Inside The Wizards

Wizards Have Case to Draft Ace Bailey

Ace Bailey could be the next top pick for the Washington Wizards.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 10, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) looks to pass as Penn State Nittany Lions guard Puff Johnson (5) defends during the second half at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Dec 10, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) looks to pass as Penn State Nittany Lions guard Puff Johnson (5) defends during the second half at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are looking for someone in the upcoming NBA Draft who can fit as a wing alongside Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly in the frontcourt.

While Cooper Flagg is likely the ideal person for this role, only one team will be able to draft the Duke freshman. The Wizards, holding the league's worst record, will almost certainly have a top-five selection, and if they don't land No. 1 overall, a player like Rutgers forward Ace Bailey could be a consolation prize.

"The draft's most gifted shot-making prospect, Bailey has the toolbox to become a valuable, high-usage wing scorer, an archetype teams prioritize early in the draft," ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo writes. "Bailey's shot selection, heavy on midrange and scant on rim attempts, has highlighted his special knack for making tough shots, but also his limited handle, which frequently prevents him from getting into the teeth of the defense. This has, predictably, led to some inefficiency (just 48% on 2-point attempts), and is the central question in his projection -- teams are assessing the likelihood Bailey can be not only high usage, but high efficiency in the long run."

Bailey, a 6-10 forward, has shades of Brandon Miller and Paolo Banchero to his game as a lanky player with ball-handling capabilities.

The Wizards would give Bailey the green light to take over games and that could be a bad thing at first, but if they let him shoot out of slumps, he could eventually emerge into becoming one of the best young players in the game with his high ceiling and potential.

Bailey is a massive risk given the fact that there is no guarantee he becomes a star, but the Wizards are at a point in the rebuild where they can roll the dice on a player like him.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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