The 2025 NBA Draft is approaching, and the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in an increasingly advantageous position. After jumping up to the number three pick on draft lottery night, the Sixers now find themselves with an incredibly valuable commodity that's going to be valuable to teams around the league. Many think Ace Bailey could be the third-best prospect in this draft. With his stock currently falling, Philly's strategy should now be obvious: Trade back, end up selecting Bailey anyway, and get yourself more assets for the future as well.
Bailey was once considered as a lock for the top three of this draft, but he's begun to create some skepticism among analysts for a few reasons. Ace isn't the most polished prospect, and he's a little bit more of an upside pick than you would usually find in the top three. He leaves something to be desired when it comes to ball-handling and decision-making. What this allows the 76ers to do is use a little misdirection with their draft night strategy.
Okay, we're about to dive in to some mischievous strategy, so get ready. What Philadelphia should do first is express some public interest in VJ Edgecombe, another popular pick for the third overall selection. If they do this, they'd create some leverage over teams like the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz, who could also have interest in Edgecombe.
76ers should trade back to draft Ace Bailey
From there, the Sixers could easily make a trade to move back in the draft. That would allow whoever they end up trading with to select Edgecombe with the third pick, while Philly could still potentially grab Bailey with their newly-acquired pick. In addition, they could pick up some new draft capital as well, or other assets.
This team is clearly in win-now mode, but they're also trying to extend their timeline past the Joel Embiid era. For a team trying to remain competitive while building for the future, this would be an excellent move.
The 76ers might also be the best team for Bailey, given that they're in the position they're in. General Managers are going to be afraid to take the high-upside prospect because of how raw he is. If he becomes a bust, they could lose their job.
But for Philadelphia, what's there to lose in taking Ace Bailey if they're going to make a selection in this draft? The Sixers are going to be title contenders next year regardless, so might as well take a swing and see what happens.