Resonance

[Soapy]

keep the team and make a run for the play in.

[Agent]

Go get Lauri

[marshdaddy]

The Jazz actually trying to win games in January, love to see it. Group feels like the IRL Pistons a year ago. No move makes this team a contender, and none of the free agents mentioned feel likely to go to Utah. Ride with the youth, see what a George-Bailey-Boozer trio plays like.

[redsox907]

keep the team and make a run for the play in.

we gonna make some minor moves because of an injury and we freeing our boy Davion Mitchell from the bench

Go get Lauri

when he's a FA in three years

The Jazz actually trying to win games in January, love to see it. Group feels like the IRL Pistons a year ago. No move makes this team a contender, and none of the free agents mentioned feel likely to go to Utah. Ride with the youth, see what a George-Bailey-Boozer trio plays like.

George is up for a new contract at years end and he may be the odd man out at this point. Collier is doing better off the bench and Black is a defensive ace, he's more than likely getting re-signed. But at some point, gotta feel like we need a true point guard running the show

[redsox907]

Bailey Outscores Combined Efforts of Harden & Kawhi In Jazz Win
January 24th, 2027 | Delta Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
Los Angeles Clippers (20-25) @ Utah Jazz (22-21)

---

LAC | 17 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 80
UTA | 22 | 18 | 25 | 25 | 90

Bailey has emerged as a candidate for the 3PT contest and showed his range with 7 threes against the Clips.

Name	Points	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	FG	3PT	FT
PG James Harden	7	8	5	1	0	3	2/14	2/11	1/1
SG Quentin Grimes	3	2	2	0	0	0	1/2	0/1	1/2
SF Jamison Battle	9	5	5	0	0	1	3/5	0/2	3/4
PF Kawhi Leonard	19	9	3	2	0	1	4/20	1/4	10/13
C Ivica Zubac	15	6	1	2	1	5	6/7	0/0	3/3
F Derrick Jones Jr	15	6	1	1	0	0	7/8	1/1	0/0
Total	80	51	19	8	1	12	26/76(24%)	6/25(40%)	20/27(74%)

Name	Points	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	FG	3PT	FT
PG Anthony Black	13	8	10	1	0	0	3/11	1/2	6/6
SG Cam Thomas	15	2	0	1	0	2	5/16	4/12	1/2
SF Ace Bailey	41	5	3	1	0	3	13/24	7/12	8/12
PF Cameron Boozer	2	6	0	0	1	1	1/7	0/1	0/0
C Walker Kessler	2	8	0	0	0	2	1/1	0/0	0/2
C Robert Williams	2	11	0	2	0	0	1/3	0/0	0/0
Total	90	61	16	6	1	10	30/78(38%)	13/30(43%)	17/24(71%)

---

January 26th, 2027
UTA (23-21) | 28 | 20 | 25 | 34 | 107
TOR (31-15) | 31 | 20 | 32 | 35 | 118
SF Ace Bailey | 29 Pts | 7 Reb | 11/21 FG | 3/9 3PT | 4/6 FT
SF Brandon Ingram | 20 Pts | 5 Reb | 3 Ast | 7/15 FG | 3/6 3PT | 3/3 FT



January 28th, 2027
CHI (24-22) | 41 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 110
UTA (23-22) | 31 | 27 | 30 | 36 | 124
PG Coby White | 26 Pts | 4 Reb | 2 Ast | 11/21 FG | 3/9 3PT | 1/2 FT
SF Ace Bailey | 21 Pts | 9 Reb | 4 Ast | 2 Stl | 7/14 FG | 3/6 3PT | 4/5 FT



February 1st, 2027
SAS (31-20) | 27 | 16 | 30 | 39 | 12 | 124
UTA (24-22) | 29 | 34 | 34 | 25 | 14 | 126
C Victor Wembanyama | 38 Pts | 12 Reb | 7 Ast | 14/25 FG | 7/12 3PT | 3/3 FT
SG Cam Thomas | 38 Pts | 3 Reb | 3 Ast | 16/32 FG | 4/12 3PT | 2/2 FT



February 3rd, 2027
UTA (25-22) | 17 | 18 | 29 | 29 | 93
SAS (31-21) | 32 | 30 | 24 | 27 | 113
SF Ace Bailey | 19 Pts | 10 Reb | 8/14 FG | 3/7 3PT
SG Dylan Harper | 37 Pts | 5 Reb | 4 Ast | 15/25 FG | 7/12 3PT | 0/0 FT

---

Utah Jazz Record: 25-23

[Soapy]

Boozer

[The JZA]

Looks like Bailey loving life in the mountains

[redsox907]

Walker Kessler Out For 4-6 Weeks With Hip Injury

Salt Lake City, UT. -For the second straight season, Jazz center Walker Kessler is expected to miss significant time due to injury. This time, Kessler strained his hip in a late-January contest against the Los Angeles Clippers, an injury that forced him out at halftime and will reportedly sideline him for at least four weeks, if not longer.

"Obviously, Walker is the heart of our defense. He's top five in the league in blocks once again," said head coach Will Hardy when news of the injury broke. "But this is also why we signed Robert [Williams III]—for his defensive versatility and ability to step in when needed."

With the trade deadline less than a week away, the Jazz are expected to address the center position, likely targeting a cheap depth option rather than a big splash. Williams is currently the only other listed center on Utah's roster, making the need for reinforcement clear.

While Kessler has long been regarded as a defensive stalwart—his shot-blocking prowess and rim protection remain elite—his injury-prone nature continues to undermine his true value. This marks the third time Kessler has missed significant time with a hip injury, in addition to dealing with concussions and foot problems throughout his career.

"It was the one red flag during free agency last year," noted one NBA executive. "His defensive impact is substantial when he's on the floor. The question is: Just how many games are you actually going to get out of him over a full season?"

The timing couldn't be worse for Utah. The Jazz are 25-23and fighting for playoff positioning in a crowded Western Conference. Kessler's defensive presence—he anchors a unit that's surrendered 10 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor—will be sorely missed during this critical stretch.

With Williams now tasked with starting duties and the trade deadline looming, the Jazz find themselves in a familiar, frustrating position: scrambling to fill the void left by their best defensive player.

Again.

[redsox907]

Boozer

Kawhi had him stressing last game. But also, not sure why he doesn't grab more boards

Looks like Bailey loving life in the mountains

he's our Ace

[redsox907]

Jazz Add Depth While Cavs Go All In

Salt Lake City, UT. - The Utah Jazz announced Wednesday morning they had agreed to send small forward Cody Williams and power forward Jonathan Isaac to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for small forward Josh Green and center Moussa Diabate.

With Walker Kessler's hip injury sidelining him for at least four weeks, many around the league expected the Jazz to bolster the center position behind Robert Williams III, who slid into the starting role in Kessler's absence. The inclusion of Isaac in the deal, however, left some observers perplexed—why would Utah give up a versatile defensive piece when they're fighting for playoff positioning?

"Isaac is a guy we wanted to keep long-term, to be completely honest," said assistant general manager Austin Ainge after the trade announcement. "But he isn't a traditional center, and Charlotte was steadfast in wanting Isaac's versatility in any deal. It's a necessary loss to accept in order to make sure Rob isn't out there running himself ragged for the next month.

"Diabate is young and athletic, but most importantly, he doesn't need to touch the ball to make an impact. He can protect the rim, finish lobs, and give us quality minutes without disrupting our offensive flow."

What Ainge didn't explicitly mention—but sources around the league immediately noted—is that both Green and Diabate are impending free agents. The move allows the Jazz to add needed depth without sacrificing cap space next summer, while also clearing Isaac's $15 million salary from the 2027-28 books. With a potentially franchise-altering free agency on the horizon, Utah's front office prioritized financial flexibility over short-term upgrades.

According to sources close to the team, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is expected to absorb additional minutes at power forward in Isaac's absence, while rookie Koa Peat should see expanded opportunities in relief of Ace Bailey. Peat has played sparingly this season—averaging just 8minutes per game—but has shot nearly 50 percent from the field in his limited opportunities, showcasing the shooting touch that made him an intriguing draft prospect.

"He's another floor spacer around their second unit of Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier," noted one Eastern Conference scout. "He brings the outside shooting threat that Jaquez and Isaac don't provide. It changes the dynamic of that bench unit significantly."

The Peat development could prove crucial. Utah's second unit has struggled with spacing at times this season, often becoming stagnant when neither George nor Collier can get downhill. Adding a legitimate catch-and-shoot threat could unlock easier offense for both guards.

In a separate, smaller move, the Jazz sent point guard Davion Mitchell to the Houston Rockets—who are dealing with injuries to both Reed Sheppard and Fred VanVleet—in exchange for veteran wing Dorian Finney-Smith.

Neither player was a key rotation piece for their former team, with Ainge characterizing the deal as a move to "solidify depth in other areas while giving Davion the opportunity to play meaningful minutes prior to his free agency."

Finney-Smith brings playoff experience and 3-and-D versatility that could prove valuable if Utah makes the postseason. Mitchell, meanwhile, gets a chance to showcase his abilities for a potential payday this summer.

While the Jazz made calculated depth and cap moves, the Cleveland Cavaliers swung for the fences, acquiring Aaron Gordon from the Denver Nuggets in a win-now move.
With Donovan Mitchell's impending free agency creating urgency, the Cavaliers reportedly felt compelled to add the versatile forward, sending small forward De'Andre Hunter to Denver in the exchange. The move signals Cleveland's commitment to maximizing their championship window while Mitchell remains under contract.

Elsewhere around the league, the Nuggets sent center Jonas Valančiūnas to the Boston Celtics for sharpshooter Sam Hauser, while the Oklahoma City Thunder dealt wing Isaiah Joe to the Houston Rockets in exchange for veteran center Clint Capela.

Utah's deadline approach reflects a franchise at a crossroads. At 25-23and squarely in the play-in picture, the Jazz could have made a more aggressive push—targeting a true difference-maker to bolster their playoff odds.

Instead, they chose preservation over aggression: maintaining cap flexibility, adding short-term depth without long-term commitments, and banking on internal development from players like Peat and Jaquez.

"They're playing the long game," said one rival executive. "They didn't mortgage their future for a first-round playoff exit. That's smart—or it's conservative, depending on how you look at it."

The answer to which perspective is correct likely won't be known until this summer, when the Jazz enter free agency with significant cap space and a young core that's proven it can compete.

For now, Utah has added the depth it needed to survive Kessler's absence without sacrificing the flexibility it coveted for the future.

Whether that balance proves wise or timid will be determined in the months ahead.

Notable Transactions
Oklahoma City trades SG Isaiah Joe to Houston for C Clint Capela and '27 2R
Cavaliers trade SF Max Strus and '27 2R to Sacramento for PG Dennis Schroder
Denver trades C Jonas Valanciunas to Boston for SF Sam Hauser
New York trades PG Tyler Kolek to Indiana for C James Wiseman
Milwaukee trades SF AJ Green and SG Gary Harris to Brooklyn for SF Terance Mann and '28 2R
Orlando trades SF Jett Howard and '31 2R to Memphis for PG Ty Jerome
Chicago trades C Jalen Smith and SG Kris Dunn to Atlanta for SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker and '29 1R
San Antonio trades PG Jamal Shead to Brooklyn for PF Tobias Harris
Chicago trades PF Lachlan Olbrich to Brooklyn for SG Tim Hardaway Jr
Cleveland trades SF De'Andre Hunter to Denver to PF Aaron Gordon and '31 1R
Utah trades SF Cody Williams and PF Jonathan Isaac to Charlotte for SF Josh Green and C Moussa Diabate
Utah trades PG Davion Mitchell to Houston for PF Dorian Finney-Smith