Utah Jazz Officially Announce Addition of Former Sixers Guard

There wasn’t a permanent spot on the Philadelphia 76ers’ main roster for the veteran Darius Bazley. However, the developmental prospect received a call-up this week as the Utah Jazz officially announced the acquisition of the former first-rounder.

Throughout the 2023-2024 NBA season, Bazley has competed with the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. As the Coats looked to defend their title, the acquisition of Bazley near the start of the year was notable in the minor league system.

During Delaware’s regular season, Bazley started in all but one of the 22 games he appeared in. Averaging over 33 minutes per game, the veteran produced 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists per game while knocking down 48 percent of his shots.

In late February, the Sixers called up Bazley for a 10-day stint on the roster. During that stretch, he appeared in three games, averaging fewer than four minutes on the court. With such limited playing time, Bazley struggled to make an impact.

When his 10-day in Philly expired, Bazley returned to Delaware without a second shot, but it wouldn’t be long before the Jazz came calling.

After terminating the 10-Day contract of Taevion Kinsey, the Jazz confirmed they filled the roster spot with Bazley, who joins his fourth NBA team since 2019.

Bazley had a path to the NBA Draft that was far from typical. Instead of playing in the NCAA, G League, or overseas, he trained on his own to prepare for the league. The former five-star recruit out of Ohio did fine for himself as he was selected by the Jazz with the 23rd overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.

As a rookie, Bazley wouldn’t begin his career with the Jazz. After getting selected, he was flipped twice and landed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He spent four seasons with the Thunder before landing with the Phoenix Suns last year. During the 2023 offseason, Bazley joined the Brooklyn Nets but was waived before the regular season started.

After 231 appearances in the NBA, Bazley gets a fresh start with the Jazz.