2025 NBA Draft Thread, part 1 – Capture the Flagg

[phincsfan]

Toppin (28) and Clayton (32) would be a very interesting draft for the C's. Two intense players who have the ability to shoot very well.

[Patsfan1081]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

[Patsfan1081]

Pessimistic take of the day number 28 and Xavier Tillman for number 45 and a future second if we’re lucky

Like I said before, Stevens is going to need 2nd round picks to move players like Tillman, maybe Walsh so I’m expecting Stevens to do what he did a few years ago and keep trading down from #28 collecting 2nd round picks.

Celtics will probably end up with #31 and something like #38.

That’s what I’m expecting.

Tillman has a 2.6 expiring contract next year, Walsh has two team options left. They ended up trading back and getting nothing rotational wise out of that draft. The real way to save money is to hit on Al’s replacement so they don’t have to bring him back at 8/9 mill or develop Baylor to the point that makes Hauser expendable.

[Celts17Pride]

Pessimistic take of the day number 28 and Xavier Tillman for number 45 and a future second if we’re lucky

Like I said before, Stevens is going to need 2nd round picks to move players like Tillman, maybe Walsh so I’m expecting Stevens to do what he did a few years ago and keep trading down from #28 collecting 2nd round picks.

Celtics will probably end up with #31 and something like #38.

That’s what I’m expecting.

Tillman has a 2.6 expiring contract next year, Walsh has two team options left. They ended up trading back and getting nothing rotational wise out of that draft. The real way to save money is to hit on Al’s replacement so they don’t have to bring him back at 8/9 mill or develop Baylor to the point that makes Hauser expendable.

Horford will be back, the only question is what the Celtics pay him.

[playa-hater]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

finally! someone who speaks my language.

[playa-hater]

Toppin (28) and Clayton (32) would be a very interesting draft for the C's. Two intense players who have the ability to shoot very well.

updated mock from Sports Illustrated, that has your picks.

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/mock-drafts-big-boards/2025-nba-mock-draft-two-round-projections-after-the-ncaa-tournament

[playa-hater]

Updated from Bleacher .. Boston going Bigman twice

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25180648-2025-nba-mock-draft-2-round-predictions-and-pro-comps-after-ncaa-championship

[Kalela]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

Absolutely. The Celtics should be aiming to trade up for a young talent. Unfortunately, the Celtic's current assets make that nearly impossible. Landing a player like Khaman Maluach would be a game-changer, but it's a long shot. I was genuinely surprised by how significantly he influenced Duke's games, both in the tournament and throughout the season.

[Larry_Russell]

We kind of need to draft a bigman with the potential to step outside and make shots.

[165bows]

Clayton went from the only player since Larry Bird to score 30 points or more in the great 8 and final 4 and yet somehow doesn't have a field goal..

Houston has the no. 1 defense in college basketball and they swarmed him all game, didn't let him get any looks. They blitzed him, threw doubles at him all game, etc.

It was a good strategy - make Clayton pass the ball - make their other guys beat you. It almost worked, but luckily for Florida they have enough other offensive weapons..and Houston didn't have enough offensive weapons. Florida just a slightly more talented team.

Good game. Florida had a hell of a season.

Al is pumped that his gators won.

First NCAA title for Florida since Al was on the team.

Mazzulla would be happy about Clayton, guy was 10th in all of college hoops in total 3PA. Not sure the team needs another pg without a trade but he'd fit right in lol.

[Celts17Pride]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

Because you are just as likely to get the same impactful type player at 28 as you would at 35-38 without the guaranteed salary for multiple years while adding useful 2nd round picks.

[phincsfan]

If the C's scout well and find the guy who fits their system that could be with the 28th pick or the 32nd pick. It's all relative to the team who is doing the drafting.

I've seen GG Jackson and Jaylen Wells name thrown out a lot as players who the C's missed on. Those players were given lots of minutes due to injuries, that would not have been the case in Boston.

A top 3 pick does not guarantee success the same way that a pick between 28 and 32 doesn't guarantee a long shot. If they scout well the C's can draft an impactful player.

[Hal14]

Pessimistic take of the day number 28 and Xavier Tillman for number 45 and a future second if we’re lucky

Like I said before, Stevens is going to need 2nd round picks to move players like Tillman, maybe Walsh so I’m expecting Stevens to do what he did a few years ago and keep trading down from #28 collecting 2nd round picks.

Celtics will probably end up with #31 and something like #38.

That’s what I’m expecting.

Tillman has a 2.6 expiring contract next year, Walsh has two team options left. They ended up trading back and getting nothing rotational wise out of that draft. The real way to save money is to hit on Al’s replacement so they don’t have to bring him back at 8/9 mill or develop Baylor to the point that makes Hauser expendable.

Trading back and using some of those picks we acquired to get Tillman was a win.

While Tillman is out of the rotation now, he provided some valuable rotation mins last reg season and last postseason. He helped us win a championship. With a big shot vs the Mavericks and some solid defense.

You can't ask for much more than that from any player we could've taken that late in the draft.

Tillman has struggled this season, but that's probably just due to the knee injury, which has gotten worse after we traded for him..he needed surgery last summer, which we couldn't have predicted before the trade.

And we were probably still drafting Walsh, even if we didn't trade back. So trading back, picking up assets and taking a good prospect (who many felt like he was a 1st round talent) but taking him in the 2nd round so you can avoid giving him a guaranteed contract and you can pay him less $ was savvy GM'ing..

[Hal14]

Absolutely. The Celtics should be aiming to trade up for a young talent. Unfortunately, the Celtic's current assets make that nearly impossible. Landing a player like Khaman Maluach would be a game-changer, but it's a long shot. I was genuinely surprised by how significantly he influenced Duke's games, both in the tournament and throughout the season.

Maluach is a 7'2" guy who had 0 rebounds in Duke's semi-final loss to Houston. He was a -20 in that game.

Has good potential but definitely a project.

[Hal14]

Toppin (28) and Clayton (32) would be a very interesting draft for the C's. Two intense players who have the ability to shoot very well.

I wouldn't say "very well" about Toppin's shooting. If he could really shoot it that well, he would be off the board before our pick.

He's got some shooting upside. But the fact that he is not a great shooter is part of the reason why he's a late 1st round pick, at best.

Career numbers: 63% FT, 33.3% from 3, just 1.9 3PA/40 mins. All of those numbers are low. Especially the the FT shooting and 3PA volume.

He also has a pretty slow release on his 3 ball, so it'll be harder for him to egt that shot off in the NBA, vs faster, more athletic defenders.

Good player. And I wouldn't hate it if we took him in like the 28-32 range.

But I wouldn't say he shoots it very well.

[djFan71]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

Because you are just as likely to get the same impactful type player at 28 as you would at 35-38 without the guaranteed salary for multiple years while adding useful 2nd round picks.

And trade ups are pretty rare. It's great to say we should trade up and get a better player. It's just not usually super feasible to do so. You have to have all the options ready:

- A few trade up targets and see if you can buck the odds and make it happen.
- A few guys you hope slip and are willing to give a 1st round contract to and grab at 28.
- If neither of those happen, you have a few trade back scenarios lined up and hope the other teams' guys at 28 are still there for them.

[Smart2Nesmith43]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

Curious as to :
1/ How far you think the Celtics can move up from 28 by using the Wizards second rounder.
2/ Which player would be available at that spot that wouldn't also be available at 28.
3/ What you think the probability is that that player would develop into a rotation piece.
4/ What you think the probability is that the player the Celtics would pick at 28 would develop into a rotation piece.

[Dogen]

Why anyone would be fine with this team trading down is beyond me. They’ve hadn’t hit on a rotational player since PP and are desperate for cheap impactful players. You have to field a roster, they’re not going to use picks to get off low end salaries when they’re so far from the apron and really have little room any other way to add any sort of impactful talent. Move up and hit on a rotational big.

Absolutely. The Celtics should be aiming to trade up for a young talent. Unfortunately, the Celtic's current assets make that nearly impossible. Landing a player like Khaman Maluach would be a game-changer, but it's a long shot. I was genuinely surprised by how significantly he influenced Duke's games, both in the tournament and throughout the season.

Yes, it would be great to be able to move up and get more of a sure thing rotation player, but like last year I don't think the Celtics have the assets to get into that range. There is enough parity in this draft so that it's likely that a big will be there at 28 or 32. In fact, it could be a draft where moving back into second round to get two player and have a future second might be the way to go.

I'd be fine if the team took a chance on a young high upside underclassman to develop in the backcourt (Pettiford, Philon?), but it looks like there could be a choice of solid high floor/low ceiling/affordable contract guys in the second round that have a few years under their belt and may be able to fill a need in the next year or two while the team is still in the mix with the current core.

A high post passing big with three point capabilities to back up AH and KP would be nice. Raynaud is likely in early second. Maybe Lahkin? Haugh?

Adou Thiero is starting to look like a deal in the mid-second to me. I know the team wants shooting, shooting, more shooting, and there may be guys like Clayton available a bit earlier, but Thiero seems to be a good athletic, defensive, driving beast that can compliment what we already have with Payton, Baylor and Sam.

[redslastlaugh]

Walter Clayton getting Shabazz Napier comps after the win.
It is Jon Givony making the comp in his mock draft released today...

edit: on the plus side, i think this comp is saying Clayton raised his stock in the tourney that now he's gonna go 1st round. on the minus side, the implication is that he doesnt deserve that slot and his game isn't likely to translate. that's a tough comp, not gonna lie, because I like Clayton.

Read on Twitter

[Hal14]

Adou Thiero is starting to look like a deal in the mid-second to me. I know the team wants shooting, shooting, more shooting, and there may be guys like Clayton available a bit earlier, but Thiero seems to be a good athletic, defensive, driving beast that can compliment what we already have with Payton, Baylor and Sam.

Pass.

Let's look at the guys we've had who are non-bigs with significant shooting questions:

Banton
Lamar Stevens
Springer
Begarin
Walsh
Brissett
Juancho Hernangomez
JD Davison

All have struggled to crack the rotation or haven't even been brought over..most are now gone.

Even watson, who was technically a big - gone

And Svi was a good shooter before Boston, but didn't shoot well here, so he was glued to the bench and then gone

Tillman is a big. But he's not a lob catcher/rim protector type of big (Kornet, Queta) and isn't shooting it well (like Al and KP can) so he's glued to the bench.

The guys who have gotten the lion's share of rotation mins: tatum, brown, white, Jrue, Al, pritchard, hauser, Grant williams, KP..all can shoot

Thiero is basically like a combination of Walsh, Brissett and Springer. I don't see it happening - unless it's just like an UDFA pickup..