The Utah Jaz have been pretty exciting during the Summer League. Combining their games in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, they are 4-1, with a lot of it coming from their rookie class. Unfortunately, it appears that none of their rookies will appear in their upcoming game tonight against the Golden State Warriors, and that doesn't include only Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr.
The Salt Lake Tribune's Andy Larsen reported that Bailey and Clayton will miss their game against Golden, while their other incoming rookie John Tonje, who hasn't played since the Jazz drafted him, has been listed as doubtful.
Draft picks Ace Bailey (hip flexor soreness) and Walter Clayton Jr (hamstring soreness) won’t play in today’s summer league game. RJ Luis also won’t (knee soreness). John Tonje has been upgraded to doubtful (ankle sprain).
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) July 13, 2025
In Tonje's case, it's better to look at the glass half-full, as this is the first time he hasn't been listed as out, though being listed as doubtful says a lot (Larsen has since confirmed that Tonje won't play).
Bailey hasn't played since wowing the Jazz fans in their second Summer League game. Clayton injured his hamstring in their first Summer League loss against the Charlotte Hornets, so the Jazz are not taking any chances with him or Bailey for that matter.
It should be a good showcase for their other young talent
With those three rookies out, it gives a chance for the likes of Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski to show what they've got. Filipowski is coming off his most dominant game of the 2025 Summer League, Williams continues to show progress through his aggression and confidence while Collier has been a bit more of a mixed bag.
At this point, Filipowski dominating is pretty much a given, so there's not much else he can that will shock anyone at this point. But this is a good opportunity for Williams and Collier to show that they are capable of taking that next step. Everyone knows Collier has shown a lot more than Williams has, but the real question with Collier at this point is whether he can ascend to another level as a shooter.
The funny thing about Williams is that if he shows quite literally anything in the Summer League, it's good news for Utah. Luckily, he said he was changing his workout regimen, and it looks like it is paying off for him thus far. With less help around him, this is a fantastic chance for him to show that his improvement has not come from adding more talented teammates but from his own development.
This is also a good showcase for some of the Jazz roster hopefuls on their Summer League team, like Jaden Springer and Elijah Harkless. With the Jazz undermanned, this is their chance to prove to Utah that they're worth keeping around until training camp at the very least.
It is a shame the Jazz won't be at full strength, but there's always the upside of watching some of Utah's other youngsters showing exactly what they got.