Moderators: DG88, niQ, Duffman100, tsherkin, Reeko, lebron stopper, HiJiNX, 7 Footer, Morris_Shatford
Psubs wrote:Mark_83 wrote:At 9 I'm taking Flemming. Get an extra pick and take Bryant.
Agreed. Fleming is like drafting Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire in the top 10.
I would trade Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett or Ochai Agbaji for Carter Bryant. Need to get bigger and give Ja'Kobe 30 mpg.
First round
1. Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, Duke
Freshman | TS%: 60.0
Scouting report: Flagg's spot as the consensus No. 1 pick was well-earned over the course of a stellar freshman season that ranks among the best in the one-and-done era. He compares favorably with the best college wings of this era from a statistical perspective, bolstered by his consistency and ability to lead Duke's young team.
Some NBA scouts project Flagg as a bona fide franchise player, while others wonder if he might be more of an elite second star. But that grand level of conjecture supports his case as the top player in this class. His rapid improvement, versatile two-way impact, unusual focus and competitive wiring at 18 years old make him a special prospect. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: Winning the lottery with just 1.8% odds is a seismic, improbable victory for the Mavericks, who will have an easy decision to make with the addition of Flagg. Dallas has been intent on maximizing its current window as Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving approach their mid-30s, and Flagg's readiness and versatility alongside them should immediately bolster their lineup. With Irving recovering from an ACL injury, Flagg may enter the league with significant shot-creation duties handling the ball, giving him a terrific opportunity to stretch himself as a playmaker and potentially blossom into an offensive star. This outcome significantly changes the fate of the Mavericks, who were staring down limbo after trading away superstar Luka Doncic and seemingly shortening their window to compete for titles. -- Woo
2. San Antonio Spurs
Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers
Freshman | TS%: 59.3
Scouting report: Harper did his best to keep the No. 1 pick conversation interesting for parts of the season with his skill level, shot creation and scoring prowess. He also can get to where he wants on the floor while demonstrating strong passing ability.
The physical nature of the NBA playoffs has emphasized why a sturdy playmaker of Harper's type can be so valuable, with his ability to finish through contact and draw fouls a major part of his appeal, along with the way he fills up the box score with an excellent feel for the game. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: The Spurs were already in as enviable a position as any team in the lottery, with two picks in the top 14 to bolster a roster that already features back-to-back NBA Rookie of the Year winners in Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, and now jump from 8 to 2 in the draft lottery in a massive stroke of good fortune. While Harper's fit alongside De'Aaron Fox and Castle looks far from seamless, it would be very surprising to see their forward-thinking front office pass on Harper here, who is widely considered the second best prospect in the draft after Flagg. This opens up an opportunity for a team with a bigger need for a primary shot-creator to make a move to trade up to this pick and perhaps convey to San Antonio added shooting, which their roster sorely needs to surround Wembanyama. -- Givony
3. Philadelphia 76ers
Airious "Ace" Bailey , SG/SF, Rutgers
Freshman | TS%: 54.0
Scouting report: Bailey has been more polarizing for scouts than a typical top-five pick, displaying flashes of scoring upside at Rutgers, while still at an early stage of his development in other key areas. Lottery teams are eager to get a feel for him in the predraft process, including interviews, to understand how far away he is from contributing positively on an NBA floor.
Wings with Bailey's combination of size, physical skill and shooting prowess are rare. That coveted archetype has kept his stock largely steady despite his inconsistencies as a decision-maker, ball handler and defender. Some teams are concerned with the risk attached in those areas, but his scoring talent has tantalizing appeal for front offices in search of star power. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: The Sixers can not only breathe easy, but celebrate after their pick jumped to No. 3, rather than falling out of the top six and conveying to Oklahoma City. A high-value draft selection gives the Sixers a true silver lining after a 24-58 season, as they try to balance winning around Joel Embiid and building for the future. Bailey's shot-making chops and significant scoring upside would give Philly another strong building block for the long-term, in addition to their rising backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. -- Woo
4. Charlotte Hornets
VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
Freshman | TS%: 56.1
Scouting report: The Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Edgecombe had a largely successful season showing off his physicality, intensity and rapid improvement as a ball handler, finisher and perimeter shooter. Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in this class, has a real feel for the game and has had exceptional defensive moments, giving him significant upside to grow. NBA teams have some questions about what position he best projects for, just how good a shot creator and overall scorer he is and whether he was playing with the brakes on at times this season. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: While the Hornets were hoping to land atop the draft, staying in the top four while other teams like Utah and Washington fell is still a favorable outcome. Charlotte remains at an early stage of its rebuild, with LaMelo Ball coming off a career-best scoring season (25.2 points per game) and Brandon Miller emerging. But the roster is still at a nascent stage overall, coming off a season in which both stars missed significant time because of injuries. Edgecombe's defensive acumen and athletic slashing chops would slide in neatly alongside them, as he has the ability to play with Ball in the short-term, and perhaps inherit more significant shot-creation duties if the franchise decides to pivot away from Ball. -- Woo
5. Utah Jazz
Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
Freshman | TS%: 57.0
Scouting report: Fears, 18, had a spectacular freshman season, guiding Oklahoma to the NCAA tournament despite being one of the youngest players in college basketball. His combination of size, speed, pace, shotmaking and shot creation gives him significant long-term upside, as he can get anywhere on the floor to create for teammates while dishing on the move, finish skillfully in the lane or head to the free throw line.
Fears' youth, thin frame and inconsistent finishing and decision-making will likely require patience from the team that drafts him, even if there is doubt around the significant star power he possesses, which will earn him looks much higher than this spot. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: Dropping out of the top four is highly disappointing for the Jazz, who will have a more complicated evaluation process after falling all the way to fifth. The Jazz are committed to a lengthy internal rebuild under CEO Danny Ainge but have yet to select a player with the type of homegrown star power that could kick-start them back toward winning. They'll aim to find that player at No. 5, rather than atop the draft, where Fears and his shot-creation chops might be appealing, even with other young guards on the roster. -- Woo
6. Washington Wizards
Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
Freshman | TS%: 56.1
Scouting report: Johnson is one of the draft's top scorers, capable of knocking down tough shots from all over the floor with a shoot-first mindset. He needs to round out several areas of his game -- finishing in the paint, playmaking for teammates and defensive consistency -- but NBA teams are drawn to his shooting, length and skill level. He has a good base skill set for a 2-guard, and if he can improve some of his tendencies over time, Johnson could be a strong building block for the future. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: The NBA's youngest team, the Wizards have completely turned over their roster, front office and coaching staff over the past two years. And they still have plenty more room to grow, with several strong building blocks in place. Dropping four spots to the No. 6 pick can't be viewed as anything but a massive disappointment for their fan base, which endured an 18-64 season a year after sporting the NBA's worst record (15-67) and dropping to the No. 2 pick. The Wizards will likely need to take a swing on the scoring talent of a player like Johnson here and then take another run at next year's loaded lottery and hope that the basketball gods smile more favorably on them. -- Givony
7. New Orleans Pelicans
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Freshman | TS%: 74.7
Scouting report: Maluach is the top defensive center prospect in this draft, offering an appealing mix of length, mobility, play finishing and paint protection at a young age. This year's playoffs have served as a reminder for some teams that the ability to rotate size onto the floor still has plenty of value in the postseason, with more traditional centers such as Rudy Gobert and Steven Adams among those turning in big moments.
Maluach's ability to deter opponents around the rim and strong intangibles should give him immediate rotation value with plenty of room to improve. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: Coming off a difficult, injury riddled-season that led to major changes in the front office, the Pelicans need star power to build around Zion Williamson, who played in 130 games over the past four seasons because injuries. Unfortunately, that task became a lot harder when the Pelicans shockingly dropped four spots to the No. 7 pick, significantly complicating their outlook in this draft. It will be interesting to see if the Pelicans' shift to a new front office hierarchy gives them a mandate from ownership to pivot towards a true rebuild, with an eye on a loaded 2026 draft class. -- Givony
8. Brooklyn Nets
Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke
Freshman | TS%: 64.8
Scouting report: Despite his modest athletic profile, Knueppel grew on NBA teams as the season moved on, producing consistently and authoring several impressive NCAA tournament performances that highlighted his value as a skilled, versatile wing who can do a bit of everything on both ends of the floor.
He made 41% of his 3s in a variety of ways, but also demonstrated his ability to handle and pass out of pick-and-roll and hold his own defensively. NBA teams are eager to see his measurements and get a better gauge on how much his lack of explosiveness and quickness puts a ceiling on his upside, even if his outstanding feel for the game should be able to carry him far. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: The Nets pivoted in a new direction at last year's draft with the Mikal Bridges trade, and are now armed with four first-round picks to jump-start their rebuild in earnest, as well as significant salary cap space. It will be interesting to see which direction the Nets go in this offseason, as they have the flexibility to attempt to pivot toward winning quickly, but could also opt for a longer rebuild with another top-heavy draft coming in 2026. They may be disappointed to drop a few spots in the draft from 6 to 8, but are still in the back-end of a range where clear talent still exists, and have the pieces to potentially move back up the board if they decide to get aggressive. -- Givony
9. Toronto Raptors
Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, South Carolina
Sophomore | TS%: 64.0
Scouting report: Murray-Boyles has been of interest to NBA teams for the past couple of seasons, with his statistical profile holding strong appeal in analytics models and the eye test backing much of that performance. Though undersized for his position, his toughness, play finishing, passing and defensive chops are attractive.
Teams will be particularly eager to see how Murray-Boyles shoots in workout settings, with the 3-point shot not yet a regular part of his arsenal but a key swing skill in his development. There is plug-and-play appeal in the things he already does well. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: Toronto has begun to shift out of its multiyear rebuild, as signaled by the acquisition of Brandon Ingram at the February trade deadline. Scottie Barnes remains the team's primary cornerstone, and this pick gives the Raptors one more opportunity to swing on a top-10 talent before potentially upping the ante and pushing for a playoff berth moving forward. Murray-Boyles would give them a true power forward who would enhance lineups defensively on a roster otherwise full of scorers. -- Woo
10. Houston Rockets (via Phoenix)
Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois
Freshman | TS%: 59.8
Scouting report: Jakucionis helped himself quite a bit at Illinois, where he took on an enormous role as an 18-year-old debuting at the Division I level and put together a strong season. Despite predictable ups and downs as part of that adjustment, NBA teams remain largely optimistic that his toughness, playmaking feel, size and versatility at either guard spot will lead to a promising pro career.
There have been concerns about his ability to create separation off the dribble, but Jakucionis' ball-screen savvy and room to grow as a shooter should enable him to make an impact as part of a team's rotation, at the very least. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: The Rockets acquired swap rights to Phoenix's pick in last summer's deal with the Nets, and the Suns' underwhelming play turned it into a valuable one. After a strong regular season ended in a first-round postseason exit, this pick represents an opportunity for Houston to bolster its deep roster, whether drafting a prospect or using this selection as a trade chip. Jakucionis wouldn't directly address a need but would give Houston significant backcourt depth to build with as they weigh the future of their roster, particularly if they decide to move on from Jalen Green and/or Fred VanVleet and transition toward Reed Sheppard, and potentially the player they select here. -- Woo
11. Portland Trail Blazers
Derik Queen, C, Maryland
Freshman | TS%: 60.0
Scouting report: Queen is perhaps the most skilled big man in this class. He is a terrific target in pick-and-roll, can create his own shot facing the basket with a wide array of moves and has intriguing passing ability.
Queen's conditioning, occasional apathy defensively and lack of shooting range are things NBA teams picking in this area (or earlier) will want to get a better handle on in the predraft process. Interviews, workouts and more research will determine whether he gets picked higher or lower, as there is no real consensus among scouts for how to view his unique profile long term.
NBA intel and fit: Portland's rebuild is ahead of schedule, with the Blazers going 23-18 over their final 41 games as Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan showed significant promise, providing a strong core to build around. All that unexpected winning diminished the Blazers' lottery chances and has them staring at a third tier of prospects with plenty of talent but also obvious flaws. Queen's lack of shooting might not be an ideal fit on paper for a Portland team that already struggled from the perimeter, but his talent may be too big to pass on, especially if Clingan can make a jump with his shooting, like he showed flashes of in small doses as a rookie. -- Givony
WuTang_OG wrote:I guess Wash would be first to take KM and pair him with Sarr
but man what a mess of a season for them and Utah
Toronto i got Noa or Carter Bryant ... maybe Traore
WuTang_OG wrote:Nolan will be in the mix too
you will still find a solid piece for the future
PhilBlackson wrote:There have already been rumblings that we can't afford to keep RJ....
I believe both Maluach & Queen will be gone by the time we draft so my money is on us drafting Carter Bryant. Let RJ play out this year, see if you can boost his value to trade, package him with Dick for some sort of C (dream scenario - Lively) and draft Bryant, let him develop for a year or so and then he'd plug in perfectly to the starting lineup. Occasionally let Scottie run point with Jakobe, Bryant, BI and whatever C we can trade for and that could be a tough team.
Feels a bit underwhelming lol but that's why you don't have meaningless winning streaks near the deadline and beyond.
Got Nuffin wrote:Maluach
Queen
Fears
Traore
Bryant
All still in play.. someone will fall to us lol.
Interesting about CMB.. really not sure about an undersized power forward whose offence ability is all projection at this stage, but I'll defer to those who have watched him a little more.
___Rand___ wrote:This was the year to win the TANK and we screwed that up. Even Philly out tanked us.
WuTang_OG wrote:I guess Wash would be first to take KM and pair him with Sarr
but man what a mess of a season for them and Utah
Toronto i got Noa or Carter Bryant ... maybe Traore
PhilBlackson wrote:There have already been rumblings that we can't afford to keep RJ....
I believe both Maluach & Queen will be gone by the time we draft so my money is on us drafting Carter Bryant. Let RJ play out this year, see if you can boost his value to trade, package him with Dick for some sort of C (dream scenario - Lively) and draft Bryant, let him develop for a year or so and then he'd plug in perfectly to the starting lineup. Occasionally let Scottie run point with Jakobe, Bryant, BI and whatever C we can trade for and that could be a tough team.
Feels a bit underwhelming lol but that's why you don't have meaningless winning streaks near the deadline and beyond.
Psubs wrote:PhilBlackson wrote:There have already been rumblings that we can't afford to keep RJ....
I believe both Maluach & Queen will be gone by the time we draft so my money is on us drafting Carter Bryant. Let RJ play out this year, see if you can boost his value to trade, package him with Dick for some sort of C (dream scenario - Lively) and draft Bryant, let him develop for a year or so and then he'd plug in perfectly to the starting lineup. Occasionally let Scottie run point with Jakobe, Bryant, BI and whatever C we can trade for and that could be a tough team.
Feels a bit underwhelming lol but that's why you don't have meaningless winning streaks near the deadline and beyond.
RJ already boosted his trade value from slightly negative. With Brandon Ingram starting and Walter needing minutes RJ will go down next year.
Trade him at the draft.
Do we think Orlando would trade #16 for Ochai Agbaji? Then draft Carter Bryant with that pick.
*INGRAM*ALLSTARSEASON* Wemby is HIM - Top 5 Player this year
WuTang_OG wrote:First round
1. Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, Duke
Freshman | TS%: 60.0
Scouting report: Flagg's spot as the consensus No. 1 pick was well-earned over the course of a stellar freshman season that ranks among the best in the one-and-done era. He compares favorably with the best college wings of this era from a statistical perspective, bolstered by his consistency and ability to lead Duke's young team.
Some NBA scouts project Flagg as a bona fide franchise player, while others wonder if he might be more of an elite second star. But that grand level of conjecture supports his case as the top player in this class. His rapid improvement, versatile two-way impact, unusual focus and competitive wiring at 18 years old make him a special prospect. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: Winning the lottery with just 1.8% odds is a seismic, improbable victory for the Mavericks, who will have an easy decision to make with the addition of Flagg. Dallas has been intent on maximizing its current window as Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving approach their mid-30s, and Flagg's readiness and versatility alongside them should immediately bolster their lineup. With Irving recovering from an ACL injury, Flagg may enter the league with significant shot-creation duties handling the ball, giving him a terrific opportunity to stretch himself as a playmaker and potentially blossom into an offensive star. This outcome significantly changes the fate of the Mavericks, who were staring down limbo after trading away superstar Luka Doncic and seemingly shortening their window to compete for titles. -- Woo
2. San Antonio Spurs
Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers
Freshman | TS%: 59.3
Scouting report: Harper did his best to keep the No. 1 pick conversation interesting for parts of the season with his skill level, shot creation and scoring prowess. He also can get to where he wants on the floor while demonstrating strong passing ability.
The physical nature of the NBA playoffs has emphasized why a sturdy playmaker of Harper's type can be so valuable, with his ability to finish through contact and draw fouls a major part of his appeal, along with the way he fills up the box score with an excellent feel for the game. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: The Spurs were already in as enviable a position as any team in the lottery, with two picks in the top 14 to bolster a roster that already features back-to-back NBA Rookie of the Year winners in Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, and now jump from 8 to 2 in the draft lottery in a massive stroke of good fortune. While Harper's fit alongside De'Aaron Fox and Castle looks far from seamless, it would be very surprising to see their forward-thinking front office pass on Harper here, who is widely considered the second best prospect in the draft after Flagg. This opens up an opportunity for a team with a bigger need for a primary shot-creator to make a move to trade up to this pick and perhaps convey to San Antonio added shooting, which their roster sorely needs to surround Wembanyama. -- Givony
3. Philadelphia 76ers
Airious "Ace" Bailey , SG/SF, Rutgers
Freshman | TS%: 54.0
Scouting report: Bailey has been more polarizing for scouts than a typical top-five pick, displaying flashes of scoring upside at Rutgers, while still at an early stage of his development in other key areas. Lottery teams are eager to get a feel for him in the predraft process, including interviews, to understand how far away he is from contributing positively on an NBA floor.
Wings with Bailey's combination of size, physical skill and shooting prowess are rare. That coveted archetype has kept his stock largely steady despite his inconsistencies as a decision-maker, ball handler and defender. Some teams are concerned with the risk attached in those areas, but his scoring talent has tantalizing appeal for front offices in search of star power. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: The Sixers can not only breathe easy, but celebrate after their pick jumped to No. 3, rather than falling out of the top six and conveying to Oklahoma City. A high-value draft selection gives the Sixers a true silver lining after a 24-58 season, as they try to balance winning around Joel Embiid and building for the future. Bailey's shot-making chops and significant scoring upside would give Philly another strong building block for the long-term, in addition to their rising backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. -- Woo
4. Charlotte Hornets
VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
Freshman | TS%: 56.1
Scouting report: The Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Edgecombe had a largely successful season showing off his physicality, intensity and rapid improvement as a ball handler, finisher and perimeter shooter. Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in this class, has a real feel for the game and has had exceptional defensive moments, giving him significant upside to grow. NBA teams have some questions about what position he best projects for, just how good a shot creator and overall scorer he is and whether he was playing with the brakes on at times this season. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: While the Hornets were hoping to land atop the draft, staying in the top four while other teams like Utah and Washington fell is still a favorable outcome. Charlotte remains at an early stage of its rebuild, with LaMelo Ball coming off a career-best scoring season (25.2 points per game) and Brandon Miller emerging. But the roster is still at a nascent stage overall, coming off a season in which both stars missed significant time because of injuries. Edgecombe's defensive acumen and athletic slashing chops would slide in neatly alongside them, as he has the ability to play with Ball in the short-term, and perhaps inherit more significant shot-creation duties if the franchise decides to pivot away from Ball. -- Woo
5. Utah Jazz
Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
Freshman | TS%: 57.0
Scouting report: Fears, 18, had a spectacular freshman season, guiding Oklahoma to the NCAA tournament despite being one of the youngest players in college basketball. His combination of size, speed, pace, shotmaking and shot creation gives him significant long-term upside, as he can get anywhere on the floor to create for teammates while dishing on the move, finish skillfully in the lane or head to the free throw line.
Fears' youth, thin frame and inconsistent finishing and decision-making will likely require patience from the team that drafts him, even if there is doubt around the significant star power he possesses, which will earn him looks much higher than this spot. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: Dropping out of the top four is highly disappointing for the Jazz, who will have a more complicated evaluation process after falling all the way to fifth. The Jazz are committed to a lengthy internal rebuild under CEO Danny Ainge but have yet to select a player with the type of homegrown star power that could kick-start them back toward winning. They'll aim to find that player at No. 5, rather than atop the draft, where Fears and his shot-creation chops might be appealing, even with other young guards on the roster. -- Woo
6. Washington Wizards
Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
Freshman | TS%: 56.1
Scouting report: Johnson is one of the draft's top scorers, capable of knocking down tough shots from all over the floor with a shoot-first mindset. He needs to round out several areas of his game -- finishing in the paint, playmaking for teammates and defensive consistency -- but NBA teams are drawn to his shooting, length and skill level. He has a good base skill set for a 2-guard, and if he can improve some of his tendencies over time, Johnson could be a strong building block for the future. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: The NBA's youngest team, the Wizards have completely turned over their roster, front office and coaching staff over the past two years. And they still have plenty more room to grow, with several strong building blocks in place. Dropping four spots to the No. 6 pick can't be viewed as anything but a massive disappointment for their fan base, which endured an 18-64 season a year after sporting the NBA's worst record (15-67) and dropping to the No. 2 pick. The Wizards will likely need to take a swing on the scoring talent of a player like Johnson here and then take another run at next year's loaded lottery and hope that the basketball gods smile more favorably on them. -- Givony
7. New Orleans Pelicans
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Freshman | TS%: 74.7
Scouting report: Maluach is the top defensive center prospect in this draft, offering an appealing mix of length, mobility, play finishing and paint protection at a young age. This year's playoffs have served as a reminder for some teams that the ability to rotate size onto the floor still has plenty of value in the postseason, with more traditional centers such as Rudy Gobert and Steven Adams among those turning in big moments.
Maluach's ability to deter opponents around the rim and strong intangibles should give him immediate rotation value with plenty of room to improve. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: Coming off a difficult, injury riddled-season that led to major changes in the front office, the Pelicans need star power to build around Zion Williamson, who played in 130 games over the past four seasons because injuries. Unfortunately, that task became a lot harder when the Pelicans shockingly dropped four spots to the No. 7 pick, significantly complicating their outlook in this draft. It will be interesting to see if the Pelicans' shift to a new front office hierarchy gives them a mandate from ownership to pivot towards a true rebuild, with an eye on a loaded 2026 draft class. -- Givony
8. Brooklyn Nets
Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke
Freshman | TS%: 64.8
Scouting report: Despite his modest athletic profile, Knueppel grew on NBA teams as the season moved on, producing consistently and authoring several impressive NCAA tournament performances that highlighted his value as a skilled, versatile wing who can do a bit of everything on both ends of the floor.
He made 41% of his 3s in a variety of ways, but also demonstrated his ability to handle and pass out of pick-and-roll and hold his own defensively. NBA teams are eager to see his measurements and get a better gauge on how much his lack of explosiveness and quickness puts a ceiling on his upside, even if his outstanding feel for the game should be able to carry him far. -- Givony
NBA intel and fit: The Nets pivoted in a new direction at last year's draft with the Mikal Bridges trade, and are now armed with four first-round picks to jump-start their rebuild in earnest, as well as significant salary cap space. It will be interesting to see which direction the Nets go in this offseason, as they have the flexibility to attempt to pivot toward winning quickly, but could also opt for a longer rebuild with another top-heavy draft coming in 2026. They may be disappointed to drop a few spots in the draft from 6 to 8, but are still in the back-end of a range where clear talent still exists, and have the pieces to potentially move back up the board if they decide to get aggressive. -- Givony
9. Toronto Raptors
Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, South Carolina
Sophomore | TS%: 64.0
Scouting report: Murray-Boyles has been of interest to NBA teams for the past couple of seasons, with his statistical profile holding strong appeal in analytics models and the eye test backing much of that performance. Though undersized for his position, his toughness, play finishing, passing and defensive chops are attractive.
Teams will be particularly eager to see how Murray-Boyles shoots in workout settings, with the 3-point shot not yet a regular part of his arsenal but a key swing skill in his development. There is plug-and-play appeal in the things he already does well. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: Toronto has begun to shift out of its multiyear rebuild, as signaled by the acquisition of Brandon Ingram at the February trade deadline. Scottie Barnes remains the team's primary cornerstone, and this pick gives the Raptors one more opportunity to swing on a top-10 talent before potentially upping the ante and pushing for a playoff berth moving forward. Murray-Boyles would give them a true power forward who would enhance lineups defensively on a roster otherwise full of scorers. -- Woo
10. Houston Rockets (via Phoenix)
Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois
Freshman | TS%: 59.8
Scouting report: Jakucionis helped himself quite a bit at Illinois, where he took on an enormous role as an 18-year-old debuting at the Division I level and put together a strong season. Despite predictable ups and downs as part of that adjustment, NBA teams remain largely optimistic that his toughness, playmaking feel, size and versatility at either guard spot will lead to a promising pro career.
There have been concerns about his ability to create separation off the dribble, but Jakucionis' ball-screen savvy and room to grow as a shooter should enable him to make an impact as part of a team's rotation, at the very least. -- Woo
NBA intel and fit: The Rockets acquired swap rights to Phoenix's pick in last summer's deal with the Nets, and the Suns' underwhelming play turned it into a valuable one. After a strong regular season ended in a first-round postseason exit, this pick represents an opportunity for Houston to bolster its deep roster, whether drafting a prospect or using this selection as a trade chip. Jakucionis wouldn't directly address a need but would give Houston significant backcourt depth to build with as they weigh the future of their roster, particularly if they decide to move on from Jalen Green and/or Fred VanVleet and transition toward Reed Sheppard, and potentially the player they select here. -- Woo
11. Portland Trail Blazers
Derik Queen, C, Maryland
Freshman | TS%: 60.0
Scouting report: Queen is perhaps the most skilled big man in this class. He is a terrific target in pick-and-roll, can create his own shot facing the basket with a wide array of moves and has intriguing passing ability.
Queen's conditioning, occasional apathy defensively and lack of shooting range are things NBA teams picking in this area (or earlier) will want to get a better handle on in the predraft process. Interviews, workouts and more research will determine whether he gets picked higher or lower, as there is no real consensus among scouts for how to view his unique profile long term.
NBA intel and fit: Portland's rebuild is ahead of schedule, with the Blazers going 23-18 over their final 41 games as Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan showed significant promise, providing a strong core to build around. All that unexpected winning diminished the Blazers' lottery chances and has them staring at a third tier of prospects with plenty of talent but also obvious flaws. Queen's lack of shooting might not be an ideal fit on paper for a Portland team that already struggled from the perimeter, but his talent may be too big to pass on, especially if Clingan can make a jump with his shooting, like he showed flashes of in small doses as a rookie. -- Givony
djsunyc wrote:UnbelievablyRAW wrote:I don’t think the Spurs will draft 2 rookies. Could see this pick being moved to the Bucks in a Giannis trade with 2/14/boatload of picks/Sochan and salary.
Getting Harper + another lottery pick along with a boatload of picks is a great way to kickstart a rebuild
i think zion is a more likely get