Until last season, the Utah Jazz had never lost more than 60 games in a season in their entire history, the last franchise in the league to do so. The Washington Wizards suffered their seventh 60-loss season. Neither team was rewarded for its futility; the Jazz landed the fifth overall pick (which turned into Ace Bailey) and the Wizards used the sixth selection on Tre Johnson.
Johnson has looked excellent so far in Summer League, though he sat out last night’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Bailey hasn’t yet appeared in the Las Vegas tournament, although he did play (with mixed results) in Utah’s Salt Lake City Summer League. There has been no update on his injury status in advance of tonight’s game, nor that of Johnson.
The Wizards are one-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook (-112 on the Moneyline), with the point total set for 182.5. The Jazz are -108 on the Moneyline. Below, I’ll preview each team and offer a prediction.
Jazz-Wizards Roster Breakdown
Washington’s Summer League roster had been stacked, with four of last season’s first-round picks — Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, and AJ Johnson — all playing, but only AJ Johnson played last night against the Philadelphia 76ers and the offense was utterly inept. For Sarr, Carrington, and George, who have guaranteed spots in the rotation for next season, it’s likely that they will not appear again in the Las Vegas showcase, though there have been no reports on their statuses for tonight’s game. Tre Johnson’s official diagnosis prior to last night’s game was hamstring soreness, though high lottery picks often get shut down after just two Summer League games, so the team will be careful with its point guard of the future.
There’s no guarantee that any of the regulars on Utah’s roster will play, either. Second-year center Kyle Filipowski has been the best player at the showcase, averaging 29.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on 56-39-63 shooting splits through the first three games after averaging 14.3 points per game after the All-Star break. His floor-spacing ability makes him a credible fit next to incumbent center Walker Kessler, who looks increasingly unlikely to be traded this season, and there’s no reason for the Jazz to risk an injury. It’s also possible that Isaiah Collier, who’s dished out a Summer League-high 8.3 assists per game after leading all rookies in the stat last season, and Cody Williams, who’s averaged an inefficient 17.7 points per game, won’t play. Walter Clayton Jr. has been held out since the first Summer League game because of a hamstring issue.
Because of the wide variety of experience levels among players on the rosters and the rebuilding state of both of these squads, predicting Summer League games can be a fickle exercise. If Bailey is healthy, I doubt that Utah has seen enough from him to feel comfortable shutting him down, especially given that his 13.0 points per game across two contests at the Salt Lake City Summer League didn’t come very efficiently. I’d also imagine that Johnson, who has averaged an extremely efficient 19.5 points per game through his first two professional games, will suit up for the Wizards in his final appearance in the showcase.
Jazz vs. Wizards Pick
Washington Wizards +1 (-115)
The Jazz have lost each of their three games despite Filipowski’s scoring and Collier’s playmaking, so I can’t imagine them doing much better tonight if either of those guys sits. They could be better tonight if Bailey or Clayton returns, but beyond their surefire 2025-26 rotation players, only 24-year-old rookie John Tonje — who scored 16 points in his Summer League debut — has impressed so far. Max Abmas has struggled with his shot so far this summer league, but at least the former Oral Roberts standout averaged 13.6 points per game last season in the G-League and should be a reliable option. Still, if every second-year rotation player on both teams sits, Johnson is the best player on the floor.
