The 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas opens play on Thursday, July 9, and today’s action features several must-see matchups. The headliner is the Utah Jazz vs. the Washington Wizards tipping off at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the top two picks of the 2026 NBA Draft on show.
Jazz G Darryn Peterson was excellent in two games during the Salt Lake City Summer League, while Thursday is Wizards No. 1 pick F AJ Dybantsa’s Summer League debut. PrizePicks Team Picks is giving Peterson and the Jazz the nod, as Utah is 3.5-point favorites with a 1.63x payout if it wins vs. the Wizards.
Below, we'll break down our Jazz vs. Wizards prediction and picks for Thursday’s NBA Summer League game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Jazz vs. Wizards prediction on PrizePicks for today’s Summer League game.
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Jazz vs. Wizards Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Thursday, July 9
As previewed, the top two picks from the 2026 NBA Draft collide in this matchup. According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Jazz G Darryn Peterson has the shortest payout to win the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year (2.94x), compared to Wizards F AJ Dybantsa’s third-shortest payout to win the award (5x).
The No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Peterson, has made his early case for Rookie of the Year, logging impressive stats at the Salt Lake City Summer League. That included 26.5 points per game (PPG) and 7.0 assists per game (APG), while shooting 52.8% from the field and 43.8% on 3-pointers.
Dybantsa carries a 19.5-point projection on PrizePicks for tonight. He logged 25.5 PPG over 35 games in his freshman season at BYU.
Meanwhile, Peterson has a 23.5-point projection vs. the Wizards. Will we see the top two picks ball out with each player reaching the 20-point mark?
A few notable second-year players are featured on each roster as well. For the Jazz, F Ace Bailey, who was the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is in the Summer League roster following a strong finish to his rookie campaign. Plus, F Cody Williams — the No. 10 selection in the 2024 NBA Draft — is another notable piece.
The Wizards are rolling out one of the best Summer League rosters, boosted by second-year G Tre Johnson and G Will Riley, who were each 2025 first-round picks, playing alongside Dybantsa.
Jazz vs. Wizards Spread, Over/Under – Thursday, July 9
Led by G Darryn Peterson’s strong start at the Salt Lake City Summer League, the Jazz are 3.5-point favorites, paired with a 1.63x payout if they win for Thursday’s game vs. the Wizards, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Jazz vs. Wizards NBA Summer League game on PrizePicks.
- Spread: Utah Jazz -3.5 (1.85x payout)
- Over/Under: 186.5 (1.75x payout on Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Jazz 1.63x | Wizards 2.17x
Make your Jazz vs. Wizards prediction on the spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states!
Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.
Jazz vs. Wizards Expected Starting Lineups for Thursday, July 9
Let’s dive into the expected starting lineups for Jazz vs. Wizards on Thursday night. Lineups aren’t official and are based on recent playing time trends, injuries, schedule dynamics, and more.
Jazz Expected Starting Lineup vs. Wizards
- PG: Darryn Peterson
- SG: Ace Bailey
- SF: Cody Williams
- PF: Blake Hinson
- C: Kylor Kelly
Wizards Expected Starting Lineup vs. Jazz
- PG: Tre Johnson
- SG: Jamir Watkins
- SF: Will Riley
- PF: AJ Dybantsa
- C: Julian Reese
Jazz vs. Wizards Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 7/9/26
Here are some top Jazz vs. Wizards picks to target on Thursday, July 9. Tonight’s NBA Summer League picks for PrizePicks include Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and more.
Jazz G Darryn Peterson vs. Wizards: 4.5 Assists
- Darryn Peterson’s high-level scoring gets most of the attention, but don’t sleep on his 7.0 APG over two games in the Salt Lake City Summer League.
- According to The 5th Factor, Peterson posted a 27.8% usage rate that’s currently in the 86th percentile for Summer League play — which includes Salt Lake City and the California Classic before tonight’s Las Vegas event tips off.
- While Peterson posted only 27.5 minutes per game in those two appearances, he logged high usage rates — including a 39.3% rate in his debut on July 4 (98th percentile).
- Furthermore, the Jazz will likely feature their No. 2 pick in a point guard role, as Ace Bailey and Cody Williams could fill the wing spots in the starting lineup.
- Following his 12-assist performance on July 7, this assist projection feels within reach.
Add Darryn Peterson to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
Wizards F Julian Reese vs. Jazz: 9.5 Rebounds
- Julian Reese, who is the brother of WNBA superstar Angel Reese, didn’t get much Summer League run last year with just 11.5 minutes per game over four appearances.
- However, he made 13 regular-season appearances with 10 starts in the 2025-26 season, averaging 11.8 PPG and 10.5 rebounds per game (RPG) in the split.
- After going undrafted in 2025, Reese seems to have carved out a potential role in Washington. During his college career at Maryland, the 6-foot-9 big was an elite rebounder with 9.5 and 9.0 RPG over his final two seasons.
- Reese especially has a knack for gathering offensive boards, proven by 3.0 offensive RPG in his final two collegiate seasons. Further, Bart Torvik gave him a 12.2% offensive rebounding rate that finished second in the Big Ten for the 2024-25 season.
Add Julian Reese to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
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Wizards F AJ Dybantsa vs. Jazz: 19.5 Points
- While AJ Dybantsa will likely split usage with Tre Johnson and Will Riley, Washington will likely give its No. 1 pick plenty of opportunities throughout the Summer League.
- With high usage of 17.3 field goal attempts per game at BYU, Dybantsa maintained strong efficiency with a 51.0% field goal percentage.
- He could have a speed advantage if the rookie matches up with Jazz F Blake Hinson in the starting lineup. Hinson weighs 240 pounds while Dybantsa is 217 pounds. The former BYU Cougar has a quicker first step, paired with a 7’0.25” wingspan compared to Hinson’s 6’10.25” wingspan.
- Dybantsa wasn’t afraid to let it fly from deep with 4.2 3-point shots per game as a Cougar, giving him another potential advantage if Hinson is slow to challenge the perimeter.
- If Utah opts for F Cody Williams to defend Dybantsa, this would then likely give the No. 1 pick a strength advantage with Williams weighing in at only 190 pounds.
- Tonight’s matchup may preview why Dybantsa keeps coaches awake at night as a nightmare matchup at the forward position.
Add AJ Dybantsa to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
Make Jazz vs. Wizards Picks for Vegas Summer League on PrizePicks
Tonight’s Jazz vs. Wizards matchup is headlined by Darryn Peterson vs. AJ Dybantsa. Several notable second-year players will likely be on show as well, including Wizards G Tre Johnson and Jazz F Ace Bailey. Thursday’s primetime bout features a wealth of talent that’s a must-watch for the 2026 NBA Summer League.
Don’t wait until lock — make your Jazz vs. Wizards picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
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