Jazz says the quiet part out loud about Cody Williams on Opening Night

So much went right for the Utah Jazz last night that it overshadowed one troubling development: Cody Williams didn’t play until the game was well out of reach. Since Williams didn’t play until garbage time, it confirms that the Jazz don’t really believe in Williams’ abilities at this point.

This isn’t exactly the most surprising news. Williams had a historically terrible rookie season last year, without it playing into his game wasn’t Re. He looked better in the Summer League, which created some optimism about his long-term prospects, but the uneven performance in the preseason was a good reminder that it could take some time if he becomes an NBA player.

The Jazz had a sensational opening night against the Los Angeles Clippers, thanks in large part to their young players like Walker Kessler, Brice Sensabaugh, Keyonte George and Walter Clayton Jr., among others.

But it’s notable that Svi Mykhailiuk started on opening night (probably because Ace Bailey was still ill) instead of Williams, who plays in a similar position. The Jazz have typically only played Mykhailiuk when they have a few players down, so the fact that he was selected over Williams with a largely intact roster speaks volumes about where they stand with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Simply put, Williams is nowhere near ready to play legitimate NBA minutes. Last season the Jazz knew this and still tried to get him started, but they didn’t have much luck. Now that they have more talent on the roster, Williams might be on the shelf.

It’s not too late for Williams.

There may be some unforeseen team developments in Utah as the season progresses, but if things continue to develop as they are, Williams will likely be sent back to the G-League this season. That’s better than leaving him on the bench while the Jazz’s other youth develop.

That doesn’t mean he won’t get his chances. The Jazz will certainly make a trade or two this season and will deal with a few injuries as the season progresses. That could give Williams a chance to prove himself, even if he probably won’t get as many as he did during his rookie season.

Even if Williams isn’t ready right now, the Jazz should be patient with him. They took him knowing he would likely be a project on a team that plans to take its time developing into a playoff contender. The only unforeseen twist is that it may take more time than the team would have liked.