The Jazz, in fact, did not get to see Darryn Peterson and the Jazz come out with a dominant second game in Las Vegas. Quite the contrary; they were completely overwhelmed and throttled. Now the Jazz have officially been eliminated from Summer League Championship play. The roster, thus far, hasn’t shown many standouts that make their case for training camp deals.
But now they’ll have more eyes on them than ever. Utah continues to shuffle along the Las Vegas mess, finishing the end of a back-to-back
against the 0-1 Chicago Bulls at the Thomas & Mack Center. It was after the conclusion of Sunday night’s game that it was announced Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey and Cody Williams have been ruled out of today’s matchup. I doubt we’ll see any of them against San Antonio on Wednesday, nor their consolidation game once the Summer League Playoffs begin.
It truly was a shame for the NBA, which continued to rack up the top of the draft’s prospects against Peterson. Caleb Wilson was next on the slate following gladiator battles with Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Keaton Wagler. Wilson himself had a historic debut in a 97-96 loss against the aforementioned Boozer and Memphis. He racked up 35 points and 5 stocks while shooting 12-21 from the field that included 7-11 from beyond the arc. This set an NBA Summer League debut scoring record and is the second-most points in a Vegas debut since the event began in 2004. We’ve all been riveted about Peterson over at Jazz Nation, but anyone in the top four has felt ‘Giddey’ about how their prospects have played thus far.
Kennedy Chandler, who the Jazz brought in on two separate 10-day deals last season, is also on the Bulls G League roster. He opened up with 11 points and 5 assists going into his debut. Noa Essengue may be the laughing stock after being the victim of a devastating tomahawk poster, but he’s quickly knocking off cobwebs after missing nearly the entirety of his rookie season. His defensive versatility posed a challenge against Cam Boozer in the paint.
No Darryn Peterson. No Ace Bailey. Wait, Cody was playing? Who on God’s green Earth will be on the floor for the shorthanded Jazz? The good thing is, we’ve already seen it. In Salt Lake City Summer League, at least, when that same Jazz team completely annihilated the equally shorthanded OKC Thunder 103-69.
Blake Hinson has already earned himself a two-way spot on the Jazz, but he’s likely to have the ball coming in his hands a whole lot more if he continues to play. Slimming down 25 to 29 pounds has completely revamped his conditioning and speed on the court. It’s become completely apparent that the Jazz found a hidden gem in Hinson, enough to keep him over Elijah Harkless this summer. He quietly finished yesterday with 16 points on 4-8 shooting, sinking 2-3 three-pointers from downtown. Expect him to get an extended number of touches tonight.
Tamar Bates was another under-the-radar signing for the Jazz this offseason. He originally signed a deal with the Denver Nuggets last season, but was cut that same season due to a fractured foot. So far for the Jazz, Bates has proved to be a highly energetic player. He operates as a catch-and-shoot player who has the potential to be a scrappy off-ball defender. You won’t see his performance show up on the stat sheet all that often, but make no mistake, Bates has an impact if you watch him play.
If anyone were to earn themselves any sort of preseason deal, Jonas Aidoo has put together the best resume. The 6’11 big’s skillset is anchored by elite rim protection, mobility, and efficient paint-scoring. It’s unsurprising, considering he’s a reigning G League Champion who started for the Greensboro Swarm. He’s followed that with an insane Summer League run that can persuade me into thinking he’s a solid third center for the main Jazz roster. Aidoo’s best performance this July by far has been his game against OKC, where he posted 16 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Now against Chicago, he’s likely got a massive Caleb Wilson assignment on his hands to prove he belongs in this league.
In philosophy, possibility is the study of what could be true, what is necessary, and what is impossible. For instance, it is entirely coherent to imagine Bez Mbeng outscoring Caleb Wilson without creating a logical contradiction. Does the fact that Bez Mbeng has never actually outscored Caleb Wilson in a game yet only exists as an abstract concept in an alternate possible world, or does his real-world triple-double in April prove that the condition of possibility was already fully active in our actual universe? The power of possibility is not found in what we fail to reach, but in the frameworks that allow us to aim for it in the first place.
Is it coherent for you, the viewer, to turn on your television screen and watch sicko Summer League Hoops? It is all in the realm of possibility, my friend.
How to Watch the Las Vegas Summer League?
Who: Utah Jazz vs Chicago Bulls
When: Monday, July 13, 2026 | 7:00 MT
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
How: ESPN
