The Utah Jazz have added another name to the back end of their roster, signing forward/center Mohamed Wague as the 2026-27 season draws near.
The team announced the move through Jazz PR, though the deal’s terms were not disclosed. The most likely setup is a training camp contract, which would put Wague in line to stick with the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League once the season begins.
Wague was among the undrafted players from this summer’s incoming class, and he had been waiting for a shot at the league heading into the new year. Utah’s signing gives him that opening, even if it may be more of a short-term roster move than a long-term NBA commitment.
That’s where the timing matters. The Jazz made the move just days after announcing a new four-week foot injury for Jusuf Nurkic, but Wague’s arrival probably won’t have much impact on Utah’s regular-season roster. If this is indeed a camp deal, the Jazz appear to be using it to secure his G League rights while giving him a signing bonus he wouldn’t get on a straight G League contract.
Utah has been active with sign-and-waive transactions lately, and this fits that pattern. The team does have one open roster spot available, and it could use that spot on Wague or another camp signee to keep someone around for the full season. But the more likely route is to leave the spot open for now or use it on someone else down the line.
For the moment, Wague is the latest piece to enter the picture as the Jazz sort through their final preseason moves. And with a few days left before the 2026-27 campaign tips off, it would be no surprise if Utah is still working the margins.
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For Hayes, the timing matters as much as the injury itself. Utah needs reliable size and rim presence while it waits for Nurkic to get back, and the minutes available in that stretch could say plenty about how the Jazz view the rest of the season. The rotation is fluid now, and if Hayes handles the added workload well, he could turn a temporary chance into something more lasting once the roster gets healthier. [Read more 🡒]