Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson are expected to be back in the mix for the Utah Jazz on Sunday night.
According to Chandler Holt of KSL Sports, both players plan to suit up when the Jazz face the LA Clippers in their second of four Summer League games in Las Vegas. The game is set for Sunday night, and the expectation is that Cody Williams will also be available, giving Utah a chance to put its top three young pieces on the floor together for the first time since their opening night in Salt Lake City earlier last week.
Bailey’s return is the bigger update. He had been out since his first Summer League appearance against the Atlanta Hawks, when he left early because of back spasms.
He missed the rest of Utah’s Salt Lake City games and also sat out the Jazz’s Las Vegas opener against the Washington Wizards. After three straight absences, he’s now been cleared to get back on the court.
That should give fans another look at the two young talents who flashed in limited action against Atlanta. Bailey and Peterson both showed enough in that short stint to make Sunday’s matchup worth watching, especially with the Clippers featuring number five pick Keaton Wagler.
Peterson has already played three Summer League games and has shown plenty of skill, but his workload has also become a talking point. There’s been some speculation that Utah could start managing his minutes more carefully to avoid any injury risk.
Teams have done that before with prized prospects, and last year Cooper Flagg was pulled from Vegas after just two games. That kind of approach could still be on the table for Peterson, and even Bailey, depending on how the rest of Utah’s run unfolds.
Against the Wizards, Peterson logged 29 minutes and finished with 24 points on 6-18 shooting, along with three rebounds and three assists. He also had eight turnovers and nine personal fouls.
The Jazz are still looking for their first win in Las Vegas, and Sunday gives them another shot before they move on to their next game against the Chicago Bulls. Tip-off is set for 8 PM MT.
In Other News...
Ace Bailey's Latest Setback Has Jazz Fans Worried Again
Ace Baileys Summer League has turned into a stop-and-start summer, and the latest interruption came in Utahs game against the LA Clippers. Bailey was cleared shortly before tipoff, but back spasms forced him out in the second half, adding another frustrating turn for a Jazz prospect the team has been trying to get on the court and keep there.
The concern for Utah is less about one missed exhibition and more about the bigger picture, especially after Bailey had already been slowed earlier in the summer by the same back issue. The Jazz have already ruled him out, along with Darryn Peterson and Cody Williams, for the next game as they weigh the long view and try to protect Baileys health heading toward the regular season, with his Summer League run now looking like it may be over. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Bulls Showdown Suddenly Lost The Edge Fans Wanted
The Jazz-Bulls Summer League matchup had the feel of a showcase game after Caleb Wilsons eye-opening debut for Chicago, but the edge around it has softened as both sides continue to manage their young talent carefully. That approach has become standard in Las Vegas, where teams are trying to balance competition with caution and avoid piling too much on top draft picks before the summer even gets rolling.
Utah is expected to take the same measured route in its next game, with rookie Darryn Peterson among the players likely to be held out. The Jazz have been watching their young core closely all week, and the bigger picture matters more than one more summer result, even if it leaves fans waiting a little longer for the kind of head-to-head matchup that once looked like a must-see draw. [Read more 🡒]
Why Seeing Former Jazz Players On The Lakers Hits Different
There was a time when Utah fans could glance at Minnesota and see a familiar cluster of former Jazz players doing useful work for the Timberwolves. Most of that group has since moved on, and now the Lakers have become the team with the heaviest Jazz footprint, thanks to Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton and Jarred Vanderbilt all landing in Los Angeles. For a franchise that has spent years trying to find the right mix, it is a reminder that Utah has often developed solid supporting pieces, even if the bigger picture never quite came together.
The difference, of course, is how Jazz fans are supposed to feel about it. Minnesota was easy enough to watch from a distance, but the Lakers are another matter entirely, especially when those same former Jazz players can now affect Utah directly in the standings and the playoff chase. There is some irony in seeing ex-Jazz talent clustered in a place that can matter so much to the team they left behind, and that is what makes this one hit a little differently. [Read more 🡒]