Omar Cooper Jr., Son of Ace Bailey's Manager, Reportedly Removed as Jazz SL Coach

The decision by the Utah Jazz to hire the son of rookie forward Ace Bailey's manager as a guest coach for Summer League raised some eyebrows around the NBA, and the team quickly reversed course.

According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Omar Cooper Jr., the son of Bailey's manager Omar Cooper, is no longer on Utah's Summer League coaching staff.

"The Jazz intended to help ease Bailey's transition to the NBA by having Omar Cooper Jr. -- the son of Bailey's advisor who just finished his career at McNeese State and plans to enter coaching -- serve as an unpaid guest coach during summer league. That plan was called off after the league office contacted the Jazz to raise concerns, sources told ESPN," MacMahon stated.

The elder Cooper is not an NBPA-accredited agent, creating some questions about whether he's steering Bailey in the right direction. Bailey has been under the spotlight since his polarizing pre-draft approach, in which he opted not to work out for teams picking near the top of the order. Sarah Todd of the Deseret News reported that it was Cooper who made that decision.

"According to league sources, it is Cooper who declined and cancelled workouts with lottery teams, it was Cooper that had a preferred shortlist of teams he wanted to get Bailey to—a decision that could have cost Bailey upwards of $10 million if he had dropped down to the No. 8 pick," Todd reported.

When the Jazz selected him with the No. 5 pick, Bailey admitted he had "no idea" they were planning on choosing him. When he didn't fly to Utah immediately after being drafted, many speculated that he didn't want to be with the franchise, but he silenced those doubters when he reported to the team and said he was "just blessed to be in the position I am."

Bailey finished with eight points in his Summer League debut on Saturday as the Jazz defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 93-89. Despite the lackluster output, MacMahon noted that the Jazz "have been encouraged by his work ethic during summer league practices and individual workouts."

Bailey's next chance to impress will come when the Jazz take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.