The Utah Jazz will open their preseason without three familiar names on the floor against the Denver Nuggets.
Kyle Filipowski, Josh Green and Brice Sensabaugh have all been ruled out for Sunday’s exhibition in Denver, according to Chandler Holt of KSL Sports. Filipowski is dealing with a back issue, Green with a knee problem and Sensabaugh with a hip injury.
That leaves Utah short-handed for its first tune-up of the four-game preseason schedule, though the Jazz still appear capable of rolling out their expected starting five and a sizable portion of their bench. Even so, the absences hit a couple of spots that matter for what Utah wants to build early.
Filipowski and Sensabaugh are the two biggest losses here, at least from a developmental standpoint. Both are expected to be important pieces of the second unit this season after what the report described as solid 2025-26 campaigns.
For now, their unofficial debuts will have to wait. Their next shot comes Tuesday, when the Jazz and Nuggets meet again in another exhibition.
Green, meanwhile, won’t make his Jazz debut either. The veteran addition is also sidelined with a knee issue, keeping him out alongside Utah’s younger group.
With those three unavailable, Sunday’s game becomes an early look at several players who should draw plenty of attention in this new-look rotation. Darryn Peterson is set for his first game of the year as Utah’s No. 2 overall rookie, and how the Jazz deploy him will be one of the more interesting details to track.
Ace Bailey, entering his second NBA season after a full year and offseason, is another player worth watching closely after being labeled one of Utah’s breakout candidates. Isaiah Collier should also see more on-ball responsibility with Filipowski and Sensabaugh out of the second unit.
Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. MT at Ball Arena.
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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 🡒]