2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 4

[dballislife]

queen has shown his offensive package all season, but i cant think of an nba team that has a 6'10 center starting...and even ones with 6'11 centers in sengun and sabonis, these two are extremely talented offensively, and yet they sill give a lot of it back on defense

imo you need to pair scottie with a big that has defense at least as good as poeltl, unless our scouts believe queens o is that special

[WuTang_CMB]

One things for sure if we stay 7-8 we are going big

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

queen has played 74.9% of his team's minutes and his team is #6 in D1 in defense

if he were truly a liability there is no way his team would be that elite on the defensive end

he's 88th percentile DFG% and is really not a nightmarish defender

the rim D is shaky but jokic has been atrocious at rim D year after year

all that matters is queen's offensive projection, he can survive in the league on D if he is an elite offensive player but doesn't leave a lot of room for failure in that regard

[RoteSchroder]

queen has shown his offensive package all season, but i cant think of an nba team that has a 6'10 center starting...and even ones with 6'11 centers in sengun and sabonis, these two are extremely talented offensively, and yet they sill give a lot of it back on defense

imo you need to pair scottie with a big that has defense at least as good as poeltl, unless our scouts believe queens o is that special

Sabonis isn’t that great of a defensive anchor and Sacramento’s defense isn’t that great overall. I don’t see Queen surpassing Sabonis offensively either.

I think he needs to try to transition to PF or just be a back-up offensive C. An alternative is having a good defensive 1-4 where he doesn’t really need to be a rim protector

[Dalek]

JT Toppin to me exceeded expectations. He is playing the same amount of minutes as he was in a weaker conference for New Mexico last year, to become a Big12 POY for Texas Tech:

+6 PPG increase
+13% USG increase
+13% FT improve on larger volume

For all the talk about Alex Condon being a stud stretch big, Toppin is right on par with him despite mostly being stationed as a C at the basket:
JT 16-50 - 32 3P%
Condon 15-45 - 33 3P%

I just think size, athleticism and motor could go a long way once JT gets pro trainers helping him. He can be a rotation player but he will need to learn how to play PF which is his biggest hurdle.

Biggest issue is he's a 6'7 C...

He measured 6′ 7.00” barefoot, 8′ 10.00” standing reach, 221 lbs, 7′ 0.50” wingspan, 28.5 standing vert, 34 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. So I give him 6'8 in shoes at least.

He has taken more jumpers and let's see if he can develop. College players can adapt to new roles. I don't think it is impossible to become a PF in time.

Jerami Grant was a non shooter coming into the league and he developed. Toppin is a hooper.

[BoyzNTheHood]

One thing I’ll say is Queen fits right in here. I’d play him beside Jak and move Scottie down a spot to the 3, BI to the 2, and Quick at the 1 but hopefully to the bench at some point.

BI can’t be the only certified bucket in our lineup and I don’t trust RJ being able to go left every time when it’s playoff time. Queen can seemingly score on anyone like BI. Having 2 buckets sounds good to me.

[Indeed]

One thing I’ll say is Queen fits right in here. I’d play him beside Jak and move Scottie down a spot to the 3, BI to the 2, and Quick at the 1 but hopefully to the bench at some point.

BI can’t be the only certified bucket in our lineup and I don’t trust RJ being able to go left every time when it’s playoff time. Queen can seemingly score on anyone like BI. Having 2 buckets sounds good to me.

Barnes cannot play other position, he is strictly PF, Nurse tried, Darko tried, the result is mixed.
I don't see Ingram being a SG neither, he is not as quick, and unlikely to go through screen being that big.

I think we should draft BPA, and if Queen is the one, we draft him. However, we should not try to play our players out of the position.

[MessiahUjiri]

One thing I’ll say is Queen fits right in here. I’d play him beside Jak and move Scottie down a spot to the 3, BI to the 2, and Quick at the 1 but hopefully to the bench at some point.

BI can’t be the only certified bucket in our lineup and I don’t trust RJ being able to go left every time when it’s playoff time. Queen can seemingly score on anyone like BI. Having 2 buckets sounds good to me.

There’s no spacing in that lineup.

Realistically, Queen will need time to develop shooting range. You’re just throwing out a tall ball lineup without realistic expectations here, tbh.

[LoveMyRaps]

One things for sure if we stay 7-8 we are going big

We're still likely to go BPA.

Make a trade over the summer to bolster the front court if needed.

Walker Kessler has been on the trade market for the past two seasons and has good ties with a lot of the Raps players (Scottie, Ingram, etc.).

[LoveMyRaps]

One thing I’ll say is Queen fits right in here. I’d play him beside Jak and move Scottie down a spot to the 3, BI to the 2, and Quick at the 1 but hopefully to the bench at some point.

BI can’t be the only certified bucket in our lineup and I don’t trust RJ being able to go left every time when it’s playoff time. Queen can seemingly score on anyone like BI. Having 2 buckets sounds good to me.

There’s no spacing in that lineup.

Realistically, Queen will need time to develop shooting range. You’re just throwing out a tall ball lineup without realistic expectations here, tbh.

Queen would be our Chris Boucher replacement for the time being.

[WuTang_CMB]

One things for sure if we stay 7-8 we are going big

We're still likely to go BPA.

Make a trade over the summer to bolster the front court if needed.

Walker Kessler has been on the trade market for the past two seasons and has good ties with a lot of the Raps players (Scottie, Ingram, etc.).

In that range i think the bigs have comp talent and we likely lean that way due to lack of size

[S.W.A.N]

JT Toppin to me exceeded expectations. He is playing the same amount of minutes as he was in a weaker conference for New Mexico last year, to become a Big12 POY for Texas Tech:

+6 PPG increase
+13% USG increase
+13% FT improve on larger volume

For all the talk about Alex Condon being a stud stretch big, Toppin is right on par with him despite mostly being stationed as a C at the basket:
JT 16-50 - 32 3P%
Condon 15-45 - 33 3P%

I just think size, athleticism and motor could go a long way once JT gets pro trainers helping him. He can be a rotation player but he will need to learn how to play PF which is his biggest hurdle.

Biggest issue is he's a 6'7 C...

He measured 6′ 7.00” barefoot, 8′ 10.00” standing reach, 221 lbs, 7′ 0.50” wingspan, 28.5 standing vert, 34 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. So I give him 6'8 in shoes at least.

He has taken more jumpers and let's see if he can develop. College players can adapt to new roles. I don't think it is impossible to become a PF in time.

Jerami Grant was a non shooter coming into the league and he developed. Toppin is a hooper.

I don't disagree. I just think with our roster construction there other players to draft. We need a real big, and a backup pg from this draft. A PF project is low on the needs list. So he has to be special to take.

I wouldn't hate it, just think we go a different route

[Son Goku 25]

https://youtu.be/-WuNrea6pPE?feature=shared

I feel like he's too good to pass up if he's around our range.

[ImaBeatDatAzz]

One things for sure if we stay 7-8 we are going big

Yep. If we go up to 5 or 6, the pick is Tre Johnson.

Any lower than 6 and it’s Malauch or Queen. Depends which one Masai likes more

[Thaddy]

One things for sure if we stay 7-8 we are going big

Yep. If we go up to 5 or 6, the pick is Tre Johnson.

Any lower than 6 and it’s Malauch or Queen. Depends which one Masai likes more

If he's serious about playoffs next year it should be Queen. I think he's bigger and more skilled than Newell. The combine numbers will be interesting.

We probably go into workouts and see who's the better shooter and has better feel, fluidity, and athleticism.

Poeltl / Queen / Chomche
Barnes / Mogbo

The size is a problem. We need someone Maluach sized to eventually match Wemby and other insanely sized bigs. But shooting from the big man position is equally important.

[UnbelievablyRAW]

queen has shown his offensive package all season, but i cant think of an nba team that has a 6'10 center starting...and even ones with 6'11 centers in sengun and sabonis, these two are extremely talented offensively, and yet they sill give a lot of it back on defense

imo you need to pair scottie with a big that has defense at least as good as poeltl, unless our scouts believe queens o is that special

I think Queen as a back up playing with Scottie would fare well with how well Scottie plays as a help defender. He's 6'10 with a 7'1 WS, thats not really small when you consider Det has been top 5 in defense with Duren (6'10) and Stewart (6'8) playing C for them all year. Queen would need to get some NBA conditioning but I think he's the most skilled big outside of Danny Wolf (who he has better numbers than).

We're still probably locked in on Khaman. He's just so long and runs the open court well. The way we like to run, he'd probably be getting lobs all day. I'd be fine with either guy but would obviously prefer to jump up to get Harper, VJ, Cooper or even Ace

[UnbelievablyRAW]

https://youtu.be/-WuNrea6pPE?feature=shared

I feel like he's too good to pass up if he's around our range.

Go look at 1:58

I feel if hes locked in at the gym with a personal chef and all that to turn him to muscle and less fat, he's a less athletic Demarcus Cousins

[Indeed]

One things for sure if we stay 7-8 we are going big

Yep. If we go up to 5 or 6, the pick is Tre Johnson.

Any lower than 6 and it’s Malauch or Queen. Depends which one Masai likes more

If he's serious about playoffs next year it should be Queen. I think he's bigger and more skilled than Newell. The combine numbers will be interesting.

We probably go into workouts and see who's the better shooter and has better feel, fluidity, and athleticism.

Poeltl / Queen / Chomche
Barnes / Mogbo

The size is a problem. We need someone Maluach sized to eventually match Wemby and other insanely sized bigs. But shooting from the big man position is equally important.

I still see Queen being more PF, maybe backup C part time.
Queen probably needs a year on the bench to learn how to avoid fouls and increase his range, I don't see him as a starter immediately, but at least he can play. He will play with Mogbo, Walter and Shead, where they can defensively cover him.

[Indeed]

Biggest issue is he's a 6'7 C...

He measured 6′ 7.00” barefoot, 8′ 10.00” standing reach, 221 lbs, 7′ 0.50” wingspan, 28.5 standing vert, 34 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. So I give him 6'8 in shoes at least.

He has taken more jumpers and let's see if he can develop. College players can adapt to new roles. I don't think it is impossible to become a PF in time.

Jerami Grant was a non shooter coming into the league and he developed. Toppin is a hooper.

I don't disagree. I just think with our roster construction there other players to draft. We need a real big, and a backup pg from this draft. A PF project is low on the needs list. So he has to be special to take.

I wouldn't hate it, just think we go a different route

He would be a high ceiling pick, which is usually for the top 2nd round picks.

I think we should look at undraft pool for backup C. And there are tons of good backup PG from undraft, Shead is a good example. I do value someone like Xaivian Lee. They may able to play spot minutes after some time in G-League.

[Kid Canada]

Queen is not going to be a good nba player. He moves so slow, can't defend or shoot.