Utah Jazz Cut Two Former Sixers Ahead of 2024-2025 NBA Season

The Utah Jazz moved on from former Sixers.

Apr 11, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. (34) shoots against Houston Rockets center Jock Landale (2) during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2024 NBA Summer League in the rearview, the Utah Jazz made two cuts ahead of the upcoming NBA season. Both of them happen to be former members of the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to a press release, the Jazz are cutting ties with the veteran forward, Kenneth Lofton Jr. They are also parting ways with the small forward, Darius Bazley.

Last season, the Sixers had both players on their roster at one point. For Lofton, he became a member of the Sixers through a two-way deal ahead of their Christmas Day battle against the Miami Heat.

Despite being on the roster for several months, Lofton appeared in just two games with the Sixers, averaging fewer than five minutes on the court. For the most part, the veteran played for the team’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

In Delaware, Lofton made 11 appearances. He stood out by averaging 26 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while draining 55 percent of his shots from the field. His time with the Sixers concluded in early March. At that point, he was searching for his third team following stints with the Sixers and the Memphis Grizzlies. He ended up on the Jazz.

With the Jazz, Lofton averaged 23 minutes in four games. He managed to produce 14 points per game on 60 percent shooting from the field. He also had an eight-game stint with Utah’s G League affiliate. Lofton produced 23 points per game, along with ten rebounds.

As for Bazley, he started the 2023-2024 NBA season on the Blue Coats. By February, he earned an opportunity to get a temporary call-up to the Sixers by way of a ten-day deal. He made three appearances on the court for the Sixers, averaging just three minutes.

When Bazley’s short-term deal expired, he returned to the Blue Coats in early March. When the G League season concluded, Bazley received a call from the Jazz. The veteran signed with Utah for the remainder of the regular season.

Bazley appeared in six games with the Jazz. He averaged 24 minutes on the court, producing eight points and five rebounds. He knocked down a career-high 62 percent of his field goals during that stint.

Now that both players are free agents, Bazley is on the hunt for his fifth organization since the 2019-2020 season. Lofton is looking for his fourth team.