2025 Draft Thread - Part 2

[80sballboy]

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That's an interesting comparison though I'd like to think that Deni is much faster.

[tontoz]

Deni is fast and strong enough to bully guys. Demin is neither. I wouldn't take him with any pick.

[AFM]

Excellent video for your lunch break

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He makes a good point that he does have good technique to guard on the perimeter. IE he won't just pack in the paint.

He is way higher on Queen than even I am--he has him 3rd on his board, and this is a post combine video.

[Rafael122]

I wouldn't bet the house on it, but it wouldn't shock me if Demin got drafted by the Jazz.

[payitforward]

Dat had Castle on his Do Not Draft list last year, and I disagreed with him on that decision, and I'll disagree with him on Tre Johnson this year. I have him in the DND bucket.

Looking at this tankathon profile, and he has negative marks for:
-Def. Rating ****
-Off. Rebounds ***
-Rebounds **
-Def. Win Shares **
-Def. Rebounds **
-2P% **
-Def. BPM *
-Steals *
-FTA Rate *
-FG% *
-Win Shares *
-Blocks *

I mean, where do I start here. For one, he is absolute dog poo on defense. He has not one strength on that end of the court, which is a massive red flag. I mean, even the most incompetent defender, like a Jordan Poole, is at least decent at getting steals. Tre didn't even muster a steal a game.

Secondly, his 2pt% and FTA rate is bad, and he shot more threes per game than free throws. He is totally reliant on his three point shot (like Poole) and if it isn't dropping, it's safe to say he's not doing much else. Poor finisher in the paint when he even tries to get there. Average handles for a guard.

I am not interested in that kid whatsoever.

'We often disagree, but I am with you on this one: I don't like Tre Johnson at all....

If someone wants him, I would use the fact as an opportunity to trade down from 6 (& up from both 18 & 40 if possible...).

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Queen is average on defense at best and he's not a great athlete. He's skilled but he's gonna slip because teams fall in love t with athletic freaks mid draft. I would take Kon at 6. And hope to maneuver for Queen later on. Or abandon that and take hasen yang he's a stud.

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Kon is unathletic. It's laughable to draft him with Kispert on the roster.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

A team with the luxury to gamble is going to be happy to take Queen, the logic of upside potential applies to him like any other FRP. Queen can still turn into a low-block monster when he fills-out and turns fat into muscle, dropping out of the lottery will really motivate him to do so.

Yep. Things are going to work out for the young man.

I honestly hope he doesn't end up with the Wizards.

[80sballboy]

Deni is fast and strong enough to bully guys. Demin is neither. I wouldn't take him with any pick.

True, but I can see the Giddey comparisons. Or a poor man's Giddey who was a poor shooter his first season and now he's shooting 38% from 3pt in his fourth season. Egor needs a year in the weight room to sniff those comparisons but it's all about projection. Deni has gotten much stronger over the years. It's unfair to compare a 19-year-old with a 24-year-old coming off his fifth season. I read on Deni's bio that he's 240 or so. No wonder he's bullying guys now. He was listed at 210 with the Wiz so I'm guessing that was off by about 20 pounds.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I see Fears as a poor man's Dame, assuming things go well.

Who was a #6 pick, btw....

I think Fears will be a better pro than Bub.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Watching the interview with Drake Powell during the Combine Scrimmage. I like him, he takes pride in his defense, says he wants to defend the other teams best player. Says he's ok with starting in the G league if he needs to develop more, says he's working on his shooting with Don Maclean. Not sure if he'd be available at 40, or could be in play at 18. He's a no brainer at 40 if he's there. Tested off the charts during the combine.

Watch on YouTube

THE Don MacClean?

IIRC Don MacLean and Tracy Murray are former Bullets, former UCLA Bruins, and both had 50-point games with Washington.

I'm hitting send without referring to a search engine....

EDITED- INCORRECT
Murray had a 50-point game. MacLean's career high was 38.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

If Queen drops to #18 you take him and party. He would be definitely worth a gamble at #18.

I know I'll be ecstatic.

[nate33]

Passing, shooting, feel for the game. I think you could run an offense through him if he develops.

One thing that does worry me is his slow foot speed, so "switchability" is an issue. The more I watch him the bigger the concern. Kinda moves me off wanting to take him in the first round. The NBA game is really fast.

At the Combine his shuttle time was decent, and in the scrimmage he switched out on guards on the perimeter and held his own. I think he plays a more physical style than Tristan and passes it better, but Tristan is a better shooter. I just don’t know what the deal is with Tristan, there seems to be some kind of hang up between him and the team. At the least I’d like someone that can come in and challenge him. I’d love Yang at 40.

Yang tested as more mobile than Maluach.

That's not saying much. Maluach is pretty immobile too. But at least Maluach is immobile while having a 7'-6" wingspan and a 9'-7" standing reach. Yang is immobile while having a wingspan no bigger than Bilal's.

[80sballboy]

Watching the interview with Drake Powell during the Combine Scrimmage. I like him, he takes pride in his defense, says he wants to defend the other teams best player. Says he's ok with starting in the G league if he needs to develop more, says he's working on his shooting with Don Maclean. Not sure if he'd be available at 40, or could be in play at 18. He's a no brainer at 40 if he's there. Tested off the charts during the combine.

Watch on YouTube

THE Don MacClean?

IIRC Don MacLean and Tracy Murray are former Bullets, former UCLA Bruins, and both had 50-point games with Washington.

I'm hitting send without referring to a search engine....

EDITED- INCORRECT
Murray had a 50-point game. MacLean's career high was 38.

Both bad defenders but geez, did MacLean have a quick release. He had to because he shot the ball from his chest.

[Frichuela]

If Queen drops to #18 you take him and party. He would be definitely worth a gamble at #18.

I know I'll be ecstatic.

Agreed. Despite his awful combine, If we stay at #6, I'd even consider Queen. This is provided our FO is convinced he is willing to go into a radical fitness and diet regime. His basketball IQ and feel for the game are top notch, and can not be taught, while his fit with Sarr is potentially great.

To be honest, the prospect of Queen at #6 excites me a lot more than Maluach, Fears or Tre Johnson...

Having said this, my gut feeling is that we may not pick #6 after all, as Dawkins&co are likely to trade up on draft day.

[tontoz]

At the Combine his shuttle time was decent, and in the scrimmage he switched out on guards on the perimeter and held his own. I think he plays a more physical style than Tristan and passes it better, but Tristan is a better shooter. I just don’t know what the deal is with Tristan, there seems to be some kind of hang up between him and the team. At the least I’d like someone that can come in and challenge him. I’d love Yang at 40.

Yang tested as more mobile than Maluach.

That's not saying much. Maluach is pretty immobile too. But at least Maluach is immobile while having a 7'-6" wingspan and a 9'-7" standing reach. Yang is immobile while having a wingspan no bigger than Bilal's.

Actually Maluach has a standing reach of 9'6. Yang is at 9'3.

Lane agility
Yang 11.79
Maluach 12.05

Shuttle
Yang 3.01
Maluach 3.44

Sprint
Yang 3.38
Maluach 3.5

I think the additional mobility is more than enough to make up for the 3" difference in standing reach.

[AFM]

"With the 18th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select... I'm sorry, I'm just reading what is written here...'he'll turn the low post to a scary scene and has pockets fatter than Dairy Queen'... Derik Queen..."

[nate33]

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That's an interesting comparison though I'd like to think that Deni is much faster.

Yeah, Deni was a terrific athlete. They don't have his combine scores, but I know the guy has to be one of the fastest in the league at the 3/4 sprint and I'd bet good money he had one of the better lane agility scores for a 6-9 guy.

Egor's athletic measurables are really bad. His 3/4 sprint only beats the centers in this draft class. His vertical leap is only 0.5 inches higher than Hansen Yang. His lane agility is okay at 11.3 - not great, but passible for a big-wing sized player. Maybe Egor can compare with Deni as an offensive player, but he will never be anywhere near as good defensively.

[AFM]

Egor is probably the least athletic name I've ever heard. Dude should be standing next to Dr. Frankenstein.

[nate33]

Yang tested as more mobile than Maluach.

That's not saying much. Maluach is pretty immobile too. But at least Maluach is immobile while having a 7'-6" wingspan and a 9'-7" standing reach. Yang is immobile while having a wingspan no bigger than Bilal's.

Actually Maluach has a standing reach of 9'6. Yang is at 9'3.

Lane agility
Yang 11.79
Maluach 12.05

Shuttle
Yang 3.01
Maluach 3.44

Sprint
Yang 3.38
Maluach 3.5

I think the additional mobility is more than enough to make up for the 3" difference in standing reach.

I mixed up the reach and wingspan measurements. Maluach has a 7-'7" wingspan and a 9'-6 reach (not 7-6 and 9-7). 3 inches of reach and 4 inches of wingspan is a big deal. Those couple of inches are the difference between blocking a shot and merely challenging a shot.

[dobrojim]

American Pie won a MIP right after Harvey Grant won it.