Why Keyonte George's summer trip to Finland was important for the Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY — Keyonte George has a hard time eating strawberries these days.

As the Utah Jazz guard loads up his morning oatmeal with the bright red fruit, he often gets a knowing glance from Lauri Markkanen.

"It's not like Finland, is it?" Markkanen asks.

"Nah, it's not," George responds.

Over the summer, George started a winding European trip in Markkanen's home country. The two toured Helsinki and worked out next to the Finnish national squad. They went to dinners together and, yes, had plenty of the land's famed berries.

"I just kind of showed him around and what we do in the offseason," Markkanen said. "I think just building that chemistry and relationship, and hanging out was really good."

That relationship is key for the Utah Jazz's future. Utah signed Markkanen to a five-year extension this offseason and sees George as a potential cornerstone of the franchise. The better they are together, the better (and faster) the Jazz's rebuild will go.

Spending some time in Finland only helped move that forward.

"It was really good for their relationship," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "They are two players we're heavily invested in as an organization, and so I think their relationship and their bond growing is going to be really important for us."

George said the trip helped him gain a better understanding of Markkanen, and it gave the duo a kickstart on the season. The Jazz point guard said it helped their communication on the court and likened it to an early training camp for two.

"Just trying to build that relationship and camaraderie, knowing we can kind of be the lead of this team," George said. "If we're on the same page, a lot of great things can happen."

Utah's preseason win over the Sacramento Kings — in which both teams played regular season rotations — was a template for what success could look like this season. George had an efficient 24 points and five assists, and Markkanen finished with 21 points on 10 shots.

Markkanen was his usual versatile sharpshooting self, and George looked poised to take a step in his second year running the team.

"He's grown physically and mentally, kind of taking that step into that leadership role," Markkanen said of George. "He's learning when to get other guys involved and when to stay aggressive, because we obviously need him to score the ball and attack the rim."

To the Jazz, George's willingness to even go over to Finland showed his investment in the team. Yes, it was part of a longer trip that took George to London and then Paris for the Summer Olympics, but the stop in the Nordic country proved he wanted to take every chance he could to help the team grow.

"I'm gonna try to make it an every summer thing, especially trying to build a relationship," George said. "I'm definitely gonna go again."

However, he might need to start preparing for a different type of training next summer.

"There won't be any basketball, just skating," Markannen said with a smile.

And, for George's sake, hopefully some berries, too.

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