LAS VEGAS — Utah Jazz second-year wing, Ace Bailey, left Sunday’s Las Vegas Summer League contest at halftime and did not return to the game due to back spasms that have been ailing him for more than a week.
Bailey exited the first game of Salt Lake City Summer League on July 4 for the same reason. He then missed the Jazz’s two remaining games in Utah and did not play in the Jazz’s opening game of Las Vegas Summer League on Thursday.
He was ultimately made available for the game on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, but it was clear that he was a little stiff and not moving as he normally would, even in the opening minutes of the game.
“It’s a worry,” Jazz summer league head coach Steve Wojciechowski said. “He said he felt good this morning in shootaround, but (his back) was acting up during the game. He wasn’t moving great, so we decided (to) sit him.”
The 19 minutes he played in Salt Lake City Summer League and eight minutes he played on Sunday could make up the entirety of Bailey’s Summer League run this year.
Wojciechowski said Bailey, rookie Darryn Peterson and third-year wing Cody Williams will not be suiting up for the Jazz when they take on the Chicago Bulls on Monday night in Las Vegas.
The Jazz are scheduled to play the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, but teams typically do not play their NBA rostered players beyond the first two games in Las Vegas. So, conventional wisdom would say that since they won’t be playing on Monday, it’s unlikely that they are then brought back in to play on Wednesday, in the Jazz’s penultimate game.
Bailey had 10 points and five rebounds in his limited time on July 4 in Salt Lake City, but his time on Sunday in Las Vegas was a bit tougher. He finished with zero points, shooting 0 of 5 in his eight minutes, but did manage to grab two rebounds, dish out one assist and rack up one steal and a block in his short time on the court.
Bailey was picked No. 5 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Jazz and was named All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 13.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in the 72 games he played in last season.