{"id":161647,"date":"2025-10-07T11:46:32","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:46:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=161647"},"modified":"2025-10-30T22:29:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T02:29:13","slug":"utah-jazz-one-expectation-each-rookie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/10\/07\/utah-jazz-one-expectation-each-rookie\/","title":{"rendered":"Utah Jazz: Expectations For Each Rookie In 2025-26"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Utah Jazz had a great time during the 2025 NBA Draft, similar to other teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks. They have three prospects who certainly possess great talent on the offensive end. While none of the rookies played limited minutes during Summer League, both in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, they did show flashes of their overall potential. Nevertheless, as the season approaches, it is time to set expectations for each prospect’s rookie season.<\/p>\n

One Expectation For Each Utah Jazz Rookie<\/h2>\n

Let’s dive into one expectation for each Jazz rookie for the upcoming 2025-2026 NBA season.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ace Bailey looks on after being selected as the fifth pick by the Utah in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ace Bailey<\/h3>\n

Expectation: Finding Easier Scoring Opportunities<\/h4>\n

Despite him wanting to go to<\/a> the Washington Wizards, the Jazz made a surprising move<\/a> to take Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey<\/a> with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n

As a prospect, the 6-foot-9 Bailey is an offensively talented forward<\/a> who loves operating in the mid-range. He certainly has a beautiful and smooth jump shot, which he uses to be a proficient pull-up shooter from anywhere on the court. At the less glamorous end, Bailey’s size and length give him the tools to be an extremely impactful defender. With the right development, he can be a strong, multi-positional defender who can offer weakside shot-blocking.<\/p>\n

Unquestionably, Bailey possesses a ton of talent that can impact Utah’s future in a positive way. However, he has significant things to work on during his rookie year. In particular, the expectation for Bailey is that he looks for easier scoring opportunities out on the court. One of the biggest weaknesses in Bailey’s offensive game is his proclivity for taking tough shots and having overall poor shot-selection. In the first half of 2024-25, he struggled to get to the rim, which made him force bad shots.<\/p>\n