Salt City Hoops Utah Jazz Podcast

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!

The big offseason for the Utah Jazz is right around the corner! The Jazz will have much, much bigger expectations to compete next year, but there are salary cap rules on how they can shape their roster. Decisions on Walker Kessler and Keyonte George could also have huge financial ramifications down the line. What is the Mid-Level Exception? What is the First Apron? Why won't we pay the luxury tax this year, but will probably have no problem paying it next year? Mark Russell Pereira (Bluesky: @jazzmanmark.com ) walks you through a very introductory examination of the Jazz salary cap sheet going into the offseason so you are well-prepared to know how the Jazz can even make (or not make) player acquisitions to shore up the rotation. Then, we use the Free Agency Simulator on saltcityhoops.com (which you can use too!), created by the wizard Zarin Ficklin ( @zarin on Bluesky, @zarinf on twitter) to game out the decisions this summer and play with different options. Finally, Mark goes waaaaay deep and shows how a bunch of different extension and free agency options for the Jazz this summer could hurl them into the dreaded first and second aprons as early as 2027! These are danger zones that Utah might have to tolerate if they are to be competitive. All of these questions answered, and way more, for Salt City Hoops! #utah #utahjazz #basketball #nba #acebailey #ajdybantsa #darrynpeterson #keyontegeorge #walkerkessler #laurimarkkanen #cameronboozer #calebwilson #jarenjacksonjr

It's finally time for a special Salt City Hoops NBA Draft preview! All signs point to a truly special top 4 NBA Draft class between AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, and the Utah Jazz are in a terrific spot at the no. 2 selection. While the talent is clear, the Jazz are under enormous pressure to get this very specific pick very, very right. Mark Russell Pereira (@jazzmanmark.com on Bluesky) explains why exactly this draft pick is so important given Utah's timeline and immediate path to competitiveness. Then, Mark goes into best and worst case scenarios for each prospect. Who does Mark think Utah should draft without hesitation, and how do the prospects rank among each other? Tune in and subscribe to find out! More offseason content coming all summer long for Salt City Hoops. #ajdybantsa #darrynpeterson #cameronboozer #calebwilson #acebailey #utahjazz #basketball #nba #nbadraft

The Spurs and Thunder just finished a battle of incredible titans in the Western Conference Finals, and Victor Wembanyama looked absolutely terrifying. Can the Jazz compete in any sense against these incredible teams next year? Do they have any advantages? What are their worst disadvantages? Mark Russell Pereira ( @jazzmanmark.com ) is joined by Riley Gisseman (@rgiss on X & Bluesky ) to break down Utah's position vs. the elite of the NBA. Then, lottery reform finally passed! What are the new rules, and do we like or hate them? The NBA also leaked that a 'credit' system may be coming in a few years, which felt incredibly close to Riley's Chip/Token system that he's worked on for a couple years. What is this credit system, and how will it favor well-managed teams?

While the 2026 NBA Playoffs are in full, exciting swing, idle thoughts about the Jazz have turned into annoying rumors and rage-baiting nonsense. Mark Russell Pereira ( jazzmanmark.com ) takes some time to walk through some of the more pervasive and ridiculous rumors out there, so that we have a clean slate to fairly analyze Utah's upcoming offseason in subsequent episodes.

The Jazz did it! They actually did it! For the first time in franchise history, the Utah Jazz moved up in the NBA Draft Lottery with their own pick and were selected to draft 2nd in next month's draft! This couldn't have come at a more perfect time, as this year's draft class looks truly special and deep, while the Jazz are just beginning their ascent to the NBA title contender class. Who is going to be available for Utah at No. 2? Are there trade up or down possibilities? Join Mark Russell Pereira ( @jazzmanmark.com ) and Justin Sweeney as they take us through all of the emotions and expectations of a seminal day in Jazz history!

The first round of the NBA Playoffs is in the books! A wild first round exposed many deficiencies from winning and losing sides, and highlighted the real strengths of the teams who reliably make it to the second round of the playoffs. Utah's roster has way more talent as they are primed for a playoff appearance, but what else do they need to be an actual, competitive threat? Mark Russell Pereira ( https://bsky.app/profile/jazzmanmark.com ) breaks it all down, with a surprise live reaction to the last minute of a thrilling Wolves - Spurs Game 1! #nba #nbaplayoffs #acebailey #utahjazz #basketball #podcast

The final exams have been turned in for the 2025-2026 Utah Jazz! Join Dan Clayton ( @danclayt0n ) and Mark Russell Pereira ( @jazzmanmark.com ) as they assign letter grades to every major contributor on the roster who finished their season in Salt Lake City. Who turned in a stellar season with high marks? Who missed the mark in areas they needed to improve? Tune in for Salt City Hoops!

As the NBA Playoffs commence, the Utah Jazz are forced to finally and completely turn the page on the 2025-2026 season with a collection of player and coach exit interviews and sentimental Instagram posts. What did these players say about the season that was, and, most importantly, what are their feelings about what's in store next year? Join Mark Russell Pereira ( @jazzmanmark.com ) as he pulls the best quotes and reactions from the media availability and surmises about the future for pending free agents Kevin Love and Jusuf Nurkic. Then, the Jazz win the coin flip with the Sacramento Kings! What does this mean for Utah's pick in the upcoming NBA Draft?

Another 82 games of Jazz basketball is in the books! And not only does this season mark the end of another tanktastic season for the Utah Jazz, but an entire tanktastic era as the Jazz figure to be legitimate playoff contenders next year. This season brought a surprising amount of joy, growth, and flashpoint moments for a 22-win team. Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) takes you through the entire season that was, highlighting all the big and small moments that defined the 2025-2026 Utah Jazz.

The Utah Jazz have been mighty frisky over the past two months in the throes of trying to tank away the season. Credit to the players and Will Hardy for playing hard and making a lot of these games interesting, right? Well the Jazz decided those calls were just too close for comfort, so the Jazz decide to sign two...less-than-qualified...G-League role players to sop up 40+ minutes in random games in an effort to really, really ensure Utah loses basketball games. (Spoiler alert: Utah STILL was competitive in a number of games against top competition! They also lost to the Wizards by 20.) Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) had to sound off about this brazen flaunting of watchable basketball. Giving a ton of minutes to your deep prospects and two-way guys is one thing, but this felt like something else. It's not all negative though, as the broader Utah Jazz prospect class has looked terrific over the past month, and Mark recaps the wild successes of Ace Bailey & Co. in the month of March.