Advertise on podcast: Salt City Hoops Utah Jazz Podcast

The 2026-27 edition of the Utah Jazz debuted on Sunday night in Boulder, Colorado for a special preseason matchup against the Denver Nuggets. The Jazz got the preseason win, but there was way more to look into to get an idea of how the Jazz will fare this season! How did the young studs Darryn Peterson and Ace Bailey look? Did we get more insight into Jaren Jackson Jr.'s new look in Utah? Mark Russell Pereira (Bluesky: @jazzmanmark.com) was in attendance to give all of the first-person insight, and is joined by Dan Clayton (@danclayt0n) break down all of the action. #darrynpeterson #acebailey #utahjazz #basketball #nba #nbahighlights #nikolajokic #aarongordon #denvernuggets

Media Day is always full of optimism and excitement for every NBA team, and this year was no exception for the Utah Jazz! A season full of much greater expectations and bubbling youth created a fun environment full of insightful quotes, honest disclosures, and previews of the season ahead. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com on Bluesky) goes it solo on this episode of Salt City Hoops, identifying the most interesting comments from Media Day for the Jazz and the rest of the NBA. Then, a quick preview of what to look for when the preseason starts on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets in Boulder, Colorado. #keyontegeorge #darrynpeterson #utahjazz #nba #basketball #denvernuggets #nikolajokic #portlandtrailblazers #deniavdija #losangelesclippers #laclippers #charlottehornets #fantasybasketball

The 2026-2027 season preview for the Utah Jazz keeps on rolling at Salt City Hoops! For this edition, Dan Clayton (Twitter: @danclayt0n) and Mark Russell Pereira (Bluesky: @jazzmanmark.com) tap into what they predict will be the biggest strengths and weaknesses for the Jazz this year. With a reshaped roster and the best players on the floor more, there should be many more bright spots and areas the team can succeed night after night. But they are far from infallible, and some sore spots that plagued the past 4 years may still rear their ugly heads. Subscribe for free today! #utahjazz #nba #basketball #keyontegeorge #laurimarkkanen #jarenjacksonjr #acebailey #darrynpeterson #predictions

In a very surprising news drop on a Friday, we learned that Keyonte George signed a five year, $157.5 million extension to remain a Jazzman through the 2032 season! This figure comes in quite a bit less than a lot of the media was prognosticating - what did the market suggest and why did Keyonte sign this deal? This is also a remarkable turn of events for the lead guard who, for his first two years, had a very shaky and uncertain future in the NBA. A stellar third season showcased his sky-high potential and made Utah willing to plunk down 5 years of big guaranteed money to bet on his future. Mark brings in friend of the show, Justin Sweeney, to break it all down! Subscribe for free today! #utahjazz #keyontegeorge #laurimarkkanen #darrynpeterson #nba #basketball #nbaoffseason

The 2026-27 NBA season is just around the corner! And we need to kick off our season preview series for the Utah Jazz, in what is set up to be the first truly relevant and promising season in over 4 years. But in that promise and optimism, there are many unknowns! Dan Clayton (@danclayt0n on Twitter) joins Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com on Bluesky) to break down all of the biggest questions facing this new-look squad looking to break into the playoffs. Subscribe today!

To say THIS was unexpected would be an understatement!The NBA's punishment of the LA Clippers sent shockwaves through the NBA. Attorney (and former big law firm associate) Mark Russell Pereira and chief editor (and PR professional) Dan Clayton are the perfect pair to break down the entire story, from start to finish.How does this affect the NBA business going forward? What does this mean for Ryan Smith's operation of the Utah Jazz?Come hang out and find out!#kawhileonard #clippers #laclippers #pablotorre #utahjazz #nba #basketball #steveballmer

As the furor and frenzy of the Utah Jazz offseason draws to a close, the Utah Jazz prove once again that their strategic cogs never stop. And they bring us a good ol' fashioned trade to close out August! Cody Williams' remarkably disappointing Utah Jazz tenure as a former #10 pick draws to a close, as he was traded alongside transient triple-double merchant John Konchar to the Timberwolves for Josh Green in a largely financially-motivated deal. The Wolves needed space for their Kuminga acquisition, and Utah packaged two players into one for roster flexibility. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com on Bluesky) breaks down the Cody Williams experience and what Josh Green can bring to the Jazz on his expiring contract. Finally, a recap of what the Jazzmen were up to for their respective countries in FIBA World Cup qualifying matches. Subscribe for free, today! #nba #nbatrade #utahjazz #twolves #timberwolves #minnesotatimberwolves #codywilliams #joshgreen #nbaoffseason #basketball #laurimarkkanen #jusufnurkic #svimykhailiuk #joshokogie

The NBA schedule was released this week and Salt City Hoops has all the analysis! How does the Jazz travel schedule look? What are some highlights of the calendar ahead? Is this a good or bad setup for the first competitive Jazz season in 5 years? Then, a very curious and auspicious sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. The new class of owners, and the incentives and reasons that these new owners are coming to the NBA, both suggest that NBA teams are not being sold to folks who are in it for vanity or entertainment as it was in the past. Finally, a brief recap of offseason moves and free agent acquisitions that Mark liked, and would have preferred the Jazz to have been in on in lieu of Josh Okogie and Jaxson Hayes.

With the dust settled on the biggest NBA offseason moves, including LeBron James moving to the Philadelphia 76ers on a minimum contract, a major undercurrent was that the NBA's new 'second apron' salary cap mechanic is forcing teams to slash and burn salaries more than ever before. Is this a real roster-building problem? Are the constraints that difficult for which avoiding at all costs is prudent? Or is this just a cover for the owners to refuse paying luxury tax money for winning teams? Then, a corporate attorney's perspective on what the heck is taking so long with the Kawhi Leonard investigation. Subscribe for free today! #nba #utahjazz #lebronjames #nbaoffseason #jaylenbrown #kawhileonard #aspiration #steveballmer #basketball

Sometimes you just know right away. Darryn Peterson's first foray into professional basketball was as smooth, polished, and effective as one can expect from a young guard prospect. Peterson's four NBA Summer League games showed promise and specific advantages on both ends of the floor. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com) breaks it down for Salt City Hoops! Also dove into how Ace Bailey and Cody Williams looked in their brief appearances thus far in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. And finally, a brief epilogue wrapping up final thoughts about the Walker Kessler trade to the Lakers.Subscribe to Salt City Hoops today! #utahjazz #nba #nbasummerleague #darrynpeterson #basketball #ajdybantsa #walkerkessler #lukadoncic #losangeleslakers

Whoa! As prefaced just yesterday, Walker Kessler was in fact traded to the Lakers! The Jazz receive two unprotected first round picks and two unprotected first round pick swaps, and the Lakers give Kessler a 4 year, $130 million new deal. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com) has immediate thoughts ready to fly. Was this a good deal for the Lakers? For the Jazz? And setting aside the deal, what does this do to the Jazz roster and competitiveness this year? Subscribe for more Utah Jazz thoughts and analysis around the NBA with Salt City Hoops! NOTE: Immediately after publication, the Utah Jazz signed Jaxson Hayes to a 2-year, $12 million deal. Jaxson Hayes was arrested on July 28, 2021 and pled no-contest to charges of false imprisonment and resisting an officer, as a result of a domestic violence incident in which he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and prevented her from leaving a house. #lakers #lakersnation #jazznation #utahjazz #losangeleslakers #walkerkessler #lukadoncic #nba #basketball #nbaoffseason #darrynpeterson #laurimarkkanen #keyontegeorge #jarenjacksonjr

The 2026 NBA Offseason is off to a truly wild start with LeBron James departing the Los Angeles Lakers and Kawhi Leonard inexplicably returning to Toronto. But we in Jazzland are on incredibly high alert as LeBron's departure opens up a cavern of cap space in Los Angeles, who are in the driver's seat to drive up Walker Kessler's free agency price. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com) goes long on the entire Walker Kessler saga to date. The team has been entirely cold, calculated, and logical to date. But was there a point where Utah should have been far...less logical? Hindsight is 20/20, but the hearts are aching now that a huge Kessler contract is either going to cripple the Jazz' roster plans to build a contender, or he'll be playing in the hated purple & gold. The Jazz also brought back Jusuf Nurkic! He's a good fit for what the Jazz need right now, and Mark breaks down his salary structure and role on the team. Also, Tamar Bates! #walkerkessler #jalenduren #lakers #lakersnation #utahjazz #jazznation #nba #basketball #nbaoffseason #nbadraft

With the #2 pick in the NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select...Darryn Peterson! Mark Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com) brings in Justin Sweeney and Riley Gisseman (@rgiss) to celebrate this fine, momentous occasion. Darryn Peterson will be a star, and now the work begins to bring him into the fold in Salt Lake City and see exactly how good he is right away. What can he do right away? Where can Utah help him succeed? What players and lineups will he thrive alongside? What was his whole cramping deal in college, and will it matter?Join us on Salt City Hoops to celebrate and analyze all things Darryn Peterson! The Jazz made no other picks in the draft, so the guys wrap it up with some stray thoughts about other dudes who were drafted by other teams. Subscribe today for all things Utah Jazz and NBA! #utahjazz #nbadraft #darrynpeterson #nba #basketball #ajdybantsa #cameronboozer #calebwilson #acebailey #keyontegeorge #jarenjacksonjr #laurimarkkanen #walkerkessler #nbaoffseason

The Utah Jazz are closer to serious playoff contention than anyone thinks, and have a perfect opportunity to shore up a rock-solid roster by signing a free agent this summer. They have the full Mid-Level Exception available to them to add a significant piece to the bench: Who is available, who will fit in with the roster, and who will seriously impact winning? What trades are on the table to cement this playoff team? Dan Clayton (@danclayt0n) and Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com) break down all of the best options for this episode of Salt City Hoops. Then, Dan & Mark discuss where the Jazz and Keyonte George are at in their extension talks, and they disagree on the role and value of George to the team right now and beyond. Finally, a little piece of final NBA Draft Board rankings ahead of the draft on Tuesday, and Mark has a big surprise on his final list.

Restricted Free Agency is always tense and tough in the NBA, and the Utah Jazz are going through it right now with Walker Kessler. Kessler's camp lets it be known that they are VERY UPSET, and the Jazz, in response, set the record straight about the current contract offer for Kessler. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com) and Ken Clayton (X: @k_clayt; Bluesky: @loudclap) EXPLORE THE SITUATION around Walker Kessler, and discuss the vagaries and frustrations of Restricted Free Agency. What is Kessler's fair value on the open market? Who is guiding Kessler towards such a bad attitude about it all? Is the relationship...salvageable? As part of this offseason preview for the Utah Jazz, Mark and Ken also talk about shoring up the rest of the frontcourt. What are reasonable backup center options for the Jazz, since Jusuf Nurkic is a free agent? How much should it cost to bring back Nurkic? Is Kevin Love worth bringing back to fill up the 15th roster spot? Follow and subscribe for more Utah Jazz offseason planning and news!