Ace Bailey Reportedly Seen as Pelicans Trade Target By NBA Execs Ahead of 2025 Draft

The New Orleans Pelicans covet Rutgers guard Ace Bailey and are "aggressively looking to move up in the draft," according to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor.

In his newest mock draft, O'Connor projected the Pelicans to trade up to the No. 3 pick from No. 7. In addition to the seventh overall selection, New Orleans sent the Indiana Pacers' top-four protected first-rounder in 2026 and wing Herb Jones to the Philadelphia 76ers.

If Bailey is atop the Pels' board, then a trade of some sort is pretty much required to get him. The Scarlet Knights standout is widely considered one of the four or five best players available.

In his most recent mock, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman had Bailey going third to the Sixers, who kept their pick.

"While some observers were disappointed by Ace Bailey's 6'7.5" barefoot measurement, he still brings valuable size and length for a scoring wing, including a 7'0.5" wingspan that gives him a clear physical edge," he wrote.

New Orleans, meanwhile, wound up with Texas guard Tre Johnson.

After coming aboard as the executive vice president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars affirmed the organization's commitment to star forward Zion Williamson, who has battled persistent injuries across his NBA career. The Pelicans aren't embarking on a total rebuild.

Still, falling into the lottery gives them a great chance to get another young player who can be a long-term cornerstone. In Bailey, New Orleans would be getting a dynamic scorer who helps space the floor and complements Williamson. He averaged 17.6 points and knocked down 1.6 threes per contest as a freshman.

Giving up Jones and a first-round pick that's probably not going to be worth much would be a reasonable price to pay for jumping four spots and getting a player a promising as Bailey.