trey Lyles is a blank canvas for them. He's stayed with it, he's gotten confidence and you can see that he's starting to blossom. He's going to be a really good player for them."
Watching Lyles these days, his skill set is almost intoxicating. Not many power forwards can shoot, dribble and pass the way he's capable. He's able to grab a rebound, dribble the length of the floor and finish in transition. He's already one of Utah's better 3-point shooters, and is adept enough with the ball that Snyder puts him in position to make plays.
On Wednesday against the Suns, Snyder on multiple occasions ran pick-and-rolls with Lyles as the initiating ballhandler. It's been quite a leap for Lyles. He's a guy who in college at Kentucky was once told to stop shooting threes by his head coach. He has gone from that to one of the most offensively skilled guys on the team in two short seasons.
"I'm just at the point where I want to go out there and do some of the things my team needs," Lyles said. "If they need me to go out there and score, I want to be aggressive. I want to contribute in the best way I possibly can."
The past summer was crucial for Lyles' development. Many Jazz fans saw him play for the Jazz during summer league, where he was the focal point of the offense. Lyles was put in positions where he had to contribute, had to create for himself and others. It's a different role than he will play for the Jazz during the season, but one that Snyder and general manager Dennis Lindsey wanted to see him in.
"Trey is progressing and hopefully what we have continues to grow," Snyder said. "He's aggressive offensively and I want that to stay the same. He has to couple that aggression with good decision making. We want him to play good defense and play both ends, and for a young player that never comes easy. But he absolutely wants to get better, and he will continue to get better."
Beyond summer league, Lyles' offseason was spent back in Indianapolis, working out with his father Thomas. The two, Lyles says, are more like best friends than parent and offspring. Thomas Lyles has had an integral impact on the development of his son, coaching him in his formative years, and always available for a late night workout if needed.
Lyles credits his father, who played the game at the college and pro level, for much of his improvement. In the last year, Lyles has improved his shooting range, has gotten stronger and is clearly a more confident player than he was in the infancy of his rookie season.
"We worked out three or four times a day," Lyles said. "It's huge to have him there, simply because we're so close. He's been in a lot of situations and seen a lot of players, so he always stays on top of things that I can be better at. I just try to take that knowledge and apply it to my game."
Two plays on Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers illustrate Lyles' improvement. On one possession, with the shotclock dwindling, Lyles posted up against Clippers guard Chris Paul, and scored on a turnaround jumper. A few possessions later, with Mo Speights guarding him, Lyles took him on the perimeter and hit a step-back. Those two plays give a sharp look into Lyles' offensive versatility.
Snyder envisions Lyles as a crucial part of Utah's second unit this season, someone who can score and offer a contrast to the more traditional big man attributes of Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert.
And if Lyles' defense improves, ultimately, he may become difficult to keep on the floor.
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Trey Lyles update
• Played on a Kentucky team that featured four lottery picks, including Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns
• Lyles is averaging 10 points and six rebounds a night during the preseason. He's currently second overall in rebounds
• Lyles' preseason high was a 16 point outing in a win over the Phoenix Suns
Clippers at Jazz
Monday, 7 p.m.
TV • ROOT