Ace Bailey, drafted fifth overall by the Utah Jazz, confirmed he will join the team, quelling trade rumors.

With the season winding down to speculations of draft-day manipulation and trade rumours, Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey has finally quashed all the rumour mills.

The 18-year-old rising star, selected No. 5 overall in Wednesday’s NBA Draft out of Rutgers, will report to the Jazz on Saturday, a team representative confirmed to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

“We’ve had good communication with Ace Bailey and his representatives,” the representative said. “We feel good about everything. Ace and his family are coming to Utah tomorrow. We’ll have a press conference Sunday, and a practice Monday.”

That confirmation effectively ends the widespread buzz that Bailey or his camp may have been attempting to steer his draft destination. While Bailey didn’t work out for any team prior to the draft, all signs now point to him being fully committed to starting his pro career in Salt Lake City.

“He’s great,” Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said after the draft. “We were able to speak with him. He was super excited. We’re super excited. We’re expecting a very bright future.”

Bailey’s Utah bet shakes up Lakers’ offseason blueprint

Bailey will now begin preparing for the NBA Summer League, set to tip off on 10 July. After a standout season with the Scarlet Knights, where he averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, earning All-Big Ten honours, the forward arrives in Utah as one of the league’s most talked about rookies.

Yet, one such ripple effect might be on Los Angeles because of Bailey’s sudden commitment to Utah.

With the Los Angeles Lakers entering the offseason disappointed by losing in the first round of the playoffs, the front office is likely to pursue reinforcements to maximise Lebron James’ last title run. Many speculated that if Bailey expressed disinterest in Utah, the Jazz might pivot toward making Lauri Markkanen available in a trade.

Instead, Utah’s stacked frontcourt now featuring Bailey, Markkanen, John Collins (who picked up his $26.2 million player option), and Walker Kessler presents a good problem for Danny Ainge to solve.

Notably, Markkanen’s shooting and size make him an ideal fit next to LeBron and Luka Dončić, whom the Lakers reportedly pursued. They also retained Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and a coveted unprotected 2031 first-round pick.