As the 2025 NBA draft approached, the Washington Wizards had no clear pick in mind at number six overall. There were plenty of players who had been rumored or expected to be playing their rookie year in Washington. Among them were Tre Johnson and Jeremiah Fears, but another player was silently putting his name in the mix as well.
New Intel: 2025 Draft Star Wanted To Play For Who?
Towards the end of the pre-draft cycle, players begin working out for teams. Top pick Cooper Flagg was already destined for Dallas, and Dylan Harper was right behind him to San Antonio. However, outside of the top two, there were no clear players lined up. Every pick was based on speculation about who it could be. Ace Bailey was in contention for the third pick, with Baylor’s freshman V.J. Edgecombe being in the mix as well. Then, the news broke, as Bailey did the unthinkable and almost ruined his draft stock.
Taking The Low Road
Bailey dodged every workout he had. His camp didn’t negotiate anything, no workouts took place, all in hopes of landing him in the city he wanted, which no one knew. He even skipped a workout with the Philadelphia 76ers, who could’ve taken him at three.
To Bailey’s point, it did put the league on notice, just not in a great way. His stock dropped from top-three to potentially outside of the top-five. Rumors circulated that his camp was trying to send him to a franchise where he could become the first option immediately. However, no one was sure where that could’ve been. All that was rumored was that Bailey absolutely did not wanna play for the Utah Jazz, who ended up selecting him fifth anyway. The real question became, where did Bailey want to end up?
Bailey Wanted D.C.
NBA insider Marc Stein gave everyone some closure on Monday. “This one has been in circulation since draft night in June: Washington is the lottery team, according to various rivals, that was the preferred landing spot for Ace Bailey.” It definitely wasn’t a total surprise, as the Wizards needed (and still do) a true first scoring option with decent defensive intangibles. It could’ve been a perfect fit, barring Bailey not pan out well. Now in retrospect, did Washington miss out on their potential star of the future?
The Wizards Lost Chance
While it’s not going to go down as a crucial “what-if” in NBA history, it’s interesting to ponder. Did the Wizards make a crucial mistake not trading up for Ace Bailey? The Wizards ended up drafting Johnson between the two guards mentioned above, but was it the right call?
Washington’s front office hopes Johnson can become a Wizards star and potentially lead the offense in a few years. Bailey would’ve been a consensus starter on the roster and the team’s immediate primary option. However, Johnson could end up becoming a better all-around player on offense, and he actually outplayed Bailey in their respective summer leagues.
Additionally, Johnson will be in line to eventually take the place of Washington’s scorer and playmaker from last season, Jordan Poole, after the Wizards traded him right before the draft. Bailey would’ve been in a super competitive scene, and might’ve sank instead of swam.
The Last Word
With this news, it’ll be interesting to watch Johnson’s and Bailey’s careers play out. Both players have tremendous upside, but if the talent swings in Utah, Bailey could be looked at as a crucial missed opportunity for the Wizards. The Wizards and Ace Bailey could make an exciting storyline to watch in the upcoming season.
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