Utah Jazz Should Make Ace Bailey Earn Stardom the Hard Way

The Utah Jazz should resist the temptation to measure Ace Bailey’s second season entirely through points, shot attempts and highlight plays. Bailey possesses obvious offensive talent, but Utah already has multiple players capable of carrying the scoring load. What this roster needs from the 20-year-old is something more demanding and potentially more valuable. It needs Bailey to become the defender who willingly accepts the most difficult assignment every night.

That responsibility would accelerate Bailey’s development without forcing him to become an offensive star before he is ready. Instead of judging his performance by whether he scores 20 points, Utah could evaluate his positioning, closeouts and ability to contain elite wings. Bailey would remain involved even during games when his jumper is not falling. More importantly, he would learn how to affect winning without needing the ball.

The early evidence is encouraging. Bailey collected three steals and five defensive rebounds during Utah’s 119-109 preseason victory over the San Antonio Spurs on October 12. Head coach Will Hardy praised Bailey’s conditioning, activity and ability to use his length without recklessly reaching. Those details matter because defensive potential means very little unless a player can maintain his effort across several actions.

Bailey should now receive opportunities against the best scorers Utah faces. Some matchups will expose his inexperience, and established stars will occasionally take advantage of his mistakes. That is part of the assignment. The Jazz are still developing their identity, which gives Bailey room to struggle, adjust and return with a better understanding of what NBA defense requires.

This approach would also balance Utah’s lineup. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George and rookie Darryn Peterson give Hardy several offensive options. Bailey does not need to fight all of them for control of the basketball. He can separate himself by defending multiple positions, creating turnovers and turning stops into transition opportunities.

There will still be nights when Bailey’s scoring takes over. Utah should encourage those moments without making them the only evidence of progress. The best version of Bailey is not a scorer who occasionally defends when the matchup becomes interesting. It is a legitimate two-way player whose defense keeps him valuable when his offense becomes inconsistent.

That is the harder path toward stardom, but it may also be the smarter one. Bailey already has the size, athleticism and offensive confidence capable of attracting attention. If he becomes the player Hardy trusts with the opponent’s most dangerous wing, the Jazz will have something far more meaningful than another young scorer. They will have a foundational player whose impact survives every type of game.