With a massive decision awaiting them in only a few days, the Philadelphia 76ers have seen some developments that could make their choice a much easier one than expected. Jus recently, one of their top draft prospects found himself in a series of perplexing decisions, making him appear to be a hard pick at this point in time.
Ace Bailey, who was formerly widely believed to be the third-best prospect in this year’s draft class, has left a bitter impression on virtually everyone with his camp’s questionable disposition ahead of the draft.
Yet despite his and his camp’s shenanigans, the 76ers reportedly remain warm to the idea of drafting the Rutgers star. Philly had previously selected prospects without conducting the usual pre-draft workouts, and given the caliber of the player they picked that way, the team perhaps deserves some benefit of doubt.
Having said that, Philadelphia’s open attitude may actually point to the front office capitalizing on such as their draft night strategy.
The 76ers may have a hidden trump card on draft night
The 76ers largely remain interested in drafting Bailey due to his inarguably high ceiling. Outside of Cooper Flagg and perhaps Dylan Harper, he has the biggest potential to be a perennial All-Star among his peers thanks to his combination of size and scoring ability.
Even his camp’s puzzling deportment in the pre-draft process may not be enough for teams behind the 76ers to pass up on him should Philly go with VJ Edgecombe, who is now the projected favorite to end up with the franchise.
As a result, the 76ers can tenably use the No. 3 pick as a bait for teams looking to move up. Depending on the return package, the front office could deem it best to move down, as long as they can ensure that they remain in position to snag one of their preferred targets. Aside from Edgecombe, the 76ers were linked to some other prospects who should be available after pick No. 3.
If the 76ers play their cards right, this could be the ultimate leverage-provider for them on June 25 or even before or after the draft. Even if they draft Bailey, they can still treat him as a lure for those teams in dire need of a potential franchise cornerstone and who would be willing to take a gamble at such a high-ceiling prospect.
Without risking too much, the Philadelphia 76ers should be able to enjoy having ample optionality when it matters the most. With some help from lady luck and the basketball gods, the front office may even extract assets out of their current position to give the team more leeway to make moves this offseason.