NBA Draft: Best Landing Spots for Rutgers' Ace Bailey

Tennessee native Ace Bailey committed to Rutgers to team up with Dylan Harper the past season, forming what many thought would be the premiere duo to watch in the NCAA. Although both Harper and Bailey put up strong statistical seasons, it failed to translate to winning, as Rutgers finished 15-17 and missed March Madness.

Bailey possesses all the talent in the world, originally listed as a 6-foot-10 forward with arguably the best tough-shot making ability in the 2025 draft class. He averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range. When it came to jumpers, there wasn't a shot Bailey didn't like.

While some may consider that a strength, others consider that his biggest weakness. Bailey would often take ill-advised shots over contested defenders, sometimes hijacking possessions in the process. His erratic decision making led to questions being raised on his ability to fit in a role on an NBA offense. On top of this, Bailey measured in at just 6-foot-7 inches at the NBA Combine, heavily changing viewpoints on previous Tracy McGrady comparisons.

Bailey has the tools to be one of the NBA's next great scorers, but which teams are equipped to help him reach those talents in a boom-or-bust scenario?

1. Chicago Bulls - Pick No. 12

Not to say Bailey's a lock to fall outside of the top 10, but in recent years there's been top-end talents fall hard late in the draft process. In 2024, Matas Buzelis fell to the Bulls at 11, and in 2023, Cam Whitmore fell to Houston at 20. Bailey's disappointing combine and unreadiness to contribute to winning could see him be this year's big faller.

Falling to the Bulls wouldn't be so bad for Bailey, however, as there's no urgent need to compete and rush Bailey. In the low pressure situation that Chicago holds, Bailey could instantly compete for a starting forward spot next to Buzelis, and be the perfect long-term pairing next to him as the Michael Porter Jr. to Buzelis' Aaron Gordon. The pair's length and aggression on defense could bring the Bulls a tremendous pair of wing-stoppers, if Bailey can hone in on his consistency.

The Bulls backcourt of Coby White and Josh Giddey can bring out the best in Bailey, feeding him consistent open looks to further improve his shot diet. The pair's gravity as scorers and passers can help Bailey transform into an efficient scorer when they share the court, and when Bailey operates in a unit without the pair, he can try his hand at leading the offense with little pressure to win.

2. Utah Jazz - Pick No. 5

The Jazz have been rebuilding for three seasons, and have yet to find their next franchise cornerstone. Lauri Markkanen made an All-Star game with the team, but his future with the team – along with other Utah veterans – seems unclear. Taking a swing on Bailey to be a potential first option is something the Jazz should strongly consider, as they don't have much to lose.

Wether Utah keeps veterans like Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson around or not, head coach Will Hardy has proven successful in utilizing tough shot-makers like those two, making him a suitable candidate to handle Bailey's skillset. The Jazz's roster has a lot going on, all the while having not much substance at all. The core that could be surrounding Bailey is hard to envision for next season, giving a questionable at best foundational support system for the potential star.

If Bailey booms and become's Utah's next star, it's a great pick. If he struggles to develop early on and the Jazz keep losing, Bailey has plenty of time to develop and Utah can continue their rebuild to pile up assets to help him succeed.

3. Philadelphia 76ers - Pick No. 3

Bailey's drawn comparisons to Paul George over the course of the draft process, making it storybook should he land in Philadelphia. Considering George disappointed last season, Bailey could soon take over the role general manager Daryl Morey once saw as George's. With the 76ers potentially losing all three of Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Guerschon Yabusele, there's plenty of minutes at the wing opening up.

The 76ers also succeeded in the reclamation project of Justin Edwards last season – a tall, score-first wing with efficiency questions. Bailey landing in a situation where the staff has experience managing players of his liking is ideal, as his score-first archetype isn't always a guarantee to contribute to winning immediately.

The only downfall of being selected by the 76ers would be the aforementioned pressure to win. Although Philadelphia missed the playoffs entirely in 2025, it's no secret that they'll be back on the championship hunt next season. Confining a raw talent like Bailey into high-pressure scenarios to perform at a playoff-rotational level could stunt his development, or break it altogether.

If he booms, Philadelphia would be a strong contender to make it out of a weak Eastern Conference. If the 76ers fail to capitalize on Bailey's potential, however, it'll go down as another mistake in the near decade long 'Process'.