76ers aren’t 100 percent sold on Ace Bailey as draft rumors swirl

The Philadelphia 76ers occupy the first real inflection point in the 2025 NBA Draft. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper will, more than likely, be the first two players off the board. What happens at No. 3 is more of a mystery.

There is a widespread favorite for that pick, as almost every major mock draft outlet has Philadelphia selecting Rutgers forward Ace Bailey. It makes perfect sense. He's a 6-foot-9 wing with incredible athletic tools and a knack for tough shot-making. Even with the warts in his game, Bailey delivers a few "wow" plays every night that make all the negatives fade away.

But those warts could lead the Sixers to seriously consider alternatives at No. 3 — whether it's picking a different prospect or trading back, with teams like Utah, Washington and Brooklyn starved for a big swing.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo cites a "layer of risk" that has prevented Bailey from becoming the consensus No. 3 prospect in league circles.

"The way the lottery played out didn't necessarily help Bailey, but his range remains narrow," Givony writes. "The possibility that Philadelphia, angling to win more games next season, opts to go a different direction could move him down the board a spot or two, with Charlotte and Utah likely to look hard should he be available -- and his upside might become too difficult to pass on."

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76ers don't sound sold on Ace Bailey with less than a month until NBA Draft

This news will be received like the song of angels by some and the tornado alarm by others. Bailey has created a rift within the Sixers fandom, with many planting their flags on one side and refusing to earnestly engage with the opposition.

Personally, Bailey feels more like a mid-to-late lottery pick than a high lottery pick. He was a consensus top-3 recruit alongside Flagg and Harper, which seems to be keeping him locked in that position after a tumultuous season at Rutgers. But for all the ridiculous shot-making Bailey displays at his size, there are equally grave concerns around his tunnel vision, defensive lapses and general lack of feel.

That's not to say Bailey can't pass, but he really doesn't do it often. He is also extremely reliant on tough jumpers, in large part due to a high, loose handle, which prevents him from creating separation and exploiting angles to the rim.

Bailey has the athleticism and coordination to develop into a more well-rounded scorer with time, but a low assist rate, a negative turnover ratio, and a broadly inefficient shot profile are enough to limit enthusiasm in some circles. I've been mocking Baylor two-guard VJ Edgecombe to Philadelphia ever since the lottery order was finalized.

With all that said, the "vision" of Bailey optimists is not hard to subscribe to. He has a prototypical wing's frame with real movement shooting ability, comfortable firing at awkward angles and under extreme duress. That is an outlier trait, especially at his size. The defense should come along if Bailey commits; there are plenty of examples of him swooping in from the weak side to block a shot or phasing into a passing lane for a deflection. It's all right there in front of him, Bailey just needs to initiate the necessary adjustments.

Philadelphia is a great spot for him on paper, as he won't be asked to do too much with Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey in the lineup. Putting Bailey in a rigidly structured role to begin his career and letting him slowly grow beyond it is probably the ideal method. If he goes to Washington and gets 20 shots per game next season, I'm not sure anyone benefits.