Las Vegas Summer League Preview Game 5: Utah Jazz vs Detroit Pistons

The Utah Jazz play the Detroit Pistons for their final Las Vegas Summer League game. Utah was effectively eliminated with their loss to the Kings, but their crushing 88-105 loss to the Clippers on Thursday left them with no hope of reaching the semifinals. The Jazz close out the game against another eliminated team, the Detroit Pistons, and finish with a 1-3 record. The Pistons Summer League roster features previous players such as Marcus Sasser, while also including their 2024 draft picks Ron Holland II (5th) and Bobi Klintman (37th).

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GAME INFO

When: July 21, 6:30pm Mountain Time

Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

Watch/stream on: ESPNU, Jazz+, KJZZ

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What should you pay attention to?

Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images

Jazz can give its rotation players a rest

A common occurrence in Summer League is to rest their key players in the final game, much like in an NBA regular season. The Jazz have already decided to sit out Keyonte George and Walker Kessler for Summer League, with Brice Sensabaugh and Jason Preston set to follow suit during the 4-game series. Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams appear to be the biggest names to watch on the upcoming injury report, with both projected to be in Utah’s opening night rotation. I wouldn’t doubt that Isaiah Collier, Kenneth Lofton Jr, Darius Bazley, or Kyle Filipowski will also be cut, depending on how the Jazz analyze this meaningless game.

Utah may need to find some production from some of their end-of-the-bench players. Some names include Taevion Kinsey, Max Abmas, Armando Bacot, Keshawn Justice and Babacar Sane. It may not be the prettiest basketball tonight depending on the latest injury report, but I’ll be damned if I don’t watch all 40 minutes before Jazz basketball returns for preseason in October.

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

The search for the last two-way contract spot

While Utah’s guaranteed players will likely sit out, there are still plenty of players on the Summer League roster fighting for their chance in the NBA. Jason Preston filled a two-way spot last season, and the Jazz announced the signing of Taevion Kinsey on July 4. I’d watch the Finals with an eye on who stands out the most in their performance tonight. Some of the expected candidates include Keshawn Justice, Max Abmas, and Armando Bacot.

Keshawn Justice’s argument has to be that he has the longest history with the Jazz. He was a member of Utah’s 2023 Summer League team, earned himself a spot in training camp at the start of the preseason, and played for the SLC Stars where he averaged 8.8 points and 3.6 rebounds on 40.3% shooting from beyond the arc.

Oral Roberts legend Max Abmas is probably having the best Summer League of any player currently not on the roster. He is averaging 8.7 points and 2.3 rebounds on 32% from the field, even putting up an impressive 19 points against the Clippers.

Armando Bacot is one of the more familiar names on this list, one of the most popular Tarheel players of the past few years and was named the ACC’s preseason Player of the Year for the second year in a row. In his two games in Las Vegas, he is currently averaging 7.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks on 75% shooting.

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

Possible lottery pick confrontation

Assuming all players are fit tonight, there will be an interesting showdown between forwards Ron Holland II (#5) and Utah’s own Cody Williams (#5).

Both have had pretty strong Summer League outings. Ron Holland II has been sensational for Detroit thus far. In three of four games, he’s averaged 17.3 points per game, was second in team rebounding (7.3) and fourth in assists (2.0). He capped it off with an impressive 20 points and 6 rebounds in a 90-91 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday. He’s played solid defense, made plays in transition, crashed the boards and found openings against his opponents on cuts.

Cody Williams hasn’t been bad himself, and continues to improve with each Summer League game. After a disappointing stint in Salt Lake City, the Jazz rookie is averaging 15.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting efficiently at 54% from the field. A looming question tonight is whether he can get involved without looking too timid, where he’s not a factor in the offense when he’s not the one with the ball in his hands.

This is likely to be Cody Williams’ biggest test of the Summer League, as Holland’s length and versatility make him the strongest on-ball defender in the 2024 class. Williams will need to find success moving the ball and making plays on drives and cuts to get the most out of the limited offense he’ll be able to get tonight if he does play.