Every time Ace Bailey appears for the Utah Jaz, the hype train only gets bigger. While the Jazz will see what they really have in Bailey when the regular season begins, if he is the best option he has played with since the start of the preseason, the Jazz have another core ingredient of a great future in addition to the one they already have: Will Hardy.
While discussing Over/Unders with Zach Lowe and Joe House, Bill Simmons talked about Bailey’s skills and explained why he believes he has the makings of a franchise player.
“I actually thought he was going to be a bust. After some of the advanced stats as a college player, combined with how erratic some of the non-basketball stuff seemed, and when he went to Utah, it didn’t seem like he wanted to go there…
“But then, all the things I’ve read, all the things I’ve heard, and then watching him, how physically comfortable he already is in these games when he’s still a baby. He has more thickness and girth than I expected… He could just be his own solo act, but I think it will be very easy for him to score, and maybe right away,” Simmons said.
Since the Jazz missed that young center and have plenty of time to develop Bailey, he is in the perfect spot to become the star many believe he has the talent to become. It helps that he has Hardy, a coach who has proven his talent but missed that fundamental cornerstone during his first three years as coach of the Jazz.
For all we know, Bailey may not look as immediately NBA-ready as he did in the preseason, but the early results indicate that these two teams were meant to be together. With Hardy and Bailey, jazz fans have every reason to be excited about what’s to come.
Better yet, they have excellent surrounding talent
While Hardy and Bailey are fantastic pieces for a future perennial playoff contender, any young team with high aspirations will need to surround them with the right players to make noise in the postseason. Fortunately, the Jazz is also discussed.
No one knows what the plan is with Lauri Markkanen, but he could be Bailey’s No. 2 in no time, or he could provide Utah with the assets to acquire one down the road. Walker Kessler continues to rise (he’s a passer now?!), and other youngsters like Kyle Filipowski and Brice Sensabaugh look like pieces Utah should have for the long haul.
And the icing on the cake: With the Jazz’s tanking intentions this season, they could be in a good position to add another elite talent from a loaded draft class. This time last year, no one knew what to make of the Jazz’s future prospects. With a top talent like Bailey and a skilled coach like Hardy, it may not be long before hope is restored to Utah.
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