Ace Bailey's playing, starting status for tonight's Jazz season opener remain in question

Billy Heyen

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Ace Bailey's playing, starting status for tonight's Jazz season opener remain in question image

Ace Bailey gets the chance to make his NBA debut Wednesday night.

That is, if the Utah Jazz rookie can get over the flu.

Bailey entered the week questionable for the season opener at home against the Los Angeles Clippers due to that illness.

Head coach Will Hardy delivered positive news about Bailey's status late Tuesday, via Andy Larsen:

“In this moment, it looks like he's going to be ready to go tomorrow. We've got to meet after he finishes on the court and gets his treatment and all those things, and make the final call on what that looks like.”

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Is Ace Bailey playing tonight?

That latest indication is that Bailey will be playing against the Clippers.

It'll be worth tracking Hardy's pregame press conference just in case the illness popped up again for Bailey, but it sounds like he trended in the right direction for this one.

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Is Ace Bailey starting?

Ace Bailey is expected to start as long as he is active.

The Jazz will also start Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, Taylor Hendricks and then likely fill-in Keyone George at point guard with Isaiah Collier out.

Bailey will be called upon to do a lot with that group. He was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Rutgers. 

There was some thought before the draft that Bailey might slide further than that. There was also some confusion about whether Bailey would actually show up in Utah to sign with and play for the Jazz.

In the end, a lot of that seemed overblown.

Bailey is an incredibly talented bucket getter at 6-foot-10, and that's a skill that can't be taken for granted. He'll be a big part of the future in Utah.

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Staff Writer