Utah Jazz sign center Kyle Filipowski to four-year, $12 million contract

Kyle Filipowski was a first-round prospect who fell in the second round of the NBA draft, but the Jazz are going to pay him like a first-round pick.

Utah used the remainder of its cap space to sign Filipowski to a four-year, $12 million contract the team announced. It’s the largest contract for a second-round pick in several years and equals what the No. 22 pick in the draft would have been guaranteed. reports ESPN’s Bobby MarksThe first two years of the contract are guaranteed, the third year is not guaranteed and the fourth year is a team option.

Filipowski is a stretch big who got better as Summer League progressed. In Las Vegas, he scored no points in his first game and had four in the second, but he scored 20 and 26 in his last two games there (with 11 rebounds in the second) as he began to find his space at that level.

Expect the same during the NBA season. Filipowski should grow into his role. He’ll have to earn frontcourt minutes on a team with John Collins, Walker Kessler and Drew Eubanks at the five, plus Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh in the frontcourt.

Filipowski fits the Jazz and the way the NBA game is evolving. He can shoot 3-pointers, shows some skill, moves his feet well on defense and is seen as a backup big in the NBA.