After years and years of mundane basketball, Jazz fans finally had something to be anticipating. A #1 vs. #2 pick matchup that headlined the NBA. Of course, our own Jazzlings were on the back-end of this event, but this is nothing to hold your head over. Utah is back, and they’re getting the attention they rightfully deserve.
Coming into Las Vegas, Peterson took the world by storm when he played his first two heaters in front of a familiar crowd at Salt Lake City. Even if it was just Summer League, Peterson’s skill set was obviously the most translatable at the NBA level. Not even Cooper Flagg or Wembanyama stepped into the league being this polished offensively. But after a flight to Nevada two nights later, Peterson just didn’t have the same pzazz that he did when Jazz fans were cheering for him back in the Beehive State.
Jamir Watkins had his own fill of Summer League action. Of course, he would have regularly fouled out in the first quarter if this were a standard regular-season game, but Summer League rules allowed Watkins to bypass this and record an additional three fouls his way; one more foul left to spare. The byproduct of this was Darryn Peterson’s own low nine fouls and eight turnovers — Jusuf Nurkic will have a word with pesky guards about that type of defense in October. Wizards stole the crown, as well as the buzzing media that have now deemed Dybantsa a league of his own.
But Peterson’s struggles in his Las Vegas debut were completely blown out of proportion. Social media was filled with settled debates that had already decided Dybantsa was the better prospect. This isn’t to say Peterson should ignore these mistakes; he still needs to improve on his passing angles and looked physically overwhelmed. How much of those struggles are due to the extra physicality that was allowed in Summer League remains up for debate. The fans had already turned off their televisions by the time Peterson started to heat up.
Another aspect that was underestimated was Utah missing their rookie standout Ace Bailey, who had been dealing with back spasms that have now kept him out of multiple games spanning across the hoops in July. The Jazz, without a doubt, missed his elite shot-making and defensive versatility on the floor against Dybantsa. He remains questionable coming into tonight.
The 92-88 loss in Las Vegas has likely already halted Utah’s chances of winning a Summer League Championship, barring a miraculous run, meaning the priority has now shifted to scouting for Exhibit-10 or training camp deals. Darryn Peterson and third-year Cody will likely play a game or two more, then it’s time to hand over the keys to Tamar Bates and Jaxon Kohler.
Never mind the buzz, nor the competition. Darryn Peterson now has a chance to let off some steam against the newly built LA Clippers, currently still employing Kawhi Leonard per NBA policy, after LA circumvented the cap back in 2022 that now prevents him from being traded up North.
He’s not one of the flashy headliners of the draft like AJ, Darryn, Cam or even Caleb Wilson, but babyface Keaton Wagler will have the ball in his hands as much as the Jazz hand it to Peterson. His first game against the Kings was a blunder — he only managed to rack up 7 points, 2 rebounds and an assist on 14.3% from the field. He was offensively outplayed in every aspect by 7th pick Darius Acuff. We dare not speak on anyone’s defense from that Thursday night.
Their 50th pick from last season, Kobe Sanders, had recently re-upped with them on a four-year $11.2M deal. Baba Miller was another name that LA added at 36th overall. Cam Christie is starting to contract Cody-syndrome; his older brother Max has proved to be a reliable perimeter shooter in the NBA, while Cam himself logged few minutes in his first two seasons. Now he’ll likely have a chance to anchor the Clippers’ 3-point spacing. LAC may still be a little too old for anyone’s liking, but they still have something materialised in their youth, moving on (hopefully) from the Kawhi era.
For Utah, they’re ready to let off some heavy hits after a frustrating opener. Can Darryn Peterson bring back the efficient hoops from Salt Lake City? Is Ace Bailey going to make an appearance? Can any of the other players earn themselves a training camp deal with a showout performance? For the love of all that is holy can we stop using Cody Williams as a primary option? All these questions may have an answer this Sunday night.
How to Watch the Las Vegas Summer League?
Who: Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Clippers
When: Sunday, July 12, 2026 | 8:00 MT
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
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