No. 5 total draft decide Ace Bailey is taking part in just a little little bit of hardball with the Utah Jazz, and there’s nothing fallacious with that.
Utah determined to draft Bailey regardless of the gifted Rutgers guard declining a non-public exercise with the group. Famously, Bailey needed to finish up on the Washington Wizards or the Brooklyn Nets. His agent and camp made it abundantly clear all through the hours main as much as the draft.
However give Danny Ainge and the Jazz credit score for pulling the set off anyway. Utah went 17-65, the worst report within the NBA final season. The group has been lifeless since buying and selling Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers — and the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery did them no favors, slotting them with the No. 5 total choice and denying them a shot at Cooper Flagg.
Because the outdated saying goes, when life offers you lemons, it’s a must to no less than attempt to make lemonade. Whereas Bailey’s camp made it clear that he didn’t need to find yourself in Utah, the 18-year-old guard has one of many highest ceilings on this yr’s draft.
This can be a basic situation of everyone having all of their chips on the desk.
For the Jazz, they seemingly felt they have been at a significant drawback coming into the NBA Draft with the No. 5 decide. Drafting a participant like Bailey — no matter his preferences — offers them an actual shot at creating one of many high boom-or-bust prospects on this class.
For Bailey, there’s no danger in taking part in onerous to get. He’s gifted sufficient that the drama surrounding him earlier than the draft didn’t cease him from going within the high 5. Studies point out that he has been in unfastened communication with the Jazz since his choice and can considerably reluctantly report back to Utah by Monday.
This yr’s NBA Draft confronted loads of criticism. It in all probability didn’t have to span two days. Critics additionally identified that these prospects hardly ever seem emotional — and even excited — when their names are known as.
That’s largely as a result of these lottery prospects are already millionaires, or near it, by the point they enter the NBA. The NIL period of faculty athletics ensures these high highschool recruits generational wealth earlier than they even play a school recreation.
When you have been an 18-year-old millionaire who simply fell into tens of hundreds of thousands extra, you’d in all probability need to select which metropolis you get to stay in. For many, Utah wouldn’t be very excessive on that record.
However Bailey’s camp now has the chance to capitalize on their leverage over the Jazz, who’re totally conscious he didn’t need to be there. He may stay troublesome in an try and land a bigger chunk of change because the No. 5 decide.
Whether or not he likes it or not, he’s going to need to go well with up and play video games in Utah when push involves shove. However there’s nothing fallacious with just a little little bit of leverage positioning alongside the best way.
