We haven't even started the season, and I'm already loving the new era of the Utah Jazz.
Now that the draft is behind us, and the most anticipated Utah Jazz team in years is finally taking shape, we're shifting into gear for the NBA Summer League and a chance to see Utah's brand-new rookie take the court alongside some of the teammates he'll run alongside this season.
And in some early clips from these Summer League practices, it's hard not to let yourself get swept up in the excitement of it all.
It's safe to say that any culture concerns regarding the number-two overall pick, Darryn Peterson, were extremely overblown in the weeks leading up to the NBA Draft.
But I'm done talking about what was then. Right now, the Utah Jazz are one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA, even without Walker Kessler.
The fact of the matter is that Peterson is getting along tremendously with his teammates -- especially Ace Bailey and Keyonte George -- and that's on full display in the embedded clip.
George is also joined by new addition to the team, Jaren Jackson Jr, who's active and engaged at the team's Summer League practices despite having just joined the team during last season's trade deadline. Seeing Keyonte with the clipboard and drawing up plays for his teammates is hilarious, and the energy in these practices is infectious.
But on the court, we're already witnessing the beginning of a fantastic connection between Peterson and Bailey, the last two players to be taken by the Jazz in the NBA Draft (apologies to Walter Clayton Jr., I hope you take off in Memphis). I love this play in particular that displays Peterson's playmaking ability -- a wrinkle to his game that went largely dormant during his freshman year at Kansas, but there's always room to grow.
Curling to the rim and pulling in a slew of defenders, Peterson comfortably and naturally finds his read and kicks out to Ace Baily wide open in the corner.
A no-dip catch-and-shoot look is pure from the former Rutgers star, and a skill that reminds me of Joe Ingles during his prime with the Jazz. Peterson put that ball squarely on the bullseye, and Bailey wasted no time converting that look into three.
There are so many things that this Utah Jazz team still needs to learn about itself, but the pieces are all there to develop into perhaps the most fearsome squad this franchise has seen since the days of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. They're very young, and success won't arrive via same-day shipping, but Jazz fans should be feeling great about their team, and anxious to get the season under way.
