Utah Jazz: vets stay engaged even at rest

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On Wednesday night, the Utah Jazz played their second preseason game, a road loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Almost every veteran Jazz player watched from the sideline in formal attire. Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert had a night’s rest, Hassan Whiteside had come out with a sore left heel, Bojan Bogdanovic treated his sore right shoulder and Rudy Gay stayed on the sidelines, recovering from right heel surgery in the offseason.

That means the Jazz dug deep into the bench and training camp roster in order to field a team. It’s no secret that Marques Bolden, Derrick Alston Jr. and Malik Fitts are unlikely to make Jazz’s regular season roster.

The most likely scenario is that they end up on the SLC Stars, another G-League team, or on a two-way contract somewhere. Even so, the major rotating Jazz players were engaged and were doing their best to guide the players who won’t even be their teammates when the regular season kicks off on October 19.

During the timeouts, Gobert took Bolden to the side and gave him pointers, Head Jazz Coach Quin Snyder called Fitts and explained the games and gave him advice, and Mitchell was often the first player to stand up, cheering on young prospects and calling for covers.

These players don’t have to do these things. No one has asked them to take the players who won’t be around long term under their wing, but they do it anyway.

Now you could say there’s nothing more to be learned from this than what’s on the surface, but I’m saying it shows a level of camaraderie that’s good for Jazz. Jazz players are selfless, generous and competitive. It doesn’t matter that they lost both games on their preseason roster in Texas. What matters is that they were connected, even when half the squad wasn’t playing, no matter who was on the pitch.

New with Jazz

Statistics of the week

In the Jazz’s first two preseason games, rookie goaltender Jared Butler averaged 19 points and three assists and impressed everyone on the way.

This week on ‘Unsalvageable’

To verify “Unbearable: A Utah Jazz Podcast ”, hosted by Deseret News Utah Jazz has beaten journalist Sarah Todd and lifelong jazz fan Greg Foster (no, not that Greg Foster). This week, the team recap highlights and news from Jazz Media Day and Training Camp in Las Vegas. On Friday, a new episode recapping the first two preseason games will be available.

New episodes come out every week. You can listen on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stapler, Covered and everywhere else you stream podcasts.

Archives

This week in the history of Jazz

It is hard to believe that it has been three years since the Jazz signed forward Jeff Green in the offseason, hoping he would be able to give the team more versatility and depth. Instead, Green never really worked for Jazz after signing in 2019 and was ultimately waived by the team before mid-season.

Bonus points

Around the league

Old NBA players indicted in a $ 4 million healthcare fraud scheme.

Guard fillets Kyrie Irving ineligible to play at home after failing to meet NYC vaccination requirements.

Lakers Trevor Ariza absent for at least two months after ankle surgery.

Next step: NBA preseason

October 11 | 19h | Utah Jazz vs. New Orleans Pelicans | AT&T SportsNet

October 13 | 19h | Utah Jazz vs. Milwaukee Bucks | AT&T SportsNet



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