Subscribe
Follow Us
Brooklyn Nets fans entered this season with dreams of securing a top-three draft pick. Rutgers' Ace Bailey was among the prospects they had their sights set on. While the Nets' fall to the No. 8 pick appeared to crush any hopes of landing the star forward, he may not be out of their reach after all.
Bailey has begun to slide down draft boards amid concerns about his skill set and handling of the pre-draft process. The former five-star recruit has not worked out for a single team and recently cancelled a scheduled visit with the Philadelphia 76ers, who hold the No. 3 pick and were long viewed as his most likely landing spot.
With Bailey's position in the top four far from solidified, could the Nets trade up a few spots to select him? His camp seems to think so.
“Ace Bailey's camp is adamant in conversations that he's a top-three player in this draft, and they're looking for a clear pathway to stardom, both with minutes and opportunity. They seem to feel confident that if Philadelphia or Charlotte at four decide to pass on him, then Washington, New Orleans, or Brooklyn, who are six, seven, and eight, somebody is going to trade up to get him,” said ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
Based on what Bailey's camp is looking for, the Nets would be an ideal fit. Still in the early stages of a rebuild, Brooklyn could offer the Rutgers star a lead offensive role in one of the NBA's top markets.
But would trading up to select him be a wise decision?
Should Nets trade up to select Ace Bailey in 2025 NBA Draft?
Those on the Nets' side who answer yes would be betting on his offensive potential. Bailey is among the most talented shotmakers in recent draft memory, capable of knocking down difficult looks off the catch or dribble from a variety of body angles. He moves gracefully for a player of his size (6-foot-7.5 without shoes) and can handle the ball in some capacity.
His ridiculous shotmaking and highlight package led to early assumptions that he would be the NBA's next superstar wing. Bailey views himself in that mold.
Article Continues Below
“I got a few [favorite NBA players to watch]. Kevin Durant, Paul George and Jayson Tatum. And I'll say Tracy McGrady, too,” he told ClutchPoints in November.
However, Bailey's tape tells a different story from a player who will be a clear-cut offensive engine at the next level. He struggled to handle the ball and create separation when pressured, which limited his ability to get to the rim (62.5 percent of his field goal attempts were jumpers). His raw handle and slow processing also severely limited him as a playmaker, as he averaged 1.3 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game with an 8.3 assist percentage.
That last number is particularly alarming. Since 2010, no wing player drafted with an assist percentage under 10.0 has made an All-Star team, according to ClevAnalytics.com. There have been 12 wing prospects drafted in the top nine with an assist percentage under 10.0: Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Derrick Williams, Jabari Parker, Patrick Williams, Jonathan Isaac, Harrison Barnes, Terrance Ross, Al-Farouq Aminu, Kevin Knox, Zaccharie Risacher, and Tidjane Salaun.
Several of those players were busts. The most accomplished of the group is Wiggins, who entered the league as a lead offensive option for the Minnesota Timberwolves before becoming a highly efficient role player with the Golden State Warriors.
That may be Bailey's most realistic outcome. At the minimum, he should develop into an efficient catch-and-shoot threat with secondary shot-creation ability. And at roughly 6-foot-9 (with shoes) with a 7-foot-0.5 wingspan and above-average athleticism, he has intriguing defensive potential.
But can Bailey develop into more than a Wiggins or Michael Porter Jr. archetype? And if not, would he buy into a complementary role that maximizes his skillset?
These are the questions that the Nets and other teams will deliberate over the next week as they decide whether to make a run at Bailey. While the forward's most likely landing spot is a mystery, it's clear he'll be among the most interesting players to monitor on draft night.
