I hope you aren’t banking on the reformed Utah Jazz to go undefeated through preseason play, because your first peek at the new-era Jazz will be against some of the biggest stars in the NBA.
Namely, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, followed immediately by a dance with Victor Wembanyama and the runner-up San Antonio Spurs. They’ll round out the trip against Devin Booker and the baffling Phoenix Suns down south.
Take a quick scan of the preseason slate for the 2026-27 season.
Game 1: Sun, October 4:
at Denver Nuggets, Boulder,
CO
Perhaps Cody Williams will unleash a fifty-bomb upon Jokic, Murray, and company at his alma mater of Colorado-Boulder. Crazier things have happened (not much crazier, but still).
The Jazz open preseason play against one of the most consistent, dangerous presences in the Western Conference. Though this doesn’t seem to be the year the Nuggets recapture the same lightning that propelled them to the NBA Finals a few seasons ago, Denver is a pillar in the Western half of the playoff picture, and an ideal measuring stick for a Jazz team aching to break onto the scene.
Game 2: Tue, October 6:
vs Denver Nuggets, Salt Lake City, UT
This time, the Jazz open the season at the Delta Center. Yes, it’s another meeting with the Nuggets, but it’ll technically be Darryn Peterson’s home debut with the same teammates he’ll be sharing his rookie season with.
Game 3: Mon, October 12:
vs San Antonio Spurs, Salt Lake City, UT
Finally, a way to determine which budding superstar is superior: Victor Wembanyama or Darryn Peterson. I say this tongue-in-cheek, of course, but I am fascinated to observe how Peterson, a score-first shooting guard, approaches a problem like Wembanyama, the NBA’s premier rim protector and heir-apparent to the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Game 4: Fri, October 16:
at Phoenix Suns, Phoenix, AZ
The most enigmatic team in the league, Phoenix seemed to have found its identity last season after the disastrous Booker-Durant-Beal experiment. This should be the easiest game of the preseason slate for the Jazz, though none of these teams will be pushing especially hard to win before the results are reflected on the record.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
