Why Nets Fans Shouldn’t Buy the Ace Bailey Draft Smoke Just Yet

Despite being a near-lock to be selected third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft for most of his freshman season at Rutgers, Ace Bailey has begun falling down mock big boards. Many scouts and executives believe there's a possibility of the 18-year-old busting, but his decision to cancel his meetings with the Philadelphia 76ers essentially guarantees he will fall past pick three.

Or will he?

A very vocal sect of the Brooklyn Nets' fanbase online believes Bailey could be attempting to force his way to Kings County. Members of the Washington Wizards' fandom believe the same, hoping to tab Bailey as their face of the franchise.

But chatter around the league has pinpointed Brooklyn as Bailey's preferred landing spot, and if that's true, he's doing a great job of trying to fall to pick eight.

The issue is, I could envision Philadelphia selecting Bailey anyway. According to Jason Dumas, Bailey allegedly requested a promise that the 76ers would select him at three, which was never extended. Thus, he canceled the meeting.

Is it completely out of the realm of possibility that Philadelphia, headed by one-of-a-kind president Daryl Morey, banks on Bailey's upside and takes him out of spite? Sure, it's quite the assumption, but I don't believe it's impossible.

Plus, even if Bailey's goal was to either fall to eight or try to coax the Nets or Wizards into trading up for him (so his rookie contract is fatter), who says the Utah Jazz wouldn't pick him at five? Or the New Orleans Pelicans at seven?

Maybe Bailey has made it clear to all teams in the top 10 that he'd hold out and force a trade if he's picked by an unfavorable team, which doesn't seem to be a far cry at this point.

The drama surrounding the electrifying scorer is sure to continue well into next week, building further anticipation ahead of June 25. Until then, the smoke will keep accumulating.

While many reports today have pointed to the Nets as the preferred destination, fans need to wait until draft night to find out how true all of the rumors actually are.