Raja Bell Didn’t Play for the Utah Jazz Due to ‘Internal Matters’

Raja Bell and the Utah Jazz aren’t seeing eye-to-eye these days (and it’s not the first time), and Bell will not be suiting up for the team to what the team mysteriously deemed as “internal matters.” Per the Deseret News: “The team announced [Saturday] afternoon that Bell, the starting shooting guard, will not be with the Jazz for the game because of an unspecified ‘internal matter.’ … Coach Tyrone Corbin refused to give reporters any additional insight into Bell’s situation other than to say Bell did not fly with the team from Philadelphia to Chicago and didn’t attend the Jazz’s morning gameday meeting. He’s not with us,’ Corbin said. “Internal matters. That’s all I want to say about it.’ When asked if it’s a one-game deal with Bell, Corbin answered, ‘Tonight? Yeah.’ He replied ‘Yeah, I hope so’ when asked if the veteran will be back with the team and available to play at home Monday against Detroit. Corbin wouldn’t say if the internal issue was ongoing or out of the blue, and he doesn’t think it will be a distraction for tonight’s game against Chicago. ‘No, not a distraction I wouldn’t expect,’ Corbin said. ‘We’ve got the Bulls and that’s enough distraction for everybody.’ Al Jefferson and Watson said they hadn’t talked to Bell and weren’t aware of an internal matter. After about 10 questions, Corbin finally said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it anymore.’ Bell played just under 18 minutes in Utah’s 104-91 loss at Philadelphia on Friday night, scoring two points on 1-for-5 shooting. Bell had started in three straight after missing six consecutive contests due to a groin injury (strained left adductor). Bell scored eight points combined on 4-for-12 shooting in those three road games, including two wins. Asked if he felt like the rust has been knocked off from the inactivity from that injury absence, Bell responded: ‘Look, man, I feel fine. My leg feels fine. I just need opportunities, that’s it bro.’”