Overview

• Marc Stein reports that Washington was widely believed by rivals to be Ace Bailey’s preferred destination.
• Bailey’s camp declined individual workouts in the days before the draft in an effort to steer him to the Wizards, according to Stein.
• Utah selected Bailey with the No. 5 pick despite those signals and the Wizards holding No. 6.
• Washington has signed Sharife Cooper to a two-way deal, and he is the son of Bailey’s manager Omar Cooper, a linkage that reporters note in assessing the pre-draft strategy.
• Bailey has reported to the Jazz and begun integrating with teammates, easing immediate concerns about a potential holdout.