Brian Windhorst Thinks Danny Ainge and Jazz Drafted Ace Bailey to Troll the Wizards

No one knew where Rutgers forward Ace Bailey would end up on draft night. The explosive 18-year-old was mocked to be selected throughout the top 10, with only Cooper Flagg the surefire prospect to be picked before him. Still, he wasn’t expected to be taken with the fifth pick by the Utah Jazz after his camp specifically didn’t want him in Salt Lake City.

While the Jazz may have just been taking the best player available, Brian Windhorst believes there’s a more sinister reason for the unexpected selection.

Danny Ainge, now the CEO of Utah’s basketball operations, has made a name for himself as one of the biggest front office trolls in the game,  Windhorst pointed out on the Numbers on the Board x Hoop Collective NBA Draft livestream. The Washington Wizards, who possessed the very next pick, were known to be in on Bailey. Windhorst believes there’s a reason he was selected right before they had the chance.

Ainge has developed a reputation as one of the NBA’s most cunning front office operators, Windy noted during the Numbers on the Board x Hoop Collective NBA Draft livestream. With no clear current direction for the Jazz, Ainge threw caution to the wind in a display of almost arrogant strength.

“Now, if [Ainge] was convinced that Washington wanted [Bailey], which is what everybody thought … and [the Jazz] were indecisive on who to take number five anyway, they could have taken him here just to hold up Washington,” Windy said.

“I’m just saying, could have. They could have done this because they’re like, ‘Okay, we’ll hold him hostage and take whatever we want,'” he noted.

Despite finishing with the second-worst record in the NBA, the Wizards plummeted down the draft order on lottery night. The franchise potentially could have had their pick of anyone outside of Flagg had they remained in the same position, but instead fell four slots. The Jazz also fell four spots from their top position, but it was Washington who truly coveted Bailey.

Unsurprisingly, Bailey didn’t seem too happy about his new situation, either. “Well, he’s not smiling in that picture with Adam Silver, I’ll tell you that much,” NOTB’s Kenny Beecham added. “He did not smile.” Bailey’s reaction to being selected doesn’t inspire optimism that he’ll be with the Jazz long-term.

Meanwhile, Pierre Andresen pointed out another reason why Ainge may have made it a priority to select Bailey. “You know who also loves Ace Bailey or where he wanted to go? And what Danny Ainge loves is draft picks. Who has a bunch of ’em? The Brooklyn Nets,” he pointed out, adding, “So, we’ll see.”

It’s possible that the veteran decision-maker was simply trying to coax his rival teams into giving up a haul for Utah’s newest addition. But with the Jazz still among the worst teams in the league, it may be in their best interest to hang on to the uber-athletic forward and see what he can become.

The post Brian Windhorst Thinks Danny Ainge and Jazz Drafted Ace Bailey to Troll the Wizards appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/HG4BtNT