2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 5

[Indeed]

Fwiw, last October the Raps picked up Ochai's 4th year(next year) at a bit over 6.83 million.

So signed for next year.

+1. Good to know

I still dont see how we would hope to compete for HCA next year and be a good team without a backup C. We'd lose every game Poeltl was injured and get killed in the minutes he sat without someone who could soak up some minutes

It's a glaring hole that Masai has acknowledged needs filling.

Let's see if it's by draft, trade, or FA. At least we have the assets to fill the hole.

Most likely from FA or 2nd round pick if we are not drafing a C like Queen.

Kornet could be an option, but we are over the tax, and our young players may not be that much value for trade

[Indeed]

Regarding Ware...I don't know.

Queen has all the tools to be in the conversation as the number one pick. He is remarkably gifted. With his ability to impose himself physically I'm reminded of guys like Embiid or Shaq—strictly regarding physicality. He can flow through defender with ease. The fact that he hasn't risen higher is concerning to me.

I think Queen is comparable to Matas Buzelis. Maybe Scottie without the passing or defense?

Queen moves nothing like Buzelis. Queen isn't as nimble. Although he's quite nimble for someone capable of bulldozing through opponents

Queen is pretty nimble. I didnt watch Buzelis for that comparison, but wouldnt be surprised he is in the Poeltl rookie level.

Passing is the selling point of Queen, I have his passing at or above Barnes. The stats doesnt show, but all his passes are similar to Barnes. The difference is defense, where Queen is not good at forward backward, but his foot work is pretty good for let and right. And the self creation with vision allows him to play our style

[PhilBlackson]

I think Queen is comparable to Matas Buzelis. Maybe Scottie without the passing or defense?

Queen moves nothing like Buzelis. Queen isn't as nimble. Although he's quite nimble for someone capable of bulldozing through opponents

Queen is pretty nimble. I didnt watch Buzelis for that comparison, but wouldnt be surprised he is in the Poeltl rookie level.

Passing is the selling point of Queen, I have his passing at or above Barnes. The stats doesnt show, but all his passes are similar to Barnes. The difference is defense, where Queen is not good at forward backward, but his foot work is pretty good for let and right. And the self creation with vision allows him to play our style

The Buzelis comparison doesn't make any sense lol I'm sorry Psubs, you're a nice poster but some of the comparisons you make are truly baffling.

[billy_hoyle]

Queen moves nothing like Buzelis. Queen isn't as nimble. Although he's quite nimble for someone capable of bulldozing through opponents

Queen is pretty nimble. I didnt watch Buzelis for that comparison, but wouldnt be surprised he is in the Poeltl rookie level.

Passing is the selling point of Queen, I have his passing at or above Barnes. The stats doesnt show, but all his passes are similar to Barnes. The difference is defense, where Queen is not good at forward backward, but his foot work is pretty good for let and right. And the self creation with vision allows him to play our style

The Buzelis comparison doesn't make any sense lol I'm sorry Psubs, you're a nice poster but some of the comparisons you make are truly baffling.

Buzelis is more like Ingram. No idea where that comp is coming from.

Queen is like Domantas or Sengun.

I like him at our pick quite a bit.

[billy_hoyle]

+1. Good to know

I still dont see how we would hope to compete for HCA next year and be a good team without a backup C. We'd lose every game Poeltl was injured and get killed in the minutes he sat without someone who could soak up some minutes

It's a glaring hole that Masai has acknowledged needs filling.

Let's see if it's by draft, trade, or FA. At least we have the assets to fill the hole.

Most likely from FA or 2nd round pick if we are not drafing a C like Queen.

Kornet could be an option, but we are over the tax, and our young players may not be that much value for trade

If we get a guard in this draft like Harper, Fears, VJ, K Jak.

I could see us trading an unprotected 2026 1st for a rookie scale C.

As an example:
We move up to 2 and take Harper. Utah slides out of the top 4 and select Kon at 5. Do they trade Walker Kessler for an unprotected 1st from a bottom 10 team thus tripling down on the tank for 2026?

There are whispers that they don't want to pay Kessler right?

[PhilBlackson]

Queen is pretty nimble. I didnt watch Buzelis for that comparison, but wouldnt be surprised he is in the Poeltl rookie level.

Passing is the selling point of Queen, I have his passing at or above Barnes. The stats doesnt show, but all his passes are similar to Barnes. The difference is defense, where Queen is not good at forward backward, but his foot work is pretty good for let and right. And the self creation with vision allows him to play our style

The Buzelis comparison doesn't make any sense lol I'm sorry Psubs, you're a nice poster but some of the comparisons you make are truly baffling.

Buzelis is more like Ingram. No idea where that comp is coming from.

Queen is like Domantas or Sengun.

I like him at our pick quite a bit.

He's not even like Ingram lol but at least that's another big WING....BI has way, way more creation ability off the dribble - it's really not even close, BI's scoring is something more along the lines of Kawhi/Cade without the strong finishes around the basket like KL or quite the playmaking of Cade (although still an underrated one) but he has FAR more live dribble ability. With Matas, I wouldn't say he's quite like Franz but he's a bigger, athletic wing that uses that size & athleticism to score vs finesse and skill like Ingram or even Queen to some extent although he obv uses a lot of his strength to move opponents around.

But yes I would say Queen is more along the lines of Sabonis/Sengun. Of course they're not identical but a strong, bruising player that can post up or can create a shot from the mid range and inwards, be a hub as a passer etc....I think Queen has some added ability to get out ahead in transition and/or bring the ball up court too. Right now he's top of my board, followed by Fears (but doubtful we truly consider him), Bryant and Maluach.

[TNRaps4life]

https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-duke-star-khaman-maluach-details-hawks-gm-kyle-korver-helped-believe-himself-amid-crucial-season-2025-nba-draft Maluach learning from the best

Read on Twitter

[WuTang_CMB]

Mobley wins dpoty. Loved him in that draft.

But now his aav jumps big

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=0YpMScWXY2zRUqR8fH-usg

[ill-Will03]

You guys are turning on scottie faster than I anticipated.

Rinse and repeat, GD is now a bum & worthless

There’s a huge difference between Scottie and GD lol. We absolutely should look at trading GD while I don’t think we should do the same with Scottie

[Spates]

Queen is pretty nimble. I didnt watch Buzelis for that comparison, but wouldnt be surprised he is in the Poeltl rookie level.

Passing is the selling point of Queen, I have his passing at or above Barnes. The stats doesnt show, but all his passes are similar to Barnes. The difference is defense, where Queen is not good at forward backward, but his foot work is pretty good for let and right. And the self creation with vision allows him to play our style

The Buzelis comparison doesn't make any sense lol I'm sorry Psubs, you're a nice poster but some of the comparisons you make are truly baffling.

Buzelis is more like Ingram. No idea where that comp is coming from.

Queen is like Domantas or Sengun.

I like him at our pick quite a bit.

Buzelis is nothing like Ingram. Let's put a pin in the Buzelis talk.

[Indeed]

Mobley wins dpoty. Loved him in that draft.

But now his aav jumps big

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=0YpMScWXY2zRUqR8fH-usg

I liked him in that draft and think he has the highest ceiling, but I think Sarr could be the better prospect in the future.

[DreamTeam09]

You guys are turning on scottie faster than I anticipated.

Rinse and repeat, GD is now a bum & worthless

There’s a huge difference between Scottie and GD lol. We absolutely should look at trading GD while I don’t think we should do the same with Scottie

Definitely a huge difference, but movement/gravity shooters don't actually grow on trees. GD should continue to get the opportunity to grow like every 2nd yr lottery pick

[HumbleRen]

Rinse and repeat, GD is now a bum & worthless

There’s a huge difference between Scottie and GD lol. We absolutely should look at trading GD while I don’t think we should do the same with Scottie

Definitely a huge difference, but movement/gravity shooters don't actually grow on trees. GD should continue to get the opportunity to grow like every 2nd yr lottery pick

He’s gotta improve like crazy on defence cause Jakobe and our lotto pick might take his spot in the rotation.

I hope he does because he’s such a dynamic player on offence.

[Spates]

There’s a huge difference between Scottie and GD lol. We absolutely should look at trading GD while I don’t think we should do the same with Scottie

Definitely a huge difference, but movement/gravity shooters don't actually grow on trees. GD should continue to get the opportunity to grow like every 2nd yr lottery pick

He’s gotta improve like crazy on defence cause Jakobe and our lotto pick might take his spot in the rotation.

I hope he does because he’s such a dynamic player on offence.

If Scottie, Ingram, and IQ can perform at a high level it should simplify the game for everyone else.

[CazOnReal]

You guys are turning on scottie faster than I anticipated.

Forreal, can we at least wait until he's on his rookie max contract before we start this nonsense?

They do work. They just can’t stay healthy lol.

So like I said, it doesn't work.

[Spates]

I think we draft Demin. Shooting is the swing factor with him. He'll have to be insulated on defense.

[CazOnReal]

I think we draft Demin. Shooting is the swing factor with him. He'll have to be insulated on defense.

Drafting Egor Denim 7th or 8th would be malpractice.

[WuTang_CMB]

Mobley wins dpoty. Loved him in that draft.

But now his aav jumps big

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=0YpMScWXY2zRUqR8fH-usg

I liked him in that draft and think he has the highest ceiling, but I think Sarr could be the better prospect in the future.

Sarr won’t even sniff mobley

[mademan]

Ive changed my pick a few times, but im really starting to like Traoure. He really has a Shai kind of pace to his game where he's able to get into the paint at will with his change of speed. The NBA game and space will be amazing for him

[Buff]

Mobley wins dpoty. Loved him in that draft.

But now his aav jumps big

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=0YpMScWXY2zRUqR8fH-usg

People here would HATE Mobley and his supermax seeing how he is nowhere close to being a #1