Even though the Utah Jazz won't have many games on National TV this season, there will still be plenty of games for fans to be excited for. The benefit of being a small market team is that the majority of the fans are localized, and the ones who aren't can likely watch on league pass.
In fact, there are five games in particular that Jazz fans should definitely look forward to this season. Boy, after how long Utah was in limbo, how nice is it to genuinely say that?
Walker Kessler's return to Utah as a Laker
Fans are primarily looking forward to seeing how those picks the Lakers sent to the Jazz for Kessler is pan out. However, it will be fun to see Kessler back in Utah playing for the Jazz's most historic rival, especially after missing most of last season due to that shoulder surgery
It gets even better as it won't be long before he comes back. Kessler will make his return to Utah on October 26 at 3 p.m. MT. It will be the first test of how well he fits with Los Angeles and how much Utah misses him at the center position. While they will have two more matchups, both will be in LA, as Kessler's return to Utah is more or less ripping the band-aid off.
It could be the first hint of what's to come from the Jazz and Lakers, as their rivalry has been more or less renewed. The question will be whether Kessler gets applauded or booed. Yeah, he's a Laker, but the Jazz chose for it to play out that way, for better or worse.
Darryn Peterson vs. AJ Dybantsa
This will be the talk of the town for quite some time. Peterson and Dybantsa's Summer League matchup was hyped up for a reason. They are exceptional prospects who could make a significant difference for their respective teams in the long term.
Plus, for the first time in decades, the Jazz got the No. 2 pick. Because of that, they have the opportunity to watch their golden boy blossom as he plays against the one player Washington picked ahead of him.
Making the rivalry even spicier are Dybantsa's well-established ties to Utah before entering the NBA who was within inches of being picked by the Jazz. Their first matchup will be in Utah on February 27 at 3 p.m. MT. Their second will be in Washington on March 6 at 5 p.m. MT.
Jazz get to see if they're the Spurs' kryptonite
San Antonio overcame Oklahoma City, the 2025 NBA Champions, because they basically proved to be their kryptonite, which everyone kind of saw coming after their regular seson series. It's not like the Spurs dominated the Thunder, but they still beat a team many believed had a dynasty lined up.
But Utah might give San Antonio a taste of their own medicine. Not necessarily because they are more talented, but because Jaren Jackson Jr. has never lost to Victor Wembanyama once in his entire career. That could be pretty telling if his success against the one-man basketball supernova continues in Utah.
They'll get to know this right away, as the Jazz will face the Spurs on October 28 at 7 p.m. MT. They get to finish their regular season series pretty quickly, facing them again on November 2 at 7:30 p.m. MT, then wrap it up when the Spurs come back to Utah on November 15 at 3 p.m. MT.
Jazz finally compete against old friends
Four years after trading them away to start over, Utah can get to see how far along they are with their current team when they go up against Rudy Gobert in Minnesota and Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland. Both teams are still competing much like they were when the Jazz gave them their former stars, so that should be fun to see who is in a better place.
Minnesota and Cleveland have made some major changes in the past year, but still very much have every intention to go as far as they can. Utah's not necessarily in the same boat, but they'd like to be as soon as possible. The Jazz going up against both teams will test just how good they are.
The Jazz will face the Timberwolves four times: November 8 in Minnesota at 6:00 p.m. MT, December 14 in Utah at 7:00 p.m., MT, February 7 in Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. MT, and March 18 in Utah at 7 p.m. MT.
Jazz compete against old friend in Memphis (but in reverse)
While the Jazz will get to see just how good they are when they go up against teams who have the players that were previously their franchise cornerstones, they will get a taste of their own medicine when they face the team that sent them their franchise player when they go up against Memphis.
Jaren Jackson Jr. made a name for himself with the Grizzlies and hopes to have a similar, if not bigger, impact in Utah. Anyway, even though Memphis is starting over thanks in part to the JJJ trade, they might not be as bad as many think. On top of ex-Jazz prospects Taylor Hendricks and Walter Clayton Jr., they will also have vets like Isaiah Stewart, Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, and Jerami Grant.
It'll be cool to see the Jazz alumni and how far along Memphis already is, despite only recently starting a new chapter. Oh, and like with Washington, they will be going up against another prospect many thought could have been the No. 1 pick, Cameron Boozer.
The Jazz will face off against the Grizzlies in Memphis on Opening Night on October 21 at 6:00 p.m. MT. They will then have their rematch the following week on October 26 at at 7:00 p.m. They will have their final matchup in Utah on January 30 at 7 p.m. MT.
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