The second night of the 2026 NBA preseason delivered a first look at a fresh crop of rookies and young pros, with the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors all giving their newcomers room to run.
One of the more notable debuts belonged to the No. 5 overall pick, who put up 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in the Clippers’ win. The shot chart wasn’t pretty - he went 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-11 from 3-point range - but he did go 8-of-9 at the line. Wagler later buried a midrange shot with 14 seconds left to push the Clippers ahead 102-101.
Utah also got useful minutes from Peterson, who finished with three points, six rebounds, two assists, two turnovers and a steal in the Jazz’s win.
Against the Warriors, the No. 55 pick chipped in five points, two rebounds, an assist and two assists while going 2-of-6 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. The No. 36 pick added nine points, six rebounds and a turnover, shooting 2-of-5 overall, 0-of-1 from deep and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
The undrafted free agent in that game contributed one rebound and missed his lone 3-point attempt.
Earlier in the preseason, the rookie action started Saturday, Oct. 3, when Miami and Toronto opened the exhibition slate. That matchup drew plenty of attention because of the offseason shakeup surrounding both teams, including Giannis Antetokounmpo heading to Miami and Kawhi Leonard returning to Toronto.
Leonard did not play in Toronto’s preseason opener, but Antetokounmpo made his Heat debut and drew the spotlight. Miami had only one second-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, while Toronto entered with selections in every round. The Raptors took Allen Graves in the first round, though the former Santa Clara standout did not appear in that opener.
Two second-round picks, Jaden Bradley and Ryan Conwell, did get on the floor Saturday, along with a handful of undrafted free agents who have made a strong early impression.
The No. 35 pick finished with seven points, three rebounds and two blocks, hitting 3-of-4 shots overall and 1-of-2 from long range. The No. 49 pick posted one point, two rebounds and a steal while going 0-of-2 from the field and 1-of-2 at the free throw line.
A two-way signee turned in one of the better all-around lines of the day, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds, an assist, two turnovers, two steals and a block. He shot 3-of-7 from the field, 0-of-2 from 3-point range and was perfect on five free throws. The No. 11 pick added four points, nine rebounds, three assists and a block while shooting 1-of-6 from the floor, 1-of-3 from deep and 1-of-2 from the line.
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John Stockton's Jazz Legacy Just Got Dragged Into A Brutal Debate
John Stocktons place in Jazz history came back into the spotlight this week after Shaquille ONeal weighed in on the Rushmore Podcast and argued that the Hall of Fame guard had it easier because he spent so much of his career alongside Karl Malone. The debate quickly turned into one of those old-school basketball arguments that never really go away, with ONeal framing it as a question of how much of a stars greatness comes from carrying a team versus thriving in a more supportive role.
Reggie Miller pushed back on that view, pointing to Stocktons resume and the standards he set for the position, including his standing as the leagues all-time leader in assists and steals. The conversation drifted into comparisons with players such as Scott Skiles and Dennis Rodman, but the larger tension is familiar for Jazz fans: how much credit belongs to Stockton for helping define an era, and how much of the national debate still gets shaped by the presence of Malone next to him. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Rotation Already Faces A Test With Markkanen Suddenly Sidelined
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His absence adds to a list of unavailable bodies that includes Kyle Filipowski, Jusuf Nurkic and Brice Sensabaugh, which means the Jazz will have to spread minutes differently and get a longer look at some of the other camp options. For a team still sorting out roles and combinations, even an early preseason tweak like this can change the feel of the night and offer a small but important test of depth. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Preseason Loss Sparks Debate Over A Heated Jokic Moment
The Jazzs preseason meeting with Denver had the usual early-October feel until a chippy sequence between Nikola Jokic and Jaxson Hayes briefly took center stage. Utah fell 117-106, but the bigger conversation afterward was the physical exchange that followed Hayes shove of Jokic and the hard foul that came back the other way, with Jokic drawing a technical for shoving Hayes in response.
For Utah, it was the kind of moment that can linger longer than the final score in a preseason game. Fans quickly debated the officiating and the players conduct on social media, turning one heated possession into the nights main talking point and leaving the Jazz with an unwanted side story after an otherwise routine loss. [Read more 🡒]