NBA
Utah’s Ace Bailey is dealing with ‘tendonitis in both knees’ ahead of 2025-26
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated8 hours ago on October 14, 2025
Following a 17-65 finish in 2024-25, the Utah Jazz once again found themselves in the NBA draft lottery. Utah landed the #5 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
There was speculation on who the Jazz would take. When it was their turn to pick, Utah selected Ace Bailey out of Rutgers. The 19-year-old has a ton of raw talent that he will bring to the Jazz’s roster. During their third preseason game on Monday, rookie forward Ace Bailey left in the second quarter due to a knee injury. After the game, head coach Will Hardy told the media that Bailey is dealing with “tendonitis in both knees.”
Ace Bailey is dealing with knee soreness ahead of the 2025-26 season
Ace Bailey is OUT for the remainder of tonight’s game
He has bilateral knee soreness pic.twitter.com/GHyXSnIFt9
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) October 14, 2025
The Jazz used top-five draft capital to select Ace Bailey in 2025. When the rookie reported knee soreness on Monday, the Jazz took a cautious approach. Ace Bailey left during the second quarter of Utah’s 114-101 loss to the Mavs in the preseason. He left the game and did not return. Bailey finished with three points, one rebound, and one steal. The rookie was later ruled out due to a knee injury. Head coach Will Hardy gave the media an update on Ace Bailey following the loss.
Hardy said Bailey’s injury is labeled as “bilateral knee soreness.” He is dealing with tendinitis in both his knees. However, Will Hardy said Bailey’s injury will not require any imaging. That is a positive sign moving forward for Jaz fans. Will Hardy noted that Ace Bailey is a bit sore and the team is “just trying to take care of him. ”
Ace Bailey Dealing With Tendonitis In Both Knees https://t.co/JqECotl3jD
— RealGM (@RealGM) October 14, 2025
Ace Bailey had 20+ points in each of his first two preseason games with the Jazz. He dropped 25 points vs. the Rockets and 20 points vs. the Spurs. When healthy, Ace Bailey has shown that he is a threat offensively. The rookie forward will be a key contributor for the Jazz in 2025-26. It’s unknown if Bailey will suit up for the team’s final preseason game on Thursday, October 16.
The Jazz could give the rookie some extra rest as he deals with tendonitis in both of his knees. Utah’s first game of the 2025-26 regular season is on Wednesday, October 22. That would allow Ace Bailey to rest for just over a week before the grind of an 82-game regular season. Utah is home next Wednesday to begin their 2025-26 season. They will face Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.
