Jazz Short on Bigs as Suns Sort Out Preseason Rotation

Utah's thin frontcourt gives a patchwork Phoenix team the edge in this preseason matchup.

UTA @ PHX Oct 17, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC

Preseason games are mostly about rotations, and both teams will be sorting through theirs in Phoenix. Utah's problem is clearer: the frontcourt is thin.

Jusuf Nurkić is out with a foot injury, which removes a veteran center from the Jazz rotation. Kyle Filipowski is questionable as he returns from offseason back surgery, and his return has no set timeline. Utah did provide an encouraging update on his back earlier this week. Even so, a cautious approach is the sensible expectation. If he sits, the Jazz will have to cover minutes in the paint with a patchwork group. Blake Hinson is also questionable with a hip injury, and Brice Sensabaugh remains sidelined, so the forward and wing depth is stretched too.

Phoenix has its own uncertainty. Mark Williams is out, and Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks are listed as questionable for rest. That is a typical preseason designation, and it could mean the Suns' main starters play limited minutes or none. If so, the game will be decided by reserves and fringe rotation players, who are often competing for roster spots. That could make the game choppy and keep the scoring modest.

For Utah, this is an early chance to show progress under Will Hardy after a 22-60 season that missed the playoffs. The Jazz added new pieces, but this game won't tell us much about how they fit together when so many players are unavailable. The Jazz's shortage of bigs is the more concrete issue. Phoenix, even with Williams out, should have a few more options inside and the benefit of home court.

Prediction: the Suns pull away late and win 111-105.

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