Ace Bailey is starting to find his rhythm in his second NBA season. The Utah Jazz forward has put together his best stretch of the young 2026-27 campaign this week, and the Jazz have just shown their faith in him by picking up his contract option. Here is the latest Ace Bailey news, stats and what it means for his future in Utah.
Season-High 23 Points Against the Heat
Bailey enjoyed one of the best offensive performances of his young NBA career on Tuesday, 10 November, scoring a season-high 23 points in the Utah Jazz’s 115-109 loss to the Miami Heat. He shot 10-of-15 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range, adding seven rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes. It was his first 20-point game of the 2026-27 season — he had scored at least 20 points in 16 games as a rookie — and, most encouragingly, it was the first time this season he has looked comfortable from deep after a difficult start to the year from beyond the arc.
Backing It Up: 18 Points and Four Blocks Against Orlando
Bailey followed it up the next night with another strong all-round performance, putting up 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocks in the Jazz’s loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The four blocks underlined what has become a genuine strength of his game: Bailey is now one of the best shot-blockers among young wings in the NBA.
Ace Bailey’s Stats This Season
Through his first six games of the season, Bailey has averaged 13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game, shooting 50% from the field. His rebounds have jumped from 4.2 per game as a rookie to 7.6, and his blocks from 0.7 to 1.6. The three-point shot remains a work in progress — he is shooting under 30% from deep on the season — but the Heat game showed what he can do when the shot is falling. He has started five of six games, stepping up while the Jazz deal with frontcourt injuries to Jusuf Nurkic and Jaren Jackson Jr., and with Lauri Markkanen sidelined by a hand fracture.
Jazz Exercise Bailey’s Third-Year Option
Earlier this month, on 2 November, the Jazz exercised the third-year option on Bailey’s rookie contract, locking him in for the 2027-28 season at just under $10 million. It was a straightforward decision for Utah: Bailey was selected fifth overall in the 2025 draft out of Rutgers, and the franchise sees the 6-foot-9, 20-year-old forward as a core piece of its rebuild. The Jazz declined the fourth-year option on guard Isaiah Collier on the same day, underlining how differently the two young players are viewed. Utah have until 1 November 2027 to decide on Bailey’s fourth-year option.
The Bigger Picture in Utah
The Jazz are in a difficult stretch, having now lost nine straight games, and Bailey’s development is one of the few bright spots. This summer he worked on the non-scoring parts of his game — rebounding, defence and decision-making — and the early returns have been strong. He still misses defensive rotations at times and his handle needs work, but his athleticism and size let him cover huge amounts of ground and take on different assignments. In fantasy and dynasty circles, his stock is climbing: he has risen to No. 64 in Rotoworld’s latest dynasty rankings after starting the season near the back end of the top 100.
What Comes Next for Ace Bailey
Consistency is the next step. One hot shooting night does not erase a slow start from three, but two strong all-round games in a row — with scoring, rebounding and rim protection — suggest the breakout is coming. With Markkanen expected out until mid-December, Bailey will keep getting starter’s minutes and a bigger offensive role. If the three-point shot stabilises, the Jazz may have found their long-term wing.
The Bottom Line
The latest Ace Bailey news is encouraging: a season-high 23 points against Miami, 18 points and four blocks against Orlando, improved rebounding and shot-blocking, and a third-year option exercised by the Jazz. The team results are not there yet, but Bailey’s second-year leap is real — and Utah are betting on it. For more sports and celebrity news, visit our homepage.