Three weeks ago the Utah Jazz opened training camp coming off a 22-60 season, with a new star big man who had played three games for them, the No. 2 pick in the draft, and a coach who said his first job was teaching defense. Three preseason games later, there are real answers to some of the questions and a new one at center. With the opener at Memphis on Oct. 21 and the home opener on Oct. 23, here is what camp and the preseason showed.
The preseason so far
| Date | Opponent | Where | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Oct. 4 | Denver | Boulder, Colo. | W 109-97 |
| Tue., Oct. 6 | Denver | Delta Center | L 106-117 |
| Mon., Oct. 12 | San Antonio | Delta Center | W 119-109 |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | at Phoenix | Phoenix | 8 p.m. MT |
What camp was about
Camp opened Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Zions Bank Basketball Campus in Salt Lake City. Will Hardy liked what he saw on day one: "their collective spirit, their energy, their communication, their effort were top-notch," he said, "a great first step." Lauri Markkanen, entering his 10th NBA season, said the first practice had "a little trash talking going into it, but that's how it's supposed to be. A competitive edge." He named second-year guard Isaiah Collier as a regular offender.
The stated priority was defense. Utah allowed the most points in the league last season, and Hardy has spent camp on physicality and talking on the floor, where players often can't hear him. "I think they're picking up the concepts well," he said, while adding there is a long way to go. The front office added veteran defenders Josh Okogie and Josh Green and center Jaxson Hayes in the offseason, and Hardy singled out second-year wing Ace Bailey for his length and ability to cover ground on the weak side.
The money matched the message. On Sept. 18, the Jazz signed Keyonte George to a five-year, $157.5 million extension after a season in which he averaged career highs of 23.6 points and 6.1 assists and shot 37.1% from three. Owner Ryan Smith called it part of a "major shift" and said, "Our best years in Utah are ahead of us."
Darryn Peterson: a slow start, then the real thing
The No. 2 overall pick, whose draft-night rivalry with BYU's AJ Dybantsa we covered in our draft feature, had a rough debut in Boulder: 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting and two turnovers, though he crashed the boards for six rebounds. Hardy said afterward that Peterson "wasn't himself" and had been overly cautious.
Two nights later at the Delta Center, Peterson led the Jazz with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting against Denver, most of it on mid-range jumpers, and sat the fourth quarter. Hardy called him "a really talented offensive player" and "pretty sophisticated" in his pace and footwork, and said his ability to use his body to create space will be "a weapon for him going forward." The one note: he passed up some open threes and went 1 for 6 from deep. Peterson said he felt "a little more adjusted" and that the game had slowed down.
Against San Antonio on Oct. 12 he led the team again, with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 5 assists in 24 minutes. He has described his role as about 60% off the ball and 40% on it, and he has said he is learning defense from Okogie. Three games is a small sample, but the line moved in the right direction every night.
The center question
The biggest news of the preseason was bad. Jusuf Nurkić, re-signed this summer for two years and $22 million and a likely starter at center, suffered a partial plantar plate tear in the second toe of his right foot in the opener. The Jazz said on Oct. 8 that he will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
That reopened the one spot that was never settled after Walker Kessler's sign-and-trade to the Lakers. Four starters look set: George, Peterson, Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. For the fifth, Hardy has two options:
- Jaxson Hayes at center. He has started the last two preseason games, and in the Oct. 6 game he and Jackson each blocked a shot in a first quarter when Denver struggled to get to the rim. Hardy said the pairing "has the chance to be pretty good."
- Go smaller, with Bailey starting at forward and Jackson, a former Defensive Player of the Year who is most comfortable at power forward, sliding to center.
Hardy has been careful not to oversell any choice: "I don't think that whoever starts opening night, that's not a declaration to the world." The Phoenix game on Friday is the last chance to test it.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, healthy
For all the attention on the rookie, the two best players on the floor are the ones the Jazz most need to stay healthy. Jackson, acquired from Memphis at the February trade deadline, played only three games and 48 minutes for Utah last season before knee surgery. Markkanen missed the end of the season with a hip impingement. Both have played this preseason. Markkanen led the opener with 17 points in 16 minutes, and Jackson scored 13 against San Antonio. Hardy has praised Jackson's competitiveness and leadership in camp.
Other things we noticed
- The ball moves. In the opener the Jazz had 28 assists on 39 made shots, driving to collapse the defense and kicking out for threes.
- Second-year jumps. Collier (9 points, 4 assists, 3 of 4 shooting in 15 minutes in the opener) and Bailey (10 points, 5 rebounds, a block and a steal) both looked improved.
- Bench shooting. Blake Hinson hit four threes for 14 points in Boulder.
- Fouls. In the loss to Denver, Peterson and George each had five fouls and Jackson and Okogie four. Hardy blamed hand placement on switches.
- Injuries to watch. Kyle Filipowski (back), Josh Green (knee) and Brice Sensabaugh (hip) sat out the opener.
What comes next
| Final preseason game | Fri., Oct. 16, at Phoenix, 8 p.m. MT |
| Season opener | Wed., Oct. 21, at Memphis, 6 p.m. MT |
| Home opener | Fri., Oct. 23, vs. New Orleans, 7:30 p.m., Delta Center |
| Opening homestand | Five straight at home, Oct. 23-31 |
For the full schedule, the holiday games and the Feb. 27 Peterson-vs.-Dybantsa game against Washington, see our Jazz 2026-27 season guide. For the drive or the FrontRunner trip from Utah County, our Delta Center game-night guide covers parking, transit and timing, and if you're watching from home, our list of the best places to watch sports in Provo has the screens.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic out with foot injury, NBA.com. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Keyonte George agrees to 5-year extension with Jazz, NBA.com. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Utah Jazz training camp: Trash talk, competition and chemistry, Deseret News. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Who will start for the Utah Jazz, Deseret News. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Defense is an early focus for Jazz ahead of 2026-27 season, Deseret News. Checked October 15, 2026.
- 3 observations from the Utah Jazz's preseason victory over the Denver Nuggets, The Salt Lake Tribune. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Darryn Peterson finds his shot and two other takeaways in Jazz preseason home opener, Deseret News. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Utah Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson proves Will Hardy right in preseason home debut, The Salt Lake Tribune. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Spurs rest Wembanyama, several starters in 119-109 preseason loss to Jazz, News 4 San Antonio. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Jazz's Darryn Peterson: Tallies 14 points in preseason win, CBS Sports. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Ryan Smith says Keyonte George extension part of Utah Jazz 'major shift', Deseret News. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Utah Jazz have glaring rotation decision to make before opening night, Sports Illustrated. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Utah Jazz unveil four-game 2026-27 preseason schedule, KSL Sports. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Utah Jazz wrap 2025-26 season, look to the future, FOX 13. Checked October 15, 2026.
- Utah Jazz release regular-season schedule, open at Memphis before 5 straight games at home, KUTV. Checked October 15, 2026.
