Ace Bailey has become somewhat of a lightning rod ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, but there are still some teams that would be lucky to have him.
With just days to go ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, teams are now getting serious about who they are going to select with their respective picks.
Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the two best players in this year’s class and are likely to go first and second overall.
But after them, there is a lot of ambiguity about who gets picked. Ace Bailey, one of the best shooting guards this year, was considered the surefire favorite to go third overall, but the last few days have changed that.
Bailey’s draft stock has begun to plummet, as the young prospect refuses to work out with any team. It’s starting to take a toll on his reputation.
Fans are calling for Bailey to be ignored in the draft. But he is too talented for teams to avoid picking him. But where would he fit best? NBA Analysis Network ranked the five best landing spots for the young star.
The Brooklyn Nets provide a great opportunity for Ace Bailey on multiple levels. For starters, Bailey would get to stay in New York, very close to where he played basketball at Rutgers.
The Nets have an advantage when it comes to Bailey, as the prospect’s team wants him to stay on the East Coast.
But Brooklyn also gives Bailey the best platform to develop. He would become their best player and first offensive option upon arrival.
The Nets are a team desperate to find their next face of the franchise. And Bailey could be the player who fits that bill.
The Pelicans could pair Ace Bailey with Zion Williamson and form an elite offensive tandem. This alone makes them a strong option to land the guard.
Plus, the Pelicans also have a player who could mentor Bailey in CJ McCollum. McCollum has been successful in the NBA and can show Bailey the ropes.
He isn’t just a strong mentor from a basketball standpoint, but he could also help improve his professionalism, which isn’t looking good right now.
Along with that, the Pelicans can also explore developing Bailey as both a shooting guard and a small forward, since Brandon Ingram’s departure has left a gap at the three spot for them.
The Washington Wizards have had terrible luck drafting a star-level player in the NBA Draft for years. When they get it right, like they did with John Wall, things still go wrong, like his severe injury.
Alexandre Sarr is proving to be a strong player, but even he is fighting the NBA Draft’s #2 pick curse. As for Jordan Poole, he still has areas to work on before he can be a star player.
If the Wizards see that Bailey is available after falling in the draft, they should take a chance on him.
While his attitude issues might be concerning, Bailey would be the most talented prospect to join the Wizards in years.
Despite Ace Bailey refusing to work out with the Philadelphia 76ers, the franchise should consider drafting him with the #3 pick.
Even with all of his recent behavior, there is a reason Bailey was considered a lock to go third overall in the draft.
His level of talent, combined with the quality players he would get to share a locker room with, makes the idea of Bailey on the 76ers a brilliant idea.
The big problem for Bailey would be that he would face competition to get into the starting lineup, as Jared McCain and Paul George both play in his position.
Should the Utah Jazz look to move on from Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey would be the ideal candidate to build their team around.
Danny Ainge has shown during his time with the Boston Celtics that he can do wonders when he has a generational talent.
And if Bailey lives up to the potential he is showing, the Jazz could finally establish a solid team in the NBA again, one that could surpass their previous All-Star pairing of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
But the Jazz’s location doesn’t align with Bailey’s camp, which could make his long-term future with the team a question mark from day one.
For all the talent he has, Ace Bailey has done a lot of damage to his reputation with his recent antics. Players with his kind of talent can usually derail their careers with these kinds of problems.
So it is imperative that whichever team Bailey goes to, he dedicates himself to becoming the best basketball player he possibly can.
Otherwise, any team that lands him, even if he falls out of the top 3, will feel like they wasted their pick on a player who isn’t worth the trouble.
Hopefully, Bailey has a long and successful career. But how that career plays out, and where, will be determined at the 2025 NBA Draft this Wednesday.
