The Washington Wizards currently hold the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
If Washington stands pat at where they're currently slotted in the draft order, they'll have the chance to select one of the top prospects in this upcoming draft class with the chance to develop them into a servicable role player or potentially a star.
Sitting at No. 6, the Wizards will be forced to wait their turn and pick the best player available to them that falls out of the top five with the hope that the player who does is a prospect they were eyeing from the jump.
Looking at the names projected to be there when the Wizards selection comes around, Jeremiah Fears, Tre Johnson, Khaman Maluach, Derik Queen and Kon Knueppel are all names to watch.
The problem? These players are all considered to be just a tier below the players ahead of them.
For a team in the Wizards position, it may be time for Washington to finally be the aggressor and make a bold move to land their top choice in the draft; not named Cooper Flagg of course.
If Washington wants to start their offseason with a splash, they need to do everything they can to land Ace Bailey.
All in for Ace
When the Wizards season ended and the team was locked into a three-way tie with the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets for the highest odds to earn the No. 1 overall pick, worst-case scenario seemed like if all else failed, Washington would land the No. 3 overall pick with a chance to walk away with Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey.
However, that dream turned into a nightmare when they were announced as the team to be selecting at No. 6 overall in the NBA Draft Lottery...at least it seemed to be.
Over the last few days, rumors have suggested that Bailey, a top prospect and projected top five pick has began to decline draft workouts with certain teams, which could lead to him sliding out of the top five as a whole.
Obviously, if the Wizards are able to stand firm at No. 6 and land Bailey, that alone is a win, but even then, Washington should be exploring every avenue they can to find a way to land the versatile talent.
Why? It's simple. Bailey has the star potential that both Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper both possess.
Not only could Bailey impact immediately, but in the right system with the proper development, he can be a superstar player and the cornerstone that the Wizards have desperately been seeking
Whether it's through a trade up or the team's front office used their inside intel to stand pat, if Washington can find a way to get Ace Bailey in a Wizards jersey, they'll have already won the offseason.