2025 NBA Draft (2)

[Covi_Marsh]

Neubeck said #3 and the Clippers pick likely gets it done. I think I'd do it. Not sure what else you're going to use that pick for in the future and cap/luxury tax wise what they'd be able to do. He also said there's growing feeling around the league that in addition to trying to move down from 2, they may not use that pick on Harper even if they stand pat.

Hmm, could be but I'd be skeptical of that. Depends on how cool they are on Harper, but we all know the issues with Ace and VJ et al and it'd take us a LOT of convincing to want to trade down to those waters. I know some folks are loving Tre Johnson in SA and that's plausible, but they're also generally really good at asset management and I'm not sure the LAC pick would be the best they could do.

Grab a future first to move back one spot then trade back again with Pelicans if you want more assets since they want Ace. Gain back assets after you make the KD trade. although drafting Ace to sit behind KD would be great for the future. Grabbing day 1 starters to pair with Fox, Castle, KD and Wemby is probably the route they would take tho

[Stanford]

2 for 3 and the Clippers pick is great value for the Spurs IMO. Tre on the Spurs would be so sick.

[HotelVitale]

Neubeck said #3 and the Clippers pick likely gets it done. I think I'd do it. Not sure what else you're going to use that pick for in the future and cap/luxury tax wise what they'd be able to do. He also said there's growing feeling around the league that in addition to trying to move down from 2, they may not use that pick on Harper even if they stand pat.

Hmm, could be but I'd be skeptical of that. Depends on how cool they are on Harper, but we all know the issues with Ace and VJ et al and it'd take us a LOT of convincing to want to trade down to those waters. I know some folks are loving Tre Johnson in SA and that's plausible, but they're also generally really good at asset management and I'm not sure the LAC pick would be the best they could do.

Grab a future first to move back one spot then trade back again with Pelicans if you want more assets since they want Ace. Gain back assets after you make the KD trade. although drafting Ace to sit behind KD would be great for the future. Grabbing day 1 starters to pair with Fox, Castle, KD and Wemby is probably the route they would take tho

This is premised on them really loving a super flawed prospect with lots of bust potential in Ace. If that's the case, sure, but I really don't think its a good assumption.

[Black Mage]

Daryl Morey has a history of valuing guys who shoot at either the rim or from 3. That's the entire Rockets offense with Harden. That's pretty much been our entire offense. Why would he value drafting a guy who's only good shooting percentage was midrange? What kind of sense does that make?

You mean Harper? He's a great ball handler, gets to the rim, and has shooting potential. His form is fine. Worse shooters than him have become good NBA shooters. He has every other tool in his toolbox.

Sorry, meant Ace.

Actually, one of the first things Morey did was try to find a defensive anchor and rim runner that could screen and finish Harden passes at the rim. That was Dwight Howard at the time. He then shifted focus to trying to find a SF/PF that could further stretch the floor signing reigning 6th man Ryan Anderson. When that didn't pan out he went to PJ Tucker looking for that corner 3 specialist that could play defense and rebound. He ended trying to find a second playmaking guard as it became evident that Harden seemed to come up short in the playoffs' make or break games.

If there's any place where Morey failed, it was finding that adequately sized forward that could shoot the 3, defend and rebound. Morey has never looked to the forwards as being an offensive hub, but more as play finishers. He has prioritized guards being initiators.

[Arsenal]

Sixers locked in on 4 players. I assume it's Harper, Bailey, Johnson, and Edgecombe since Flagg obviously is going #1 and other guys like Nipples aren't worthy of a top 3 pick.

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[Arsenal]

2 for 3 and the Clippers pick is great value for the Spurs IMO. Tre on the Spurs would be so sick.

Tre is the guy who fits them perfectly. Force the Spurs to take him at #2.

[HotelVitale]

2 for 3 and the Clippers pick is great value for the Spurs IMO. Tre on the Spurs would be so sick.

Yeah I can see it and I like Tre, but don't want to do the usual prospect thing of thinking someone who's got a clear strength will be like the best person in the league at that thing. I do believe Tre has an unusually good and quick shot, and that's the main reason I like him for us at 3, but dudes who are sticking in rotations in the NBA these days are getting to be pretty sick shooters. Just being a guy who can spread the floor and do some movement shooting doesn't set you apart now, since everyone else is catching up with that so much now. Can Tre do that and also make great reads at top speed, and also play a lot more defense than he did at Texas? That's what nice role players are doing these days.

[Negrodamus]

You mean Harper? He's a great ball handler, gets to the rim, and has shooting potential. His form is fine. Worse shooters than him have become good NBA shooters. He has every other tool in his toolbox.

Sorry, meant Ace.

Actually, one of the first things Morey did was try to find a defensive anchor and rim runner that could screen and finish Harden passes at the rim. That was Dwight Howard at the time. He then shifted focus to trying to find a SF/PF that could further stretch the floor signing reigning 6th man Ryan Anderson. When that didn't pan out he went to PJ Tucker looking for that corner 3 specialist that could play defense and rebound. He ended trying to find a second playmaking guard as it became evident that Harden seemed to come up short in the playoffs' make or break games.

If there's any place where Morey failed, it was finding that adequately sized forward that could shoot the 3, defend and rebound. Morey has never looked to the forwards as being an offensive hub, but more as play finishers. He has prioritized guards being initiators.

Exactly which is why I doubt that Ace will be the first one.

They did have Robert Covington who did all of those things. Trevor Ariza falls under that grouping.

[M2J]

Daryl Morey has a history of valuing guys who shoot at either the rim or from 3. That's the entire Rockets offense with Harden. That's pretty much been our entire offense. Why would he value drafting a guy who's only good shooting percentage was midrange? What kind of sense does that make?

You mean Harper? He's a great ball handler, gets to the rim, and has shooting potential. His form is fine. Worse shooters than him have become good NBA shooters. He has every other tool in his toolbox.

Sorry, meant Ace.

For someone so numbers based in your decision, you have it all wrong.

Ace is poor shooting off the dribble line 25% from 3 and 35% from 2 regarding pull ups specifically.

He's about 40% from 3 on the catch. 44% shooting anywhere on the catch (2 and 3...) and that's actually where most his shots came. He's a ready made player on that realm for a talented team.... As a movement shooter that also is great transition finisher and cuts to the basket. Plus he can rebound, get steals and blocks at a great rate.

He's the reason Philly is open to moving up to 2. They both would take Ace at 2. I've been saying it since my first post in these draft threads

[Negrodamus]

I just don't think Harper is THAT much of a better prospect than VJ to give up many assets to get him. They both have their warts. If it were Flagg, that'd be another conversation.

[Negrodamus]

You mean Harper? He's a great ball handler, gets to the rim, and has shooting potential. His form is fine. Worse shooters than him have become good NBA shooters. He has every other tool in his toolbox.

Sorry, meant Ace.

For someone so numbers based in your decision, you have it all wrong.

Ace is poor shooting off the dribble line 25% from 3 and 35% from 2 regarding pull ups specifically.

He's about 40% from 3 on the catch. 44% shooting anywhere on the catch (2 and 3...) and that's actually where most his shots came. He's a ready made player on that realm for a talented team.... As a movement shooter that also is great transition finisher and cuts to the basket. Plus he can rebound, get steals and blocks at a great rate.

He's the reason Philly is open to moving up to 2. They both would take Ace at 2. I've been saying it since my first post in these draft threads

So he's a C&S 3&D player? I don't think we need to spend the 3rd pick on someone like that.

[ProcessDoctor]

I really wish the Fultz-Tatum thing never happened. I'd be way more comfortable giving up the LAC 1st without that history. I know Ace isn't as good a prospect as Tatum was, but the Fultz-Harper statistical comparison is a real thing.

[Arsenal]

I really wish the Fultz-Tatum thing never happened. I'd be way more comfortable giving up the LAC 1st without that history. I know Ace isn't as good a prospect as Tatum was, but the Fultz-Harper statistical comparison is a real thing.

Luckily, Morey doesn't care what mistakes the idiot Collars made. He'll do what he thinks is best.

[FireMorey]

Pompey says internally the Sixers are split on Bailey.

[PhillyNj]

2 for 3 and the Clippers pick is great value for the Spurs IMO. Tre on the Spurs would be so sick.

That’s a hard no from the Sixers.

[zaz102]

Hopefully Spurs don't overthink it.

[PhillyNj]

If the spurs don’t want Harper the Sixers will get him anyway. No trade!

[LeonJordanJr24]

Like I said take Harper or Ass don't overthink this.... Leave BJ Vagabond alone.

[Black Mage]

I really wish the Fultz-Tatum thing never happened. I'd be way more comfortable giving up the LAC 1st without that history. I know Ace isn't as good a prospect as Tatum was, but the Fultz-Harper statistical comparison is a real thing.

Look at it this way, Colangelo is the only GM to blow 3 Number One picks. He sucked at player evaluation. Morey laps that moron while walking backwards.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

If 3 and the Clippers pick gets it done, then you do it. It's a fair trade for both teams. Otherwise The Spurs take who they really want at two because it's not Harper. I think they know that Harper is not gonna work with Fox, Castle, and Wemby. They trade down with us and take Edgecombe and we take Harper to pair with Maxey and McCain.