No. 5 total draft decide Ace Bailey is taking part in a bit of little bit of hardball with the Utah Jazz, and there may be nothing mistaken with that.
Utah determined to draft Bailey regardless of the proficient Rutgers guard declining a non-public exercise with the workforce. Famously, Bailey wished 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 trigger 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Because the outdated saying goes, when life provides you lemons, you must not less than attempt to make lemonade. Whereas Bailey’s camp made it clear that he didn’t wish 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 traditional situation of all people having all of their chips on the desk.
For the Jazz, they seemingly felt they had been at a serious drawback coming into the NBA Draft with the No. 5 decide. Drafting a participant like Bailey — no matter his preferences — provides them an actual shot at creating one of many prime boom-or-bust prospects on this class.
For Bailey, there’s no threat in taking part in onerous to get. He’s proficient sufficient that the drama surrounding him earlier than the draft didn’t cease him from going within the prime 5. Reviews point out that he has been in unfastened communication with the Jazz since his choice and can considerably reluctantly report to Utah by Monday.
This yr’s NBA Draft confronted loads of criticism. It most likely didn’t must span two days. Critics additionally identified that these prospects not often 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 school athletics ensures these prime highschool recruits generational wealth earlier than they even play a university sport.
If you happen to had been an 18-year-old millionaire who simply fell into tens of tens of millions extra, you’d most likely wish to select which metropolis you get to dwell in. For many, Utah wouldn’t be very excessive on that listing.
However Bailey’s camp now has the chance to capitalize on their leverage over the Jazz, who’re absolutely conscious he didn’t wish 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 must go well with up and play video games in Utah when push involves shove. However there’s nothing mistaken with a bit of little bit of leverage positioning alongside the way in which.
