The 2025-26 NBA season is upon us, and with it, the first of 82 game-day injury reports.
The Utah Jazz had a number of injuries during training camp and the preseason and for the most part, those have been resolved. But there are a few health-related items of note as the Jazz ready for their opening-night bout at the Delta Center against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Ace Bailey: The 2025 No. 5 overall draft pick will make his NBA debut Wednesday night. Bailey missed the Jazz’s final preseason game dealing with tendonitis in both of his knees. Though the soreness in his knees had mostly gone away, he was under the weather this week, which was the reason his opening-night availability was in question. But as of Wednesday morning, he’d been taken off the Jazz’s injury report.
Isaiah Collier: The second-year guard missed the entirety of the preseason because of a right hamstring strain and he’ll miss the start of the 2025-26 season as well. Collier has been ramping up his on-court activity the last few days and is progressing toward a return, but is expected to miss at least the first week of the season before being re-evaluated.
Georges Niang: Though the 10-year veteran has returned for a second stint with the Jazz, his return to the court is still a ways off. During offseason training, Niang suffered a stress reaction in his left foot, which had him walking in a boot for the majority of the preseason. Though he was getting up shots without the boot at the Jazz practice facility last week, he remains sidelined and will be re-evaluated sometime next week.
Walker Kessler: The fourth-year center missed the first three of four preseason contests because of a left shoulder injury. He played in the final Jazz preseason game and had an impressive showing, but did show some discomfort with his shoulder throughout the game. He is not on the Jazz injury report and will play on opening night, but it’s worth noting that there is some lingering soreness.
Kyle Anderson: The Jazz’s newly acquired veteran missed some preseason action with right knee tendonitis, but has since been taken off the injury report and cleared to play.
