2025 NBA Draft Thread: Detroit Pick Edition

[Loaf_of_bread]

NBA TV had Essengue going at #9 and really liked him as a prospect FWIW.

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He's got potential to be the 2nd or 3rd best player in the class. Going to take a bit though. Think I read 2nd youngest behind flagg.

Eh I thought i saw glimpses of Jaden in Essengue’s highlights but saw an actual game and he seemed so passive/soft, definitely not Jaden.

Young. Athletic, unknown how their body fully develops.. but, high upside. Might not turn into anything. I would take the chance. Draft is always a crapshoot.

[Klomp]

Im starting to like Demin as well

I'm not saying Demin will be a bust, but he shot 27% from 3, can't guard a traffic cone and is a turnover machine.

I think some folks are so enamored by his size as a PG prospect that they ignore what he is as a basketball player.

I still think that Demin and Sorber are likely targets for the Wolves, though.

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He shot better in pro-league games than college. I don't think he's a PG though, should be used as a secondary creator. He needs to get a lot stronger, improve his handle and shot though. I see some Kyle Anderson, Joe Ingles, Diaw, Josh Giddey in his game. Could be worse at 17.

I'll throw in a Shaun Livingston as well

[Norseman79]

If the plan is to run it back, you draft Beringer at 17 and Kalkbrenner at 31. Beringer gets to learn and grow with Rudy as a countrymen/mentor. Kalkbrenner is plug and play ready. Sign Tyus Jones after letting NAW go.

PG - Jones, Conley, Dilly
SG - Edwards, DD, Clark
SF - McDaniels, TSJ, Minott
PF - Randle, Reid, Miller
C - Gobert, Kalkbrenner, Beringer

[Klomp]

Listening to Dane and Britt talk, they hit on something with Sorber that I think is worth considering.

I think Sorber works better here as the 4th big than he does as the 3rd big. I don't know if he has PF versatility. So if there's an inkling Reid or Randle may go, he might not be the right pick to make.

Conversely, if the team is expecting to lose either Reid or Randle (ideally Randle for this exercise), I personally LOVE the idea of drafting Rasheer Fleming. He is one of my favorite fits with Ant, Jaden and Naz longterm.

Flemming is nice, and has a really freakish wingspan. Makes his measurables center level, close to Jarret Allen. He reminds me so much of Naz in his game.

I agree with the Naz glimpses for sure, which is part of why I could see him slot in as a third big so easily.

[Slim Tubby]

Why do we need a guard? We're loaded with them. Conley is coming back and we drafted Dilly last year to be our PG of the future. Then we have Ant, Clark, TSJr, DDV, etc. It makes no sense to draft Clayton.

This is probably the first topic that I've ever disagreed with you on (and in time I could still be proven wrong). Conley is in serious decline and Dilly has not shown he's ready for 20-25 minutes a night on a Title contender.

That's a far cry from feeling like we have the PG position covered for me personally. Clayton Jr checks all the boxes as a player and provides us insurance/competition for Conley and Dilly. Hey! I could be wrong too.

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I hear you. Let me explain. Conley played most of last year with a badly damaged wrist. It really affected his play. No doubt it's near the end of the road for him. No way the Wolves him this year. He'll retire a Wolve. Dilly is making good progress on his shooting mechanics. He still regresses under game pressure but it's coming. He will be much better this year. the team loves him and so does Ant.
Now for Clayton, he's a very solid player but certainly not a PG at the NBA level. He's a solid guard. High floor but not a huge ceiling. He's 6'2" 190 lb, with a 6'4" wingspan. Not great. He's a nice solid player but look at all the guards we already have. Where is he going to play. They are not moving Conley or Dilly to bring this guy in.

This is such an important off-season. I've hated our mix all year. I'm so disappointed in Rudy I can't wait to move him for value. Randle was a bad fit since day one as a very poor defender and even a worse decision maker. He has some good points too but I just don't see him as the right fit for us. Rudy and Randle were exposed against OKC. Time to shake things up. I would have give both Rudy and Randle for KD if he would commit here but not to be.

Hope that makes some sense.

Solid take, Nick.

I'm just enamored with Clayton Jr's clutch genes and his contributions to team success. The guy is a winner.

And he can shoot.

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[Klomp]

I don't know if it's worth noting on Clayton, but Rick Pitino PGs have rarely worked out in the NBA, for whatever reason.

[MN7725]

Marc Stein had a blurb that ATL was interested in sign/trade with NAW during FA

maybe ATL takes who Wolves would want at #13 to facilitate that later in FA
#13 for NAW/#17 essentially

[Klomp]

Marc Stein had a blurb that ATL was interested in sign/trade with NAW during FA

maybe ATL takes who Wolves would want at #13 to facilitate that later in FA
#13 for NAW/#17 essentially

Doubtful

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

[Slim Tubby]

Walter Wednesday has arrived!!!

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[minimus]

Marc Stein had a blurb that ATL was interested in sign/trade with NAW during FA

maybe ATL takes who Wolves would want at #13 to facilitate that later in FA
#13 for NAW/#17 essentially

Doubtful

Read on Twitter

I wonder if they are targeting Naz Reid

[MikRay]

If I’m Morey I’m going with Tre. By far the best shooter in this draft.

[Guest84]

I preface that I haven't seen Clayton Jr play in real time but have seen ppl mention him. From the highlights I've seen, he reminds me of a Jamal Murray archetype. Not super explosive but sneaky in spots. Plays at his own pace, doesn't get sped up.

For those that may know, how's his IQ, motor, etc seem?

[thinktank]

I preface that I haven't seen Clayton Jr play in real time but have seen ppl mention him. From the highlights I've seen, he reminds me of a Jamal Murray archetype. Not super explosive but sneaky in spots. Plays at his own pace, doesn't get sped up.

For those that may know, how's his IQ, motor, etc seem?

He seems like he has a great motor and he’s built tough and plays tough.

His hesi move is ridiculously tough to guard because he can rise up and shoot at any time. He can dribble straight out to the three and pull up and shoot that nasty 180 three. I’m very interested to see how he pans out. Lillard vibes.

[thinktank]

Read on Twitter

Yet he can barely dunk.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

Unless he is injured, this is a big red flag to me

[KGdaBom]

It's draft day and Tankathon has us taking Wolf. I would really hate that.

[jpatrick]

My guy is Coward. Don’t know if he’ll ever be a star, but he’ll be a starter on a championship level team. I think his shooting, length, defense would be great as a third forward with Randle/McDaniels. And in a couple years, if we transition McDaniels to a PF, he’d be a great compliment as a starting SF. I like him a lot more than our current young back forwards/wings, and if we lose NAW and/or DDV we could really use his shooting. He may be the best shooter in the draft. That shot is smooth.

That said, he’ll likely be gone. And if he is, I’m good with Sorber/Beringer as an eventual Rudy replacement.

[KGdaBom]

Read on Twitter

Unless he is injured, this is a big red flag to me

Missing your teams league finals to attend a ceremony is a HORRIBLE look. I'm assuming he has an agent and I can't imagine how his agent hasn't advised him against this course of action. Tankathon has him mocked at 22 and 18th on their big board. I could have sworn he was mocked lottery before. Maybe something has happened with him.

[jpatrick]

Read on Twitter

Unless he is injured, this is a big red flag to me

Missing your teams league finals to attend a ceremony is a HORRIBLE look. I'm assuming he has an agent and I can't imagine how his agent hasn't advised him against this course of action. Tankathon has him mocked at 22 and 18th on their big board. I could have sworn he was mocked lottery before. Maybe something has happened with him.

He had been struggling in the finals with his minutes being shrunk, but it’s a horrible look. I get walking across the draft stage is a once in a lifetime moment, but you don’t do this.

Rumor is he may go number 9 to the Raptors. I wonder if he already had a promise from them, so he wasn’t worried how it’d look if he left Germany.