With the rumor mill running wild and the New Orleans Pelicans adding a second 2025 first-round draft pick, it seems all but inevitable that Ace Bailey will be headed to The Big Easy. It's an outcome to which all signs appear to be pointing with Joe Dumars' first NBA Draft with New Orleans just over the horizon.
There's always room for a change of heart, but if the breadcrumbs are meant to be followed, then Bailey is the clear-cut favorite to end up with the Pelicans.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported early on June 17 that Bailey has yet to conduct a known pre-draft workout. Givony's sources told him that some teams have been left to wonder if a team has promised the Rutgers Scarlet Knights star that they'll be trading up to select him.
Mere hours later, the Pelicans completed a trade for the No. 23 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, agreeing to send the Indiana Pacers' 2026 selection back to them.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN:
New Orleans now owns the Nos. 7 and 23 selections in the first round of the NBA draft on June 25. https://t.co/e6hV2cYq1w
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2025
Between Givony and Charania's respective reports, the dots seem to connect themselves on the Pelicans preparing to move up to draft Bailey.
Ace Bailey to the Pelicans is beginning to feel like an inevitability
Bailey is one of the most dynamic prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft. He measured at 6'7.5" and 203 pounds with a 7'0.5" wingspan at the Combine, posting a top-five time in the shuttle run and the 12th-fastest result in the three-quarter sprint.
Beyond his physical attributes, Bailey has the potential to develop into one of the best scorers to emerge from his class.
Bailey is a shot-maker in the purest sense. He needs to refine his skill set and improve how he plays through tight defense, but the talent and raw ability is undeniable in the way he sees the game, gets to his spots, and converts shots from an endless array of angles.
Bailey shows impressive instincts when moving without the ball to find openings in the defense and has an advanced array of moves in isolation.
Capable of finishing in the paint with either hand, Bailey can play above the rim, send floaters over taller defenders, and even has the early stages of a post game. He's also comfortable pulling up and even initiating his actions from midrange.
As the Pelicans attempt to finally land on a true go-to scorer, Bailey has all of the tools to one day develop into that caliber of player.
The hurdle for New Orleans will be completing the trade that's being theorized in this scenario. With the No. 7 and No. 23 picks at their disposal, however, entering the top five will be far more manageable than previously presumed.
In the event that the Pelicans move up or Bailey falls to No. 7, it's a safe assumption that New Orleans will be his destination.