The first preseason look at Darryn Peterson is almost here, and the Utah Jazz are about to start getting answers.
After arriving in Utah in June, the No. 2 overall pick is set to make his first NBA preseason appearance against the Denver Nuggets, giving the Jazz their first real chance since summer league to see how he fits in live action. It also begins the final stretch before his official rookie season opener at the end of October, with preseason games now serving as the bridge between promise and production.
A few things will be worth watching right away, and the biggest one might be the simplest: who starts?
There has already been some discussion around what Utah’s opening-night lineup could look like, and head coach Will Hardy will get his first chance in the preseason opener to show how he wants to line up his group. At media day, Hardy said he wasn’t sure about the starting five until he saw his players on the floor. He also made clear that the real focus is on minutes and rotation balance rather than the label attached to the first five.
Even so, Peterson’s status in that group will be one of the first storylines to track. The guess here is that Ace Bailey gets the nod while Peterson opens his Utah career coming off the bench, but Hardy could easily have something different in mind.
What happens when Peterson gets the ball may matter even more than where he begins the night.
He entered the league with a reputation as a polished three-level scorer, and if that carries over, Utah could build some early offensive sets around him to help him settle in quickly. That would give the Jazz a clearer look at how ready he is to handle a bigger scoring load right away.
On the other hand, the team could choose a slower path. Peterson might start out as more of an off-ball option and bench scorer before being pushed into a larger primary role. This preseason run should offer a pretty good read on which direction Utah is leaning.
Defense is the other major test.
In his first press conference with the Jazz, Peterson said he wanted to pride himself on being a two-way defender. That kind of player would fit a Utah backcourt that could use exactly that sort of impact, which was a big part of the appeal in drafting him. But there’s still a difference between wanting to be that kind of defender and proving it against NBA talent.
Peterson has the frame, athleticism, and IQ to develop into a strong perimeter defender, but whether he can be a plus defender right away is something that still has to be answered on the court.
And the preseason matchups won’t make that easy. Utah’s slate includes two games against the Denver Nuggets and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, a meeting with the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, and a finale against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns, one of the league’s best perimeter scorers.
If Peterson is going to keep up with that kind of offensive firepower, he’ll have to get up to speed fast on the defensive end, assuming those stars are active for the exhibitions.
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For a roster that is still trying to define its depth, those absences matter as much for evaluation as for the game itself. Utah should still have enough of its regular starters and other bench pieces available to put a lineup on the floor, but the missing trio trims the early look at how the Jazz want to build their second group around development and versatility. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Fans Have A Real Reason To Watch Darryn Peterson Closely
Darryn Peterson is going to draw a lot of attention early in the season, and for good reason. The rookie and No. 2 pick arrives with the kind of profile that makes Jazz fans lean in, especially with the expectation that hell be working alongside Keyonte George in Utahs backcourt. Any young guard with that kind of draft status naturally comes with questions, but also the promise of a role large enough to matter right away.
The reason Peterson is worth watching is bigger than curiosity about a first-year player finding his footing. His potential impact is being discussed in the same kind of breath as Donovan Mitchells rookie season, which tells you how much upside people see in him if the development comes quickly enough. The Jazz do not need him to be everything immediately, but if Peterson settles in and grows throughout the season, he could become one of the pieces that shapes how far this group can go. [Read more 🡒]