Salt City Hoops Utah Jazz Podcast

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, wha...

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.co...

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 h...

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 cemen...

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 SITU...

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...

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 (@jaz...

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...

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....

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 Perei...

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 pul...

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...

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...

When the calendar turns to March for bad NBA teams, all eyes immediately dart to the NCAA tournament and the best prospects showing their best stuff! Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) is joined by Justin Sweeney ( @getsit.bsky.social ) in his inaugural Salt City Hoops Podcast appearance to chat all things March Madness. What prospects are looking to show out in the tournamen...

A two-week stretch of Jazz basketball has brought some incredibly competitive performances, featuring many narrow losses and some stressful wins. It's the best of both worlds for the Jazz, who need to rack up losses but still require improvement and growth from the prospect class. Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) recaps it all for you: What has stood out in these games?...

Look, nobody's going to look down on you for not being a 'real' fan for not wanting to watch the dregs of the Utah Jazz roster fill out lineups for the rest of the season. But lucky for you, Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) is a Sicko and has a lot of reasons to watch how Ace Bailey & Company round out their skills for the rest of the season on your behalf!...

The end of the NBA season for a non-playoff team can be a slog, but for the Jazz prospects, there has never been a more important stretch of basketball. Every non-starter, and even Ace Bailey himself, needs to prove immediately that they can contribute to winning basketball next season. Otherwise, they will be nailed to the bench without minutes to show for their next contract, or worse, they will...

After decades of hundreds and hundreds of NBA teams constantly pumping the brakes and tanking to improve their draft position, the NBA decided to draw a completely arbitrary line in the sand. After the media suddenly, randomly, and arbitrarily expressed anger and horror over the Jazz rightfully treating last weekend's games like extended exhibition and training to prepare for the future--somet...

We can't stop thinking about how amazing it is to have Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fold in Salt Lake City! Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) formally sends off this horrible era of Jazz basketball and looks forward to how this team will compete for championships in the near and short term with Jaren Jackson Jr. manning the 4 spot for years to come.

Out of seemingly nowhere, the Utah Jazz officially shifted into top gear with a MEGA trade to immediately become a playoff team next year by trading for Jaren Jackson Jr.! Utah gives up three firsts, Walt Clayton, and Taylor Hendricks. What does this trade mean for Utah's roster? How does JJJ fit with Markkanen and Kessler? There are so many angles to break down, and Dan Clayton ( @danclayt0n...

Welcome back to another Salt City Hoops episode where the Trade Deadline draws ever nearer! Join Mark Russell Pereira ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) as he wraps up the Jusuf Nurkic triple double mania discussion before taking a closer look into Cody Williams' pretty solid January. Is Mark ready to eat crow on Cody Williams? Finally, we can't help ourselves to one last helping of pre-T...

The 2026 NBA Trade Deadline draws ever nearer, so the ideas for the Jazz get wilder! Join Mark Russell Pereira (@markrussellpereira.bsky.social) as he explores trade ideas for Zion Williamson, Lu Dort, and Anthony Davis. Plus! JUSUF NURKIC MANIA! Jusuf Nurkic has recorded two straight triple-doubles in great Jazz games, and that's worth celebrating and analyzing how he's doing it.

The 2026 NBA Trade Deadline approaches and the Utah Jazz, once again, are poised to be active and ready to deal! The Clayton team of Dan ( @danclayt0n ) and Ken ( @k_clayt ) join Mark ( @markrussellpereira.bsky.social ) to set the table for the moves and strategies the Jazz will be looking to make (or not make!). Sound off in the comments or on social media who you would like to see the Jazz make...