The San Antonio Spurs continue their preseason preparation on Saturday evening with a game against the Utah Jazz and give the young squad the chance to further prove themselves.

Last time out, San Antonio defeated the Magic thanks to a strong performance from Stephon Castle and an exciting pairing from Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama.

The latter duo won’t get another chance to shine until the next elimination, with Wembanyama sidelined for the second time in three games, but there are plenty more players set to feature, including Zach Collins, who will make his season debut after suffering a shoulder injury after undergoing surgery Low season.

READ MORE: Paul, Wembanyama looked like old friends vs. magic

If he does well, it could bode well for Spurs to start the season, as they will certainly need strong play from their bigs – beyond Wembanyama, of course – to round out their attack on both sides.

The Utah Jazz, meanwhile, will look to continue their winning streak after starting the preseason with 3-0 victories over New Zealand, the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks. A win over the Spurs would mean a win over Texas and another win for coach Will Hardy over his former employer.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of Spurs’ second pre-season game:

Utah Jazz

San Antonio Spurs

As it stands, Spurs big man Zach Collins has two guaranteed seasons left in San Antonio. He has shown that he has the potential to play a key role in Spurs’ journey towards contention, but if he wants to stick around he will need to continue to provide stability in more ways than one, especially as Spurs have a truly crucial player missing .

He could be that player, but he has to prove it. That’s why next season is particularly important.

Fortunately, he has already started work, “feels good” and has gained the trust of Gregg Popovich and Brian Wright.

“He’s doing great,” Wright said during his press conference in San Antonio after the 2024 NBA Draft. “He works hard every day. Of course it was unfortunate, but you know Zach.

“He’s a hard worker and he’s been there before.”

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