Jazz Mailbag: How good can Ace Bailey actually be?
Oct 27, 2026, 12:53 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz Mailbag! This week, we look at how foul trouble might affect Jaren Jackson Jr. this season.
Each week, we will send out a prompt on X and BlueSky asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.
Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s Jazz mailbag in the Jazz Notes podcast.
Jazz Mailbag: How good can Ace Bailey be?
@BensHoops @utahjazz @CHoltSports @kslsports Is it crazy to think Ace’s ceiling is All-NBA? I’ve been really impressed to see the way he’s competing on both sides of the ball.
— Jazz Make Me Hardy (@jazzmakemehardy) October 26, 2026
Question: Is it crazy to think Ace’s ceiling is All-NBA? I’ve been really impressed to see the way he’s competing on both sides of the ball.
Answer: Through four games, there’s a strong case that Ace Bailey has been the Jazz’s best player.
The second-year wing ranks fourth on the team in points per game, first in rebounds, third in assists, third in blocks, fourth in field-goal percentage and third in 3-point percentage.
He also leads the team in plus-minus among players who have been part of the rotation since opening night, and the advanced numbers tell a similar story.
Bailey ranks second in offensive rating behind only Lauri Markkanen and second in defensive rating behind Josh Okogie, all while regularly taking on the assignment of defending the opposing team’s best player.
Bailey played so well after coming off the bench in the season opener that Will Hardy quickly moved the Rutgers product into the starting lineup. With his play, it will be difficult to move him back to the second unit, regardless of the roster’s health.
ace hustles harder 💨
#TakeNote https://t.co/cSNT77uyRZ
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 27, 2026
Simply put, he has been superb, and he’s doing it in ways few expected.
Coming out of college, Bailey projected as a high-upside scoring wing who had not consistently shown the other high-level basketball skills needed to make an immediate impact in the NBA.
Most notably, the Chattanooga native’s slow decision-making at Rutgers raised questions about his potential as an offensive engine and team defender.
Now, just one year into his professional career, he has more than answered those questions.
Bailey’s assist rate ranks third on the team behind Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier, the Jazz’s primary playmakers, and his block percentage trails only Jaxson Hayes.
Essentially, he has become the Jazz’s most well-rounded player, even though the Jazz haven’t emphasized the strengths that made him the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, despite clear signs that his scoring upside remains intact.
In retrospect, this breakout season is no surprise to Ace Bailey. https://t.co/KXPuqqYiuh
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 27, 2026
Bailey’s usage rate (17.5) is the lowest among Jazz starters. In other words, he is finishing fewer possessions with shots, free throws or turnovers than anyone else in the team’s primary lineups, despite ranking second in offensive rating.
That raises an obvious question: Can the 20-year-old maintain that level of efficiency with a larger scoring workload, and where would those additional opportunities come from?
George has been the Jazz’s most efficient scorer early in the season, so reducing his touches likely would produce diminishing returns.
Injuries to Jackson Jr. and Markkanen could naturally increase Bailey’s offensive responsibilities, though both veterans will command a significant share of the offense when healthy.
https://t.co/202uz2u8WF
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 24, 2026
Darryn Peterson also should improve as the season progresses, and his usage rate could rise along with his development, potentially cutting further into Bailey’s opportunities.
Bailey should keep his place in the starting lineup, but his most likely path to more touches may come alongside members of the second unit.
Six of the Jazz’s seven least productive offensive players come off the bench, leaving the reserve group in desperate need of offensive support.
Related: Jazz Mailbag – Can Jaren Jackson Jr. stay out of foul trouble?
Bailey alone likely cannot solve the second unit’s offensive struggles, but he could ease the burden on players such as Okogie, Kyle Filipowski and Brice Sensabaugh, who own three of the four worst offensive ratings on the roster this season.
Four games is admittedly a small sample size from which to draw definitive conclusions, especially given the injuries that have plagued the Jazz. But when paired with the strong finish to his rookie season, Bailey’s start provides compelling evidence that he is already one of the best young players on the roster.
If he continues at his current pace, the Jazz will have to find ways to expand his role. His potential appears almost limitless.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 2-6pm with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone, and the author of the Jazz Mailbag. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
