Returning to Utah with the Bucks, Joel Bolomboy still has warm feelings for the Jazz

Less than two months ago, Joel Bolomboy was playing in Vivint Smart Home Arena.

Saturday night, he was back. In a different jersey. Playing for a different team.

The 23-year-old forward called the timing “funny,” but said he didn’t have any particularly strong emotions as he prepared to play in Utah — but not for a Utah-based team for the first time since high school. He has a house and a girlfriend in Utah, and while he’s now playing for the Milwaukee Bucks instead of the Jazz, it’s very much still his home.

“I actually stayed at my house rather than stay at the hotel,” he said.

The Jazz parted ways with him in October, cutting him from the final roster in favor of guard Royce O’Neale. The Jazz had lots of positive things to say about him at the time, and coach Quin Snyder echoed some of those sentiments before Saturday night’s game.

“The difficult thing for us with Joel is it was a fit issue — it really had nothing to do Joel,” Snyder said. “It’s more about our roster. It’s always hard to see a guy who we’ve invested in so much leave, but it’s a positive thing. We want players to benefit from their time here, so you’re happy for him.”

For Bolomboy, splitting from the Jazz was tough. He starred in college at Weber State and had hoped to continue on with the Jazz. The upshot was he was able to cash in with a guaranteed contract valued at $1.3 million this year before signing a two-way deal with the Bucks.

But he added that he felt that the Jazz were genuine in their care for his career, despite waiving him.

“I understand where they were coming from, but I can tell they still care for me as a person — the whole organization, the coaches, the players, the people,” he said. “They all wished me well and said they were wishing me the best and hoped I could come back to Utah and they’d welcome me back with open arms.”

Payton gets the start for Bucks

Another Bucks player with Utah roots made his second straight start on Saturday night. The surprising part is that he’s on a two-way contract, so he’s only able to play for Milwaukee for 45 days this season and will play with the team’s G-League affiliate for the remainder.

But Gary Payton II, who played for two years at Salt Lake Community College, has had a way of surpassing expectations in his life. From SLCC, he became a star at Oregon State and has since carved out a living in basketball for the last two seasons. He’s had a much harder road than famous father Gary Payton, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

“Pops still chirps at me sometimes,” Payton said during Saturday’s morning shootaround. “But he sees I’m making it.”

Payton has played in only five games this year, but helped fill in for injured Matthew Dellavedova in the backcourt. While his time in the NBA is limited this year, he’s trying to squeeze what he can out of the experience.

“Learning every year, and D League helped a lot last year,” he said. “I think I’m starting to feel confidence in our offense.”

Jazz debut gold uniforms

Blue? Green? Purple? How about gold?

The Jazz aren’t necessarily known as the NBA team most associated with gold, but the team played for the first time in their “Statement” jerseys, the primary color of which is gold.

The jerseys were unveiled earlier this year as new NBA outfitter Nike had an event featuring Rodney Hood. It is the first Jazz jersey in which gold is the primary color.

The Jazz now have revealed three of their four jerseys this season. A fourth “Community” jersey is expected to be unveiled next month.