2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 5

[billy_hoyle]

Is Fears the Lillard/Steph of this draft?

Or is he the Jerryd Bayless of this draft?

Personally, I'ma have faith in Masai, Bobby and Tolzman. These dudes are really damn good at drafting.

No one on this site has a better drafting record than our executive team and scouting department.

[LoveMyRaps]

Is Fears the Lillard/Steph of this draft?

I did compare Fears to Lillard in the first couple months of the season. I sorta see the similarities there.

[Son Goku 25]

I'm ready to package some of our guards for a center or bigger forward who can defend and hit the 3 if we draft Fears.

[Son Goku 25]

Is Fears the Lillard/Steph of this draft?

Or is he the Jerryd Bayless of this draft?

Personally, I'ma have faith in Masai, Bobby and Tolzman. These dudes are really damn good at drafting.

No one on this site has a better drafting record than our executive team and scouting department.

To be fair I don't remember Bayless doing this stuff at any level, it's been a while so I could be wrong but fears looks different.

[Indeed]

26.5% from 3?! Lol not really.

Wasn’t OG also garbage from 3 early on? Who knows haha. The defence is tasty enough for Masai to bite and trade down. Who knowsss

Again not really lol

OG shot 36.5% for his college career. Nearly 45% in his freshman year obv on fewer attempts and even in his “down year” which was cut short by injury he shot 31%. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that number probably would’ve increased had he played his entire sophomore year. Especially since he came in as a rookie and shot 37% which has been his career average ever since.

CMB looks FAR more like Draymond offensively than OG or the beloved “Kawhi” prototype everyone wants. Although I’ll give CMB his due that he has a more varied attack going to and around the basket than DG. If I had to guess CMB’s 3pt career shooting numbers, I’m guessing it will be low 30s. He’s a nice enough prospect but he doesn’t project as a floor spacer which is why he’s isn’t top of my board since he’ll just further clog up the mid to post area with Scottie & Yak. I’d love him as a replacement for Mogbo (he’s like a rich man’s version lol) as a backup PF but I would not use our FRP on him and I doubt we’re taking him considering the FO seems to be trying to retain the 7th pick. And had he been the target, I think there would be very little worries about him being available as he’s not even top 10 on most boards.

He is more between Siakam and Draymond.
From free throw, the indication is that he isn't as bad as Draymond, but unlikely to be as good as Siakam. May endup shooting around 32% from 3s.

[PhilBlackson]

I'm ready to package some of our guards for a center or bigger forward who can defend and hit the 3 if we draft Fears.

See that’s the problem I’ve been trying to point out.

I was one of the first (if not the) to bring up Fears at the beginning of the college season BUT I just don’t see the FO wanting to create more work for themselves in trying to sort out the roster because there’s the problem..

A) IQ makes too much money (so far), he’s been injured too much and really didn’t quite take off as hoped, at least as yet. So no one is trading a $30M C for him

B) On the flip side Shead makes so little and is barely even begun to make a name for himself in the league that he likely can’t get you much yet

I mean I would totally take a shot trying to trade IQ for someone like Naz Reid or something but I just don’t think he’ll have much of a market yet and therefore don’t see them taking Fears to be stuck as a 3rd string (even that didn’t last long) it’s just a bit messy whereas there’s a clear and easy succession path at C.

[Indeed]

I have my concerns about Maluach as well, but the more I watch some of the other guys who are projected top 10, the more I warm up to the idea of drafting Maluach. He has his flaws, but I think he's got a decently high floor as a lob threat with good mobility defensively, even if he doesn't develop offensively. There are other lottery-projected wings/guards, who, if they don't find their jumpshot at the NBA level, they will wind up as unexceptional depth guys. Those are the guys who scare me the most, because aside from the odd exception, you pretty much are who you are as a jump shooter the moment you enter the league.

It is the opposite, he has a high floor.
He is not going to create for you, unlikely to become Embiid / Gasol type of offensive hub. Therefore, his ceiling is at most high end role player like Ibaka with better defense.

He is high floor is that he will at least protect the paint, get you rebounds.

Who wouldn't want a 7'2 Ibaka? That would be an insanely good player. Maluach will certainly be a much bigger lob threat than Ibaka ever was and even more disruptive defensively, but probably a bit less of a face up game.

Note that I think Queen, Tre Johnson and Fears are all great prospects and I would welcome any of them - but I think people are underselling just how rare a player like Maluach is because his main skill is not necessarily getting buckets or running offence through him.

Depends how teams value the other prospects. There has not been teams drafting a 3&D freshman C in the top for a while.
Gobert was drafted in the low 1st.

[Indeed]

Is Fears the Lillard/Steph of this draft?

Or is he the Jerryd Bayless of this draft?

Personally, I'ma have faith in Masai, Bobby and Tolzman. These dudes are really damn good at drafting.

No one on this site has a better drafting record than our executive team and scouting department.

To be fair I don't remember Bayless doing this stuff at any level, it's been a while so I could be wrong but fears looks different.

Bayless was 6'3 wingspan if I remember correctly.
Fears is 6'6 wingspan, he maybe 6'4 in height as well, so he is not undersize SG like Bayless. Besides, Fears has one of the top assist rate, very much a PG.

Fears is more comparable to Fox, maybe less hop / finishing while better TS%. Fox was better on defense though in college

[Dalek]

Is Fears the Lillard/Steph of this draft?

I think that's Walter Clayton Jr. Look at the volume of threes over his career verse their college careers. He also has the true clutch shooting gene.

Walter Clayton Jr. is more like VanVleet.
Fears is Fox

I don't get the VanVleet comp. FVV was a pick and roll maestro and strong defender. WCJ is a scorer who is passable on defense.

[dballislife]

im not sure fears a 43% fg and 28% from 3 player can be compared to lillard and curry...hes kinda like a not as good fox

[Clutch0z24]

im not sure fears a 43% fg and 28% from 3 player can be compared to lillard and curry...hes kinda like a not as good fox

You can't just look at the stats and percentages when you are scouting college players....You have to look more at the eye test as well because percentages do not mean that much in a short 30 game sample size while also them being so young and not even close to developed fully yet....

If you watch Fears play you can see he moves like a Lillard....Great at attacking the rim and his shot looks really smooth....You can tell his shot will continue to get better as he keeps developing....He can already make some tough shots off the dribble as well....

Like i said before its kind of dumb to go off of stats and percentages while scouting college players because they will be totally different players once you develop them over time....Also its a smaller sample size....People try to use stats and percentages to discredit Bailey as well.....Scouts and GMs draft off what the players are good at and how they could look when they develop their weaknesses.....Stats and percentages matter to an extent but going just based off stats alone is silly.

[Clutch0z24]

I'm ready to package some of our guards for a center or bigger forward who can defend and hit the 3 if we draft Fears.

Yeah thats the best thing to do in my eyes as well....But it also depends how good Fears looks....Id draft Fears and during next season try and package some of our players for a big.....Barrett might have to bite the bullet in that scenario.....Idk how moveable Quickly would be coming off a injured season....But we shall see how it plays out...

Sabonis is a guy who may get traded next year which could be someone for us to look at.

[Indeed]

I think that's Walter Clayton Jr. Look at the volume of threes over his career verse their college careers. He also has the true clutch shooting gene.

Walter Clayton Jr. is more like VanVleet.
Fears is Fox

I don't get the VanVleet comp. FVV was a pick and roll maestro and strong defender. WCJ is a scorer who is passable on defense.

The comparison to Lillard and Curry don't exactly make sense neither. Clayton is more SG, the assist rate doesn't go above 25%.

[TeamDisgruntled]

CMB in the top 8 seems wild to me. This is our last shot at landing an absolute stud, I just don’t think CMB is anywhere near the star potential you’re looking for. What does CMB do that Mogbo doesn’t? They seem redundant.

[mtcan]

CMB in the top 8 seems wild to me. This is our last shot at landing an absolute stud, I just don’t think CMB is anywhere near the star potential you’re looking for. What does CMB do that Mogbo doesn’t? They seem redundant.

Ya CMB strikes me as an elite role player at his peak. His shooting is the biggest issue.

I'm done with drafting guys that can't shoot and hoping we can teach them and then they become elite shooters.

[WuTang_CMB]

Watching more film on Tre Johnson, he's undeniably talented for a 19 year old and arguably the most talented offensive player in the draft when it comes to scoring and at 6'6" with a 6'10" wingspan those are good measurements. I know the defense is murky but I still like him in the top 10 -

[WuTang_CMB]

Watch on YouTube

[Dalek]

CMB in the top 8 seems wild to me. This is our last shot at landing an absolute stud, I just don’t think CMB is anywhere near the star potential you’re looking for. What does CMB do that Mogbo doesn’t? They seem redundant.

CMB has a strong face-up game, is 240 lbs and can actually guard several positions including being a small ball C, and he carried his team's offense. He is closer to Scottie size-wise and has some overlap.

Mogbo can finish dunks, and thinks he can handle and pass the ball but he is a turnover machine. He is about 225 lbs and more on a path to be Kenneth Faried. I do give him credit for getting decent at corner threes which he never took in college, and his defense is good to guard 1-3 positions.

I do think CMB will rate highly for teams because he is going to be able to defend and play team ball. A playoff team would love him. OKC loves to add these types. Maybe a bad fit on Toronto but we love these big defenders who can pass the ball.

[Dalek]

Walter Clayton Jr. is more like VanVleet.
Fears is Fox

I don't get the VanVleet comp. FVV was a pick and roll maestro and strong defender. WCJ is a scorer who is passable on defense.

The comparison to Lillard and Curry don't exactly make sense neither. Clayton is more SG, the assist rate doesn't go above 25%.

I am going by them being all about 6'3, clutch shooting, high volume threes making them at about 39%. No one is evey going to be Curry level, but Walter Clayton Jr. made more threes than Lillard at Weber State.

[billy_hoyle]

I'm ready to package some of our guards for a center or bigger forward who can defend and hit the 3 if we draft Fears.

I agree.

Let's say we draft Fears.

Who are we looking at?

I honestly don't think any of our players get you a big that can defend and hit the three. That's why Maluach is looking like a top 10 pick despite the rawness.

Any options?

I could see Dick and a future first to San Antonio for their pick to take Maluach.

That might work.