Ace

The Hawks might take another shot at addressing their long-term issue, given their two first-round selections, 13th and 22nd, in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Fischer raised doubts about whether Bailey, previously thought to be a certain top-three pick, could slip out of the top eight. On June 19, Fischer mentioned, “NBA evaluators are worried about Bailey’s shot selection and overall approach to the game.” The more experienced Cooper is the one “running point” on a perplexing situation with the draft looming just over a week away. Early in the day, concerns emerged when Brian Windhorst from ESPN pointed out that Bailey had not yet traveled to Utah, unlike Walter Clayton Jr., another first-round pick by the Jazz.

Quick decision-making will be crucial on the offensive end. From this perspective, it’s conceivable that Bailey was influential in the decisions made. The pre-draft initiative was led by Bailey’s long-time representative, Omar Cooper, who emphasized the importance of basketball compatibility over a higher lottery selection. Witlieb pointed out that Bailey’s team concentrated on securing the best on-court situation instead of focusing on draft placement. It is hoped that Bailey, along with his certified agents and family, recognizes that some of these choices have negatively impacted him and might continue to do so if not addressed.

So far, Ace Bailey is set to be Omar Cooper’s highest-rated client, as he could follow Cooper Flagg (No. 1) and his Rutgers teammate Dylan Harper (No. 2). However, Bailey’s choice to part ways with Cooper indicates a desire to progress and assist the Jazz in rising from the bottom. The younger Cooper participated in just 12 college games before declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft.

Former Duke star accuses Coach K in a troubling video, prompting NCAAB fans to express their worries about his evident crisis.

If a team is interested in Bailey, it makes considerable sense for it to attempt to move up the draft board to select him. At 18 years old, Bailey enters the NBA showcasing numerous skills as a shotmaker, yet his overall defensive abilities remain unrefined and he struggles with consistently reading the court. While his pre-draft process hasn’t been so detrimental as to remove him from anyone’s board, it has heightened concerns regarding what has been occurring, given his limited exposure to teams. His shooting accuracy from beyond the arc was under 30 percent, and his decision-making from a passing standpoint is still developing.

One might also wonder if he even needs to improve, as his shooting ability is so exceptional that he can likely shoot from anywhere on the court.

It is logical that a trade between Charlotte and Philadelphia would be highly beneficial. It is simple to promote Edgecombe as the most athletic player remaining on the draft board. A source familiar with his workout with the Mavericks earlier this week mentioned that the team was extremely impressed with his shot-making capabilities. Only 21 teams have selections among the first 36 picks. Multiple teams are eager to make moves in the draft, while others seek to consolidate their picks.

Maluach has become a topic of trade rumors throughout the league, with several late lottery teams interested in moving up to acquire him. Once seen as a lottery prospect, Sharife, a McDonald’s All-American, had his status compromised due to off-court issues linked to family influence. If the draft unfolds with the top seven picks as projected, the 8th and 9th slots could quickly become valuable trade assets. This year has seen more trade discussions regarding teams looking to move up or down the draft board than I can recall.

NBA teams regard him highly, and his range seems to fall within the latter half of the lottery. Beringer is arguably the most agile big man in the draft, capable of rapidly traversing the court and showing great promise as a rim-running partner for De’Aaron Fox. Although Bryant started few games at Arizona this year, he proved to be a formidable defensive player with impressive playmaking ability and strong on-ball skills. Rumors suggest they may consider trade-down options to accumulate additional assets and intriguing players. I doubt Fears or Bailey will drop past this point unless both happen to remain on the board. Although Maluach doesn’t excel as a shot-blocker, his understanding of his size enables him to effectively contest shots and restrict angles on the interior.

It has also been indicated that the Thunder will at least look into the possibility of moving up the board to ensure they select their targeted player, whoever that may be. Atlanta’s decision to acquire Kristaps Porzingis on Tuesday might have opened opportunities for the Spurs to move Beringer down to the 14th pick. Sources within the league have mentioned that San Antonio might trade this pick if their favored prospects are unavailable. Even though he committed to Duke after entering the transfer portal this spring, it seemed highly improbable that he would withdraw from the draft given his skill set and shooting prowess.

Latest updates on Ace Bailey and Omar Cooper: manager, agent, and contract details.

That choice was made by individuals in his camp who are meant to act in his best interests. Players collaborate with agents and management teams who handle inquiries and organize workouts and meetings with NBA franchises. You may have come across reports claiming that Bailey has declined workouts, maintained a limited list of preferred teams, and would not attend training camp if selected by an undesirable team.

The immediate aftermath of Bailey’s draft selection has been far more dramatic and stress-relieving than it needed to be. “I don’t witness this happening to many agents’ players,” Cowherd remarked. 1BYU reconfigures its athletic department; a school vice president will oversee the football program. It is hoped that Bailey arrives in Utah this weekend and joins the rest of the Jazz’s Summer League team on the court Monday. In the past couple of days, rumors have surfaced that Bailey may not attend the Jazz’s Summer League training camp or participate in his introductory press conference. Fortunately, Bailey was selected high in the draft, showcasing his clear potential, and will receive numerous opportunities unless Cooper and those around him create unnecessary disturbances.

Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game for Rutgers, and he did this while sharing the spotlight with potential No. 2 draft pick Dylan Harper, the son of former Michael Jordan teammate Ron Harper. The Bailey camp has reportedly been telling teams that they believe he is a “top-three player in the draft” but also wants him to be drafted by a team that is willing to give him a lot of playing time from the start. Despite this potential to have his client get the best opportunity with Philadelphia, teams have remained baffled with Cooper and Bailey’s actions regarding the draft.

Knueppel’s potential resembles that of Desmond Bane, for whom the Memphis Grizzlies just traded four first-round picks for the reasons discussed earlier. He is projected to be valuable early on due to his shooting ability, decision-making, spatial awareness, and ball-handling skills. Following lottery night, it was believed that the Hornets favored Edgecombe as a fit alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Over the past few weeks, Philadelphia has done an excellent job of complicating its potential decision at the 3rd pick. Bailey was consistently regarded as a lottery selection in the 2025 NBA Draft.