2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 6

[Psubs]

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Trade down and get 2 picks for Traore/Beringer. That would be a great draft

How much better is Beringer going to be oer Ousmane Dieng who was drafted at #11 for the same reasons.

Dieng is still 1 year away from being 1 year away.

[mademan]

Read on Twitter

Trade down and get 2 picks for Traore/Beringer. That would be a great draft

How much better is Beringer going to be oer Ousmane Dieng who was drafted at #11 for the same reasons.

Dieng is still 1 year away from being 1 year away.

Dieng was drafted for his length hoping he could be a perimeter talent who's skills you could work on. Beringer is just a defensive big who blocks shots, rebounds, rim protects and has good hands on offense. imo, he has the best defensive potential of all the bigs in this draft after CMB

[Dalek]

Kind of outlier thinking but I guess it depends on how much you value self-creation if you take the Queen's gambit. Let's take a look at Derik Queen versus Rasheer Fleming?

Both around the same size and weight 6'8 to 6'9 and around 240 lbs with a significant edge to Fleming on run and jump vertical, second leap, and wingspan which is likely an two inches longer at 7'3ish.

We know Fleming can shoot threes already at a high clip of 43%. He averages a more than a block and steal per game. All stuff that Queen is behind on.

Fleming 70% at the rim with 43-45 dunks.
Queen 68% at the rim with 39-43 dunks.

Queen derives most of his scoring in the paint and does not even dunk it that much. By comparison Maluach was 81-91 on dunks so about double Queen's output.

Fleming is a finisher with dunks and threes and he defends hard covering way more ground than Queen.

I think the skills you hang your hat on with Queen are the passing and face-up creation, but I wonder if Fleming's spacing and defense is more valuable and malleable to team like Toronto? Just to note Fleming is only 6 months older than Queen.

[Dalek]

I'm going to plant my flag and say CMB is my favorite player in the draft. I'm just so very impressed each time I see film. He does incredible things on the court and he plays the game very well but he's hard to project because of size for his position and lack of shooting. Him, Kon, and Flagg know how to play 5 on 5 very well.

I am with you on CMB. Maybe not my favorite in the whole draft but I love his game and followed his growth from year one to two. I just note that guys like Herb Jones and Ryan Dunn made huge strides shooting once they hit the league so why wouldn't CMB?

[dohboy_24]

We spent the entire year trying to move up by intentionally losing games and now people want LOWER picks? What is with this board. I see this every year with people here falling in love with some end of first round prospect, let me tell you about the year everyone here fell in love with Roko Ukić and wanted us to use our first round pick on him. His entire career was 85 games in the NBA after he stayed overseas for 3 years and he exited with a negative VORP and negative Win Shares. But one offseason everyone here was massively excited for us to draft him, let me tell you!

Yes, I was a fan during that time and remember those and many other blunders throughout the years - beginning with Raptors fans preference for Charles O'Bannon over the eventual ROY Mighty Mouse during the team's first ever draft.

None the less, I would personally prefer to have the opportunity to draft two (2) first round prospects from the mid-to-late first round than a single one from the middle of the lottery.

#7 pick - One of either: Derik Queen | Khaman Maluach | Jeremiah Fears | Kaspars Jakucionis | Jase Richardson | Tre Johnson | Kon Knueppel

VS

#13-#16 - One of either: Nolan Traore | Egor Demin | Asa Newell | Noa Essengue | Thomas Sorber | Joan Beringer
+ PLUS +
#22-#25 - One of either: Carter Bryant | Will Riley | Ben Saraf | Nique Clifford | Noah Penda | Rasheer Fleming | Labaron Philon | Alex Condon | Adou Thiero | Miles Byrd

While the upside of the prospects available at #7 is probably going to be higher, I'd rather have more than one opportunity to hit on a prospect and would be willing to drop out of the lottery in exchange for 2 first round picks and the chance to draft another player who can be part of the long-term plans and outlook for this team.

[ciueli]

We spent the entire year trying to move up by intentionally losing games and now people want LOWER picks? What is with this board. I see this every year with people here falling in love with some end of first round prospect, let me tell you about the year everyone here fell in love with Roko Ukić and wanted us to use our first round pick on him. His entire career was 85 games in the NBA after he stayed overseas for 3 years and he exited with a negative VORP and negative Win Shares. But one offseason everyone here was massively excited for us to draft him, let me tell you!

Yes, I was a fan during that time and remember those and many other blunders throughout the years - beginning with Raptors fans preference for Charles O'Bannon over the eventual ROY Mighty Mouse during the team's first ever draft.

None the less, I would personally prefer to have the opportunity to draft two (2) first round prospects from the mid-to-late first round than a single one from the middle of the lottery.

#7 pick - One of either: Derik Queen | Khaman Maluach | Jeremiah Fears | Kaspars Jakucionis | Jase Richardson | Tre Johnson | Kon Knueppel

VS

#13-#16 - One of either: Nolan Traore | Egor Demin | Asa Newell | Noa Essengue | Thomas Sorber | Joan Beringer
+ PLUS +
#22-#25 - One of either: Carter Bryant | Will Riley | Ben Saraf | Nique Clifford | Noah Penda | Rasheer Fleming | Labaron Philon | Alex Condon | Adou Thiero | Miles Byrd

While the upside of the prospects available at #7 is probably going to be higher, I'd rather have more than one opportunity to hit on a prospect and would be willing to drop out of the lottery in exchange for 2 first round picks and the chance to draft another player who can be part of the long-term plans and outlook for this team.

We already have a ton of young players on this roster though, a lot of players we are trying to develop at the same time as we want to get back to winning. This next season is not going to be like the past two, minutes for young unproven players will be cut as Masai and Darko try to get this roster into the playoffs or at least the play-in, I expect a somewhat tight rotation of BBQ + Ingram, Poeltl, and then 3-4 bench players who will have to fight for minutes behind the starters.

We already have two picks in this draft, I don't see the point in adding even more young players when the ones we already have will be fighting for minutes, they will just get sent to the G-League and only play in garbage time, probably for years. Now is the time to focus on quality in the draft, not quantity.

[Syd-TK3]

I've done way too many Tankathon sims that result in the Spurs at #1

[TimeForChange]

Read on Twitter

[dohboy_24]

We already have a ton of young players on this roster though, a lot of players we are trying to develop at the same time as we want to get back to winning. This next season is not going to be like the past two, minutes for young unproven players will be cut as Masai and Darko try to get this roster into the playoffs or at least the play-in, I expect a somewhat tight rotation of BBQ + Ingram, Poeltl, and then 3-4 bench players who will have to fight for minutes behind the starters.

We already have two picks in this draft, I don't see the point in adding even more young players when the ones we already have will be fighting for minutes, they will just get sent to the G-League and only play in garbage time, probably for years. Now is the time to focus on quality in the draft, not quantity.

If BI3 is going to be our #1 offensive weapon with Scottie (#2), RJ (#3), IQ (#4) and Yak (#5) playing their respective roles and our bench is pretty much set with a rotation of Shead - Walter - Dick - Ochai - Mogbo - Chomche, there aren't really going to be many minutes for anyone we draft or players like Jared Rhoden, AJ Lawson, Jamison Battle, and Colin Castleton who contributed off the bench at the end of this season.

Thankfully we have spots available on the 905 and whoever we draft can learn, contribute and grow playing games in the G-league just the same as they could if given the chance to play minutes in the NBA just the same as Shead, Mogbo, and Walter have this season due to injuries.

STARTERS:
IQ - 30 mins
RJ - 30 mins
Ingram - 30 mins
Scottie - 30 mins
Poeltl - 30 mins

BENCH:
Shead - 16 minutes
Walter - 16 minutes
Dick - 16 minutes
Ochai - 16 minutes
Mogbo - 16 minutes
Chomche - 10 minutes

905:
Rhoden
Lawson
Battle
Castleton
2025 1st round pick (#13- #16)
2025 1st round pick (#22 - #25)
2025 2nd round pick (#39)

[ForeverTFC]

We already have a ton of young players on this roster though, a lot of players we are trying to develop at the same time as we want to get back to winning. This next season is not going to be like the past two, minutes for young unproven players will be cut as Masai and Darko try to get this roster into the playoffs or at least the play-in, I expect a somewhat tight rotation of BBQ + Ingram, Poeltl, and then 3-4 bench players who will have to fight for minutes behind the starters.

We already have two picks in this draft, I don't see the point in adding even more young players when the ones we already have will be fighting for minutes, they will just get sent to the G-League and only play in garbage time, probably for years. Now is the time to focus on quality in the draft, not quantity.

If BI3 is going to be our #1 offensive weapon with Scottie (#2), RJ (#3), IQ (#4) and Yak (#5) playing their respective roles and our bench is pretty much set with a rotation of Shead - Walter - Dick - Ochai - Mogbo - Chomche, there aren't really going to be many minutes for anyone we draft or players like Jared Rhoden, AJ Lawson, Jamison Battle, and Colin Castleton who contributed off the bench at the end of this season.

Thankfully we have spots available on the 905 and whoever we draft can learn, contribute and grow playing games in the G-league just the same as they could if given the chance to play minutes in the NBA just the same as Shead, Mogbo, and Walter have this season due to injuries.

STARTERS:
IQ - 30 mins
RJ - 30 mins
Ingram - 30 mins
Scottie - 30 mins
Poeltl - 30 mins

BENCH:
Shead - 16 minutes
Walter - 16 minutes
Dick - 16 minutes
Ochai - 16 minutes
Mogbo - 16 minutes
Chomche - 10 minutes

905:
Rhoden
Lawson
Battle
Castleton
2025 1st round pick (#13- #16)
2025 1st round pick (#22 - #25)
2025 2nd round pick (#39)

Ingram and IQ need volume and we still want Scottie to take his fair share of shots. It was already hard enough to distribute usage between IQ/Barrett/Scottie and we're introducing an option above them all. That starting lineup just doesn't make sense. And RJ really is the odd man out as you'd like to get shooting and defense into the 2 spot.

IQ/Shead
Ochai/Walter
Ingram/Dick
Scottie/Battle
Poeltl/Mogbo/Chomche

Bring in another wing/big and let them compete. Consolidate after the season. Rotations will tighten up and they will look to win, but development will not make a back seat. Both Masai and Darko talked about the '25 AND '26 draft being critical for our future.

[Godaddycurse]

Both Masai and Darko talked about the '25 AND '26 draft being critical for our future.

Pretty sure that was before they got Ingram

[MainEvent]

We already have a ton of young players on this roster though, a lot of players we are trying to develop at the same time as we want to get back to winning. This next season is not going to be like the past two, minutes for young unproven players will be cut as Masai and Darko try to get this roster into the playoffs or at least the play-in, I expect a somewhat tight rotation of BBQ + Ingram, Poeltl, and then 3-4 bench players who will have to fight for minutes behind the starters.

We already have two picks in this draft, I don't see the point in adding even more young players when the ones we already have will be fighting for minutes, they will just get sent to the G-League and only play in garbage time, probably for years. Now is the time to focus on quality in the draft, not quantity.

If BI3 is going to be our #1 offensive weapon with Scottie (#2), RJ (#3), IQ (#4) and Yak (#5) playing their respective roles and our bench is pretty much set with a rotation of Shead - Walter - Dick - Ochai - Mogbo - Chomche, there aren't really going to be many minutes for anyone we draft or players like Jared Rhoden, AJ Lawson, Jamison Battle, and Colin Castleton who contributed off the bench at the end of this season.

Thankfully we have spots available on the 905 and whoever we draft can learn, contribute and grow playing games in the G-league just the same as they could if given the chance to play minutes in the NBA just the same as Shead, Mogbo, and Walter have this season due to injuries.

STARTERS:
IQ - 30 mins
RJ - 30 mins
Ingram - 30 mins
Scottie - 30 mins
Poeltl - 30 mins

BENCH:
Shead - 16 minutes
Walter - 16 minutes
Dick - 16 minutes
Ochai - 16 minutes
Mogbo - 16 minutes
Chomche - 10 minutes

905:
Rhoden
Lawson
Battle
Castleton
2025 1st round pick (#13- #16)
2025 1st round pick (#22 - #25)
2025 2nd round pick (#39)

No way are we guaranteeing Mogbo and Chomche's minutes and saying there aren't many left if we draft a big early in the 1st. There's no shot they are our first 2 bigs off the bench next season

[djsunyc]

does queen max out as zach randolph?

[Tripod]

Yeah we don't need more "depth" to fight for spots. There is enough that we will have lots of internal competition as is.

We need a backup C....Chomche and Mogbo are not it. After that, let guys battle it out.

And some ignore...we will RARELY have a healthy team. Few teams ever do. So there will be minutes for guys. It's why I am keeping RJ unlike some. I am not just letting go a 24 year old capable of getting 20+ pts. When Ingram or Barnes miss games, we will be happy to have him around.

Personally I too would have him as the 1st bench guy if fully healthy just for better roster balance. But he still likely starts 20-40 games as injuries happen.

But really, until the draft lottery happens. Then the draft and offseason, doing lineups is futile as it will change.

Masai drawing up a sneaky trade...I know it! Lol.

[notagenius]

So the deadline to declare for the draft is tonight...

Has maluach declared yet?

Sent from my SM-S918W using RealGM mobile app

[sofargone]

carter bryant and malauch still havent declared

11:59 deadline.

[Psubs]

Kind of outlier thinking but I guess it depends on how much you value self-creation if you take the Queen's gambit. Let's take a look at Derik Queen versus Rasheer Fleming?

Both around the same size and weight 6'8 to 6'9 and around 240 lbs with a significant edge to Fleming on run and jump vertical, second leap, and wingspan which is likely an two inches longer at 7'3ish.

We know Fleming can shoot threes already at a high clip of 43%. He averages a more than a block and steal per game. All stuff that Queen is behind on.

Fleming 70% at the rim with 43-45 dunks.
Queen 68% at the rim with 39-43 dunks.

Queen derives most of his scoring in the paint and does not even dunk it that much. By comparison Maluach was 81-91 on dunks so about double Queen's output.

Fleming is a finisher with dunks and threes and he defends hard covering way more ground than Queen.

I think the skills you hang your hat on with Queen are the passing and face-up creation, but I wonder if Fleming's spacing and defense is more valuable and malleable to team like Toronto? Just to note Fleming is only 6 months older than Queen.

I'm fine with Fleming being like a Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire elite roll player. Trade down for Fleming and Bryant. Trade Ochai for Condon.

[Psubs]

carter bryant and malauch still havent declared

11:59 deadline.

[ArthurVandelay]

So the deadline to declare for the draft is tonight...

Has maluach declared yet?

Sent from my SM-S918W using RealGM mobile app

I don’t think so but this gives some insights as to the why not….

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com/2025/4/26/24417431/khaman-maluachs-2025-nba-draft-cooper-flagg-kon-knueppel-tyrese-proctor-south-sudan-student-visa

[CazOnReal]

There's barely an hour left for Khaman Malauch to declare.

F*ck Donald Trump either way.