Ace Bailey Saga Ends Predictably; Now What?

Despite the consternation, Ace Bailey has arrived in Utah. There will be no holdout, let alone a trade sending him elsewhere.

Leading up to the NBA Draft, the former Rutgers star and his camp conveyed to teams that he preferred to take his talents to the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, or New Orleans Pelicans. That’s according to a report from Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.

He skipped a scheduled pre-draft workout with the Philadelphia 76ers. The latter instead utilized the No. 3 overall selection to take VJ Edgecomb, an athletically gifted, high-upside guard from Baylor.

Bailey also declined to work out for the Jazz. Utah selected him anyway. That’s no surprise, considering Danny Ainge is the CEO of Jazz Basketball. Bailey, best known on the court for his knack for knocking down shots with a high degree of difficulty, was easily the most talented player on the board. Even if the Tennessee native didn’t want to go to Utah, that wasn’t going to be what convinced Ainge not to draft him.

After voicing, “This was not one of his preferred destinations,” ESPN NBA Draft blockyst Jonathan Givony stated, “If you think about it, this is an outstanding place for Ace Bailey.

“They have a wide-open wing situation. They have a huge need for a star in his mold. They have an outstanding coaching staff. I think Ace Bailey is going to recover from this very quickly and realize that he landed in an outstanding situation with the Utah Jazz. It just shows you there’s only so much an agent can control in this process.”

What happens next matters most

Bailey arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday.

Upon landing, he quickly took to the court, giving the Jazz a reinforcing glimpse into why they selected him despite the pre-draft hoopla.

Was that gamble worth it? Time will answer the question that matters most.

Summer League will soon get underway. There will be a lot of eyes on Bailey in his first chance to showcase his talent at the professional level. Keep in mind that this is a prospect who doesn’t turn 19 until August.

The Jazz are working to scale up but can be patient in their attempt at ascension. This year’s fifth-overall pick figures to have plenty of opportunities to grow through his mistakes.

While he measured six-foot-seven-and-a-half standing barefoot at the NBA Combine, he’s about two inches taller in sneakers. His size and ability to elevate over defenders are vital to his penchant for converting on shots others wouldn’t dare take.

That and a seven-foot wingspan also come in handy defensively and on the boards. While Bailey’s scoring is what made him such a highly touted prospect, the tools are there for him to evolve into an all-around star.

As Givony noted, between Ainge and the Jazz’s front-office infrastructure, coupled with head coach Will Hardy and the staff he’s ***embled, the organization has the people in place to help make that a reality. Bailey’s arrival in Utah on Saturday ends speculation and begins the most meaningful part of his NBA journey.

While it’s fun to gossip, and this situation provided enough drama to warrant a show covering it on Bravo TV, what’s to come for Bailey, who has the potential to one day lead the Jazz to title contention, is what matters most.