Jazz fans got a nice surprise today when they found out that Darryn Peterson would be suiting up to play again in Summer League tonight. It’s very likely it had something to do with comments made by Caleb Wilson after Peterson didn’t play against Chicago.
If there’s one thing I’ve loved about Darryn Peterson it’s that he takes these things personal, he absolutely cares. So, in a way, I’m grateful to Caleb Wilson for giving us another Peterson game.
That all said, it might have been better if Peterson had not played, because he really struggled to shoot the ball. Tonight, Peterson shot just 4/16 from the field and couldn’t seem to find any rhythm. It’s probably a sign of fatigue for him not to hit those shots, especially since most of them were short.
But shooting poorly doesn’t mean Peterson didn’t impact the game in a positive way. Yes, the shot wasn’t falling, but scoring the ball was the thing everyone knew Peterson could do coming into the NBA. The questions for Peterson surrounded his playmaking for others and, to some extent, his defense. Peterson had 4 assists in this one and could have had more. He was blitzed all night and consistently made the right pass. But Peterson was not only passing the ball but also solid on the defensive end. Peterson had 2 stocks in this one (steals and blocks) and was solid guarding his man all night. And even though the shot wasn’t falling, Peterson still got to the line. It’s scary to think of what he will do when the shot is falling, and he’s still getting those trips to the free-throw line. And aside from the X’s and O’s talk, it’s that competitiveness and care factor that should have every Jazz fan excited. He wants to be great, and he doesn’t back down from a challenge. He’s willing to have bad games
Finally, Peterson also showed that he can stay healthy. That, in and of itself, was probably the biggest question of all coming into summer league, and Peterson has answered it. One of the factors for Darryn Peterson not going #1 was his health, and that’s now been proven not to be an issue. The Jazz come out of this now with a player who was considered the consensus #1 to start the season. Now, he ends up on the Jazz and has answered all the biggest questions critics had.
Other players played in this game as well. Easily the most notable outside of Peterson was Bez Mbeng, who played great for Utah. Taking advantage of the focus on Peterson, Mbeng shot 4/5 from the field, 1/1 from three, and was 2/2 from the line. He also dished out 5 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds with 1 steal (I’m not sure that 1 steal is correct if I’m being honest).
It’s nice to see Mbeng have a nice game, and we’ll see if he could potentially make the team again next season. If he can shoot the ball like he did, defend well, and pass within the offense, there’s no reason he can’t be a connective player in the vein of a Josh Hart.
All in all, it was a solid performance by Peterson in every aspect outside of shooting the ball. Had he shot it well, Utah would likely not have lost the game to San Antonio 94-82. The good news? Summer League doesn’t matter. My guess is this is the end of Summer League for Peterson, and now the training for the upcoming season begins. No doubt, knowing Peterson better, this will be motivation for him moving forward.
