With Ace Bailey’s draft stock in decline due to his declining to work out with NBA teams, new suitors have entered the ring. Most recently, Bailey canceled a workout with the Philadelphia 76ers, who many experts projected as the team Ace was most likely going to be drafted to with the third pick. It appears that Philadelphia wants to keep its options open; they have not ruled out selecting Bailey, but are aware that Bailey wants an immediate path to stardom, which the 76ers may not be able to provide.
The Sixers currently have a Big Three of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George, and Bailey would likely be the team’s fourth option as a rookie. In particular, George and Bailey play the same position and have similar playstyles, but George is a proven veteran signed to a big contract, which means that Bailey would likely have to come off the bench in relief of Paul George to start his career if selected by Philadelphia.
According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Sources say the Washington Wizards (who will select sixth), New Orleans Pelicans (seventh), and Brooklyn Nets (eighth) are interested in moving up to take him”. Pompey also mentioned Bailey’s desire to remain on the East Coast, reporting that “Another league executive believes that the agency wants Bailey to remain on the East Coast and play somewhere between Atlanta and New York.”
If the Sixers elect to pass on Bailey, they may be open to trading their pick back for the right price. They also may elect to take VJ Edgecombe with the third pick, an athletic guard who fits their needs better. In either case, the Wizards would have the inside track to draft Bailey. A recent mock draft by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report sees Bailey selected sixth by Washington, with Wasserman citing that “he’s too talented for the Wizards to nitpick”. The Wizards finished last in the Eastern Conference with an 18-64 record and lack significant talent to build their roster around, with Jordan Poole and Khris Middleton being their best players. That could all change with the addition of a shotmaker like Ace Bailey, who could be the primary option right out of the gate for the long-struggling D.C. franchise.
Another team that may be interested in Bailey is the New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans is at a crossroads; although it has talented players, including Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Dejounte Murray, injuries and a competitive Western Conference have prevented the Pelicans from contending in the West. With New Orleans considering a rebuild, Bailey is the perfect candidate to center the team around, and can slide in nicely at the small forward position between McCollum and Williamson.
The Brooklyn Nets appear to be one of the best fits for Bailey. The Nets fell to eighth in the draft lottery, but have an abundance of draft picks, including four picks in the first round of this year’s draft: No. 8, 19, 26, and 27. Brooklyn has long indicated that they are shopping Cam Johnson, and a package including Johnson and several first-round picks should give the Nets enough leverage to move up in the draft. They may be able to make a deal with the Sixers to move up to the third spot, or potentially with the Hornets or Jazz to get ahead of Washington with the sixth spot. With the Nets looking to re-sign star shooting guard Cam Thomas this offseason, drafting Ace Bailey could provide Brooklyn with a tantalizing scoring duo that could light the league up for years to come.
The NBA Draft is now just days away, and Bailey’s draft stock dropping has been an interesting and unexpected plot twist for Rutgers fans. The speculation is that Bailey wants an immediate path to stardom, which the Sixers cannot provide, but many of the teams following them can. Although the Hornets and Jazz would provide that opportunity, the Wizards, Pelicans, and Nets appear to have the right combination of allure, opportunity, and assets to make a play for Ace Bailey.