Bulls' Summer League Battle with Jazz Just Became Way Less Fun

The Chicago Bulls' Summer League just became a little less star-studded.

The original slate had No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson matching up against each of the players who were drafted ahead of him. While the rookie has insisted that he doesn't need any extra motivation to step on the floor, it's hard to imagine someone as competitive as him not being a little extra jazzed for this opportunity. Heck, even fellow rookie Dailyn Swain suggested as much after Wilson's explosive Summer League debut.

“Caleb is hunting everyone," fellow rookie Dailyn Swain said after the Bulls' debut. "He won’t say it enough. But we know, we can see in his mentality pregame, during the game. He’s hunting these guys. He works so hard. I’m not surprised by it. Guys like him deserve moments like that. His first NBA opportunity, he does something like that, it should be pretty telling for how his career is going to go.”

Of course, Wilson's first Summer League showing pitted him against No. 3 overall pick and Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer. How did he respond? By breaking an unofficial Summer League debut record with 35 points on 7-11 shooting from downtown. Remember all those questions about his three-point shooting?

If that's what Wilson does against the No. 3 pick in the draft, what might he do against the No. 2 pick!? Unfortunately, we're going to have to wait to find out. The Bulls are set to face off against the Jazz at 8:00 p.m. CT on Monday night, but it sounds like Darryn Peterson will be sitting in street clothes.

Utah Jazz Sitting Several Players vs. Bulls

Darryn Peterson of the Utah Jazz — Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Draft prospect Darryn Peterson poses for photos on the red carpet before the 2026 NBA draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to Sarah Todd of Deseret News, the Utah Jazz are not expected to play rookie sensation Darryn Peterson on Monday night. The Top 2 pick in the draft will sit for the first time in Las Vegas after a pair of strong performances.

It's a pretty big bummer for Bulls fans who were excited to see Wilson continue to match up against the best of the best. However, it probably shouldn't be unexpected after how the schedule shook out. Peterson was on the floor just last night against No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler. He scored 23 points with 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of action.

All things considered, it's pretty standard for teams to practice an abundance of caution with Top 10 picks during Summer League. The last thing you want to do is risk any kind of injury, and we all know playing fatigued on back-to-back days can increase that possibility.

Todd also noted that both Ace Bailey and Cody Williams will sit. The former was drafted No. 5 in the 2025 NBA Draft, while the latter came off the board at No. 10 in 2024. Bailey was forced to leave Sunday's game with back spasms. As for Williams, it wouldn't be surprising if the Jazz are simply shutting the third-year player down.

There is no question that the absence of those three players makes this upcoming primetime matchup less exciting. But, hey, it could open the door even further for another Caleb Wilson outburst!

Not to mention, things should be that much easier on Dailyn Swain, who struggled to look comfortable in his primary ball-handling role last time out. Not having Peterson hounding him every possession should help him gain some confidence.

Keep an eye on the Bulls potentially doing something similar to Utah on Tuesday. They will play a back-to-back set, as well, before a fourth game on Thursday. Wilson has suggested that he wants to play every game, but it's hard to imagine the Bulls will let that happen.

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