NBA · 7 months ago

Top 5 Landing Spots for Ace Bailey in the 2025 NBA Draft Ranked

John Canady

Host · Writer

5) Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are still open to selecting Bailey at No. 3 overall despite him cancelling the planned visit to Philadelphia. Daryl Morey has made it clear that the Sixers are open to moving down if a deal makes sense. Still, as of now, all signs point to Philly making the pick at No. 3. Bailey would be a good piece to add to the mix for Nick Nurse's squad, with the possibility he could contribute right away and learn under Paul George in the meantime, assuming PG stays put. The fit could make sense for Bailey's long-term future, but if he's prioritizing playing time, the 76ers may not be the fit for him, which could be why Bailey and his camp cancelled their visit last week.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 3 Overall: +100
Current Odds to be Selected No. 3 Overall: +400
Top 5 Landing Spots for Ace Bailey in the 2025 NBA Draft Ranked
Ace Bailey is among the top prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft class. The Rutgers standout was projected to be a top-three pick in the draft. Still, following his showing at the NBA Combine and interesting decisions from his agency over the last couple of weeks, the versatile wing seems to be at risk of slipping out of the top five. Bailey is the lone United States prospect that has yet to meet with any of the 30 NBA teams after declining multiple pre-draft visits, including the most recent report that suggests the former five-star recruit cancelled a visit last minute with the Philadelphia 76ers. With his landing spot up in the air, here's a look at the five teams that make the most sense for Bailey.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 1 Overall: +20000
Current Odds to be Selected No. 1 Overall: +25000

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1) Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are still in the beginning stages of their rebuilding process. Brooklyn has the cap space to make a bold move to land a star soon, but before that, it would be wise to capitalize on their high draft standing and set themselves up for the future. The Nets are a big market team with the current room on their roster to develop a premier talent. With Bailey possessing star potential, a fit with the Nets could be a beneficial partnership for both sides. However, with Brooklyn sitting at No. 8 overall, it would likely take a trade up for them to land Bailey, assuming he doesn't slide past the next team on this list.

Odds to be No. 8 Overall Pick: +550
2) Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a team picking up steam, tied to Bailey and his camp. Washington is in desperate need of finding a cornerstone to build around and after missing out on Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, finding a way to land the Rutgers star would be best-case scenario after falling to their lowest-possible spot in the NBA Draft Lottery at No. 6. The main question is if Wizards reciprocate interest with Bailey, would it require a trade up or do they take a risk at stand firm at No. 6 hoping their top option slides to them. Regardless, if Bailey lands in Washington, it would be an ideal spot for him to be an immediate focal piece on the team, with the Wizards prioritizing the development of young talent right now, especially a talent they feel would be a building block for them with his potential.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 6 Overall: +1500
Current Odds to be Selected No. 6 Overall: +220
3) Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are the team Bailey expressed interest in playing for during the interview portion of the NBA Combine. However, his interest in the Hornets has not been confirmed since then. Regardless, Charlotte is another rebuilding team stacking young talent with the room to develop as their rebuild continues. Nonetheless, with a similar wing talent in Brandon Miller already on the Hornets, it's fair to wonder if Charlotte would be intrigued at pairing the wings alongside each other or if they prefer to build their team another way. If Bailey did land in Buzz City, it would be a fun spot to watch him develop under head coach Charles Lee, who's worked with talented wings like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown throughout his career.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 4 Overall: +130
Current Odds to be Selected No. 4 Overall: +325
4) Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an intriguing fit for Bailey, primarily due to Danny Ainge and Austin Ainge's hand in the development of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston. Utah has done a great job stacking talent, but the one thing the team is still in desperate need of is a versatile wing. Not only does Bailey fit the bill, but his potential could be what helps them return to contention in the Western Conference sooner rather than later. However, it's unclear if Salt Lake City is a landing spot that Bailey's agency would be open to, and with his team seemingly trying to navigate him to his preferred landing spot, the apparent need may be ignored if the Jazz feel like character is indeed an issue.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 5 Overall: +1000
Current Odds to be Selected No. 5 Overall: +250
5) Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are still open to selecting Bailey at No. 3 overall despite him cancelling the planned visit to Philadelphia. Daryl Morey has made it clear that the Sixers are open to moving down if a deal makes sense. Still, as of now, all signs point to Philly making the pick at No. 3. Bailey would be a good piece to add to the mix for Nick Nurse's squad, with the possibility he could contribute right away and learn under Paul George in the meantime, assuming PG stays put. The fit could make sense for Bailey's long-term future, but if he's prioritizing playing time, the 76ers may not be the fit for him, which could be why Bailey and his camp cancelled their visit last week.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 3 Overall: +100
Current Odds to be Selected No. 3 Overall: +400
Top 5 Landing Spots for Ace Bailey in the 2025 NBA Draft Ranked
Ace Bailey is among the top prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft class. The Rutgers standout was projected to be a top-three pick in the draft. Still, following his showing at the NBA Combine and interesting decisions from his agency over the last couple of weeks, the versatile wing seems to be at risk of slipping out of the top five. Bailey is the lone United States prospect that has yet to meet with any of the 30 NBA teams after declining multiple pre-draft visits, including the most recent report that suggests the former five-star recruit cancelled a visit last minute with the Philadelphia 76ers. With his landing spot up in the air, here's a look at the five teams that make the most sense for Bailey.

Opening Odds to be Selected No. 1 Overall: +20000
Current Odds to be Selected No. 1 Overall: +25000

Have all the intel you need? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.