2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 6

[Rapsfan07]

Will be a good get for someone mid teens - early 20s

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He should go in the lottery imo. He put up insane shooting numbers throughout his college career. His measurements are even more insane (7'2 wingspan with a 8'10 standing reach). Also fills the stat sheet with rebounds, assists, steals, blocks. Plus, he's a young senior, still only 21 years old.

What a gem.

Not sure where he ends up on draft night but if we could find a way to grab one of Fleming or Kasp + Coward + Condon in the second round, that's a A+ draft night.

Wonder if we could get into the middle of the draft with Dick

[Grew]

Edey had a 31.5 max vert and people calling him unathletic in comparison lol

Well combine just isn't all that important compared to actual playstyle. Queen only had something like 3 less dunks than Fleming despite fleming being a long athletic type. Queen can get himself to the hoop, Fleming needs you to spoonfeed him an easy closeout to attack or pass to him wide open in the dunkers spot.

Not sure why you're comparing him to Fleming or how it's relevant since they play nothing alike.

His play style is exactly why there is concern, it's questionable how it translates over. He doesn't shoot well, is a bit undersized, unathletic and is going to need to score over NBA athletes that are way more athletic and longer than him.

Comparing him to Fleming because he's the prototype long athlete. Queen has all these athletic concerns in the combine yet he dunks the ball as much as the long athlete type people think can play smallball 5.

[S.W.A.N]

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Chomche's only really redeeming quality is his athleticism lol so I should hope he tested well.

Idk why people are getting so caught up on athletic traits.

Because it is what is shiny and new. It also adds a layer of info that helps to contextualize things

On court play is still king, but you can refine your thoughts by using athletic data.

For a guy like Queen. Him having a terrible vert suggests that he's a not going to evolve as a shot blocker but it won't affect his offensive skill set.

For Maluach (or Edey before him) you want to see some lane agility numbers, and how fast he's going to get up and down the court...

For your smaller guys like Jace. They need to show speed and hops to make up for being midgets.


While you probably never use this data for overall decisions, you can certainly take a pool of guys you had rated in the same tier and start moving them around based on the numbers.

[Ari_Emanuel]

Ace only with a 34.5 max vert matches up with my opinion that he's not that explosive of an athlete. He is however quick and mobile especially for his size.

He's a homeless man's Ingram. Total bust, and I'm happy he'll be selected before us.

[niQ]

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[Ari_Emanuel]

Well combine just isn't all that important compared to actual playstyle. Queen only had something like 3 less dunks than Fleming despite fleming being a long athletic type. Queen can get himself to the hoop, Fleming needs you to spoonfeed him an easy closeout to attack or pass to him wide open in the dunkers spot.

Not sure why you're comparing him to Fleming or how it's relevant since they play nothing alike.

His play style is exactly why there is concern, it's questionable how it translates over. He doesn't shoot well, is a bit undersized, unathletic and is going to need to score over NBA athletes that are way more athletic and longer than him.

Comparing him to Fleming because he's the prototype long athlete. Queen has all these athletic concerns in the combine yet he dunks the ball as much as the long athlete type people think can play smallball 5.

That will change when Queen is going up against NBA 4s and 5s nightly. Pass, and again, glad someone else will take him (I hope).

[deeps6x]

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Which one is the 7 footer?

[BoyzNTheHood]

Who's this drafts TMAC

Maluach

[Thaddy]

Dropping to 9th or later is the nightmare scenario, frankly. This is likely the best chance we'll get regarding "free" talent injection provided health prevails for Scottie, IQ and Ingram so potentially losing out on certain options is going to hurt in the long run. And i'm not even referring to a Top 4 pick, i'm talking about guys in that 5-8 range and missing out on every one of them.

Well, well, well

Who's the franchise changing talent you think will be available from 5-8 but are sure won't be there at 9?

It depends on the situations they enter but Fears and Maluach look like they are a good combination of young, productive, and showcase some outlier profiles. We need someone we can develop into a superstar, another role player isn't enough.

[Dalek]

I think Jaku will be in our range, but I also have Traore in the same group as he has been trending to where we first thought he would be.

1. Cooper, 2. Harper, 3. VJ, 4. Ace, 5. Tre are the cream of the crop.

6. Washington Wizards - Derik Queen (local kid with high upside)

7. New Orleans Pelicans - Jeremiah Fears (desperate for high-end PG prospect)

8. Brooklyn Nets/Philly - I assume Brooklyn trades 8+19 for 3 from Philly to make an aggressive play for Edgecombe. Philly is capped out with two bad contracts so they get a back-up C at 8 in Khaman Maluach while saving some money and getting another cost controlled FRP.

9. Toronto Raptors - Nolan Traore is the kid they have scouted many times and they probably like more than Jaku. These two played against each other in AGNT and with NT as well. Both seem like good bets as PGs, but I think the speed of Traore is the edge for Toronto. They need rim attacks and I think Jaku is not a quick burst athlete, he needs a screen to operate off of.

[Rapsfan07]

If we're staying at #9:
1. Queen
2. Fleming
3. Traore
4. Jakucionas

PLEASSSSSEEEEE no Maluach.
PLEASSSSSEEEEE no CMB

Going to change my mini board:

1. Jakucionas
2. Fleming
3. Coward
4. Traore

Hope we're seriously considering moving Dick for a mid-ish first rounder. Perhaps there's some interest from the Magic at #16, the Wolves at #17 would be ideal.

[Dalek]

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What's this guy even talking about? Will Riley as a PF is funny considering he has been playing SG everywhere. This guy needs to fix his model.

[Got Nuffin]

I think Jaku will be in our range, but I also have Traore in the same group as he has been trending to where we first thought he would be.

1. Cooper, 2. Harper, 3. VJ, 4. Ace, 5. Tre are the cream of the crop.

6. Washington Wizards - Derik Queen (local kid with high upside)

7. New Orleans Pelicans - Jeremiah Fears (desperate for high-end PG prospect)

8. Brooklyn Nets/Philly - I assume Brooklyn trades 8+19 for 3 from Philly to make an aggressive play for Edgecombe. Philly is capped out with two bad contracts so they get a back-up C at 8 in Khaman Maluach while saving some money and getting another cost controlled FRP.

9. Toronto Raptors - Nolan Traore is the kid they have scouted many times and they probably like more than Jaku. These two played against each other in AGNT and with NT as well. Both seem like good bets as PGs, but I think the speed of Traore is the edge for Toronto. They need rim attacks and I think Jaku is not a quick burst athlete, he needs a screen to operate off of.

Yeah I feel like both Maluach and Queen will be off the board by the time we get in. Fears should be as well for his upside.

We may be choosing between -

Jakucionis
Traore
Carter Bryant
CMB (hope not)

I have a really hard time separating the top 3 there, but I may lean with Traore because he just might have a little more potential upside? You have to squint really, really hard to see him as any kind of star though as even his speed doesn't look super elite to me, like for example Tony Parker at the same age looked like he was on skates compared to everyone else. They all look like good role players.

[WuTang_CMB]

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[Son Goku 25]

I'd be happy with Nolan

[UnbelievablyRAW]

I got to eat crow here with my Queen takes. Those combine stats put him with the likes of terrible nobody centres

[UnbelievablyRAW]

I wouldn't be mad if we took KJ. Pre injury he was top 3-4 of my favourites and was neck and neck with Harper as my favourite guard. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the second best guard in this draft at the end of next year just off his skill level (lowkey Demin as well)

I'd like to see it immediately followed up with trading back into the first round by getting rid of Gradey for another top 20 pick. Carter and Fleming will likely be scooped up quickly but if we can sneak another top 15 pick we might be able to get one or even Demin who I'm still intrigued with.

[TimeForChange]

I got to eat crow here with my Queen takes. Those combine stats put him with the likes of terrible nobody centres

he can't play the 4 or the 5 in the nba.

he is going to bust hard.

[Clutch0z24]

I don't know who is drafting Maluach in the top 8 though.

Wizards have Sarr, they have other needs and won't use the 6th pick in the draft on a guy who is probably just a solid starting C 4 years from now they are desperate for a player who could become a star even if it's a fringe chance. Look for them to take Fears or Knueppel, maybe Queen if they fall for the "local guy" angle and think he can be a PF, might even be a dark horse for CMB as they are desperate for defence and some think CMB has star potential.

Pelicans could take him, but they just used a first on Yves Missi, some are saying they really want a PG of the future out of this draft, Fears or Jak would make a lot of sense for them.

Nets already have Claxton plus Sharpe and Clowney as developing young bigs, they have a desperate need for PGs, they only have Melton as Russell was only acquired to get draft picks off the Lakers and is probably not in their long term plans.

Teams that are picking do not think with this kind of Logic when picking players on potential in the top parts of the draft....If you like a player in your range and they are available you take them no matter "Fit" or who you have on your team....These teams picking in the 5-6-7-8 area are not good enough to pick players based on needs or fits....Its to get the best player with the highest upside....And Khaman just like Masai would have taken him over a few players in that range....Other teams will as well....When you are a bad team like the majority of these teams you pick BPA because every player on your roster is replaceable.

I disagree, BPA is going to subjective on the teams, not these fake draft experts that form their own list, fit definitely plays a factor when GMs are making their selections and not many teams infront of us are in the need for a prototypical C. I can see Queen going ahead because he has the ability to be a PF next to certain C's
Maluach should be on the board for us

Yeah for me i don't see him going past either the Wizards (Who think Sarr can play PF), Or the Pelicans (Who have a ton of guards and backup guards and zero backup bigs)....I think these 2 teams may fall in love with Maluach but thats just me looking at it objective....As soon as we dropped down to 9th i knew we were out of range for most of the guys with high potential...

Pelicans is my prediction where Mal will end up....They have Murray/CJ/Tre Murph/Hawkins/Bruce Brown/Jose Alvarado/Herb Jones/Zion/Yves Missi/35 year old over the hill Olynyk)

If you look at that team they have a glaring hole at that backup C or even the starting C spot....Why would they take a guard? Unless they think there is a guy that falls to them thats a must take....

Also the Nets i think they want Fears really bad....If Fears is taken before them who knows who they have 2nd on their board...Its possible they like Mal as well....

Just so many teams would have to pass on him for him to land in our laps its hard for me to see that being the case...

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Tre Johnson has a 38 inch vertical at 6'6 and shoots 40% from 3 on high difficulty shots. Ace is not going top 4 lol