The Official 2025 NBA Draft Prospects Thread

Post #1 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Fri Jun 28, 2024 5:00 pm

Welcome to the 2025 draft prospects thread, discuss away.

SoCalJazzFan · Post #2 » by **SoCalJazzFan** » Fri Jun 28, 2024 9:06 pm

I just saw this article today.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/early-2025-nba-mock-draft-cooper-flagg-carries-zion-like-hype-but-he-faces-big-battle-to-go-no-1-overall/

Jazz currently predicted to get the #5 pick.

SoCalJazzFan · Post #3 » by **SoCalJazzFan** » Mon Jul 1, 2024 5:05 pm

A little primer for next year's draft. It is not just one dude.

https://clutchpoints.com/cooper-flagg-headlines-2025-nba-draft-prospects-nets-tank-for

Post #4 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Tue Jul 2, 2024 10:36 pm

Watch on YouTube

SoCalJazzFan · Post #5 » by **SoCalJazzFan** » Sun Jul 7, 2024 9:59 pm

There will be a lot of Tank for Flagg, or variations thereof, over the next many months, but I am not convinced that he will end up being the #1 pick. In fact, I could see Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecomb potentially being picked over him. I might even want the Jazz to pick one of those players if they luck into the #1 pick. Lots of time to see how it unfolds.

Catchall · Post #6 » by **Catchall** » Mon Jul 8, 2024 4:34 pm

Dylan Harper and Nolan Traore would both be good long-term PG solutions. Then Keyonte can play off the ball and focus on scoring and secondary creation.

I think Flagg is going to be good. I think he's a better all-around prospect than Jayson Tatum was.

Edgecomb could be like the Anthony Edwards or Donovan Mitchell of this draft class.

Jampod · Post #7 » by **Jampod** » Mon Jul 8, 2024 9:48 pm

Read on Twitter

Please may the draft gods look down upon us and grant us favor with the #1 overall pick next offseason.

AingesBurner · Post #8 » by **AingesBurner** » Tue Jul 9, 2024 1:35 am

Conspiracy theory:

A big market team that is projected at the 13th or 14th pick will magically get the #1 pick.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #9 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 6:31 pm

AingesBurner wrote:Conspiracy theory:

A big market team that is projected at the 13th or 14th pick will magically get the #1 pick.

List of big markets and if they own their picks this year

Lakers: Do not
Clippers: Do not
Knicks: Do not
Nets: Do, are tanking
Celtics: Are not missing the playoffs
Bulls: Do, are tanking
76ers: Are not missing the playoffs
Warriors: Do have their pick

Then we get into a bunch of "is this team even a big market...?" with the Hawks, Rockets, Raptors, Mavs, and Heat.

So no.

AingesBurner · Post #10 » by **AingesBurner** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 6:40 pm

HadAnEffectHere wrote:
AingesBurner wrote:Conspiracy theory:

A big market team that is projected at the 13th or 14th pick will magically get the #1 pick.

List of big markets and if they own their picks this year

Lakers: Do not
Clippers: Do not
Knicks: Do not
Nets: Do, are tanking
Celtics: Are not missing the playoffs
Bulls: Do, are tanking
76ers: Are not missing the playoffs
Warriors: Do have their pick

Then we get into a bunch of "is this team even a big market...?" with the Hawks, Rockets, Raptors, Mavs, and Heat.

So no.

GSW and Heat

HadAnEffectHere · Post #11 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Fri Jul 12, 2024 6:44 pm

I also love that the draft that will be rigged in favor of a big market is a somewhat flat draft that should be near even 1-3 and where the #1 prospect is OG Anunoby with better shooting off the dribble.

Like, OG Anunoby with better shooting off the dribble is a great player! Like top 15 in the NBA.

That's also one of the most boring #1 picks imaginable.

Also, Miami is a tiny market, they have no fans.

AingesBurner · Post #12 » by **AingesBurner** » Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:01 pm

HadAnEffectHere wrote:I also love that the draft that will be rigged in favor of a big market is a somewhat flat draft that should be near even 1-3 and where the #1 prospect is OG Anunoby with better shooting off the dribble.

Like, OG Anunoby with better shooting off the dribble is a great player! Like top 15 in the NBA.

That's also one of the most boring #1 picks imaginable.

Also, Miami is a tiny market, they have no fans.

Gotta disagree here. Miami is a big market for the NBA, Florida is a massive market.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #13 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:08 pm

No one watches sports in Florida at all outside of college football.

AingesBurner · Post #14 » by **AingesBurner** » Sat Jul 13, 2024 3:17 pm

HadAnEffectHere wrote:No one watches sports in Florida at all outside of college football.

It’s top 16 and with an upcoming star it would probably crack top 10.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #15 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Sat Jul 13, 2024 3:18 pm

AingesBurner wrote:
HadAnEffectHere wrote:No one watches sports in Florida at all outside of college football.

It’s top 16 and with an upcoming star it would probably crack top 10.

Flagg is between OG Anunoby and Jayson Tatum, would fans actually start going to Heat games if they added this type of play while losing Jimmy.

People in Miami just do not like basketball.

AingesBurner · Post #16 » by **AingesBurner** » Sat Jul 13, 2024 3:21 pm

I can’t find Miami market size during LeBrons reign but I imagine top 5.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #17 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 5:52 pm

I will say that after having watched a lot of these guys, this class is just extremely overrated.

It has the chance to be 2021-like, but anyone expecting MVP candidates or #1 guys on title teams is going to be very disappointed.

Flagg, Ace, Harper, and Traore all just are nowhere near athletic enough to be be #1 guys on contenders unless they have ridiculous skill growth (and I'm doubtful they can reach that level of skill growth)

Edgecombe is athletic enough, but he's a SF who has to transition to PG in the NBA so he's ultra raw and risky.

If you expect some of these guys to be Scottie Barnes or Cade Cunningham level, that's reasonable in terms of expectations. But expecting a ton more right now is too much.

If you think Lauri isn't good enough to be a #1 on a good team, then I think you need to have your expectations set much lower for this class as I think everyone other than maybe Edgecombe (who is the most boom/bust guy) will be around Lauri's level or worse.

Post #18 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:07 pm

It remains to be seen but it doesn't change where the Jazz are. They need an infusion of high-end talent and their best bet to do so is still through the draft.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #19 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:33 pm

Inigo Montoya wrote:It remains to be seen but it doesn't change where the Jazz are. They need an infusion of high-end talent and their best bet to do so is still through the draft.

I mean, frankly, unless the Jazz get one of the 10 best players in NBA history, they're never going to be true contenders, so settling for a 2nd round exit and never pretending they'll be more is probably their best path.

Post #20 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:56 pm

HadAnEffectHere wrote:
Inigo Montoya wrote:It remains to be seen but it doesn't change where the Jazz are. They need an infusion of high-end talent and their best bet to do so is still through the draft.

I mean, frankly, unless the Jazz get one of the 10 best players in NBA history, they're never going to be true contenders, so settling for a 2nd round exit and never pretending they'll be more is probably their best path.

That's pretty much what they've been doing for decades (but with the pretending). Personally, I won't support a franchise that has given up on trying to win a championship and is content to tread water in the 1st-2nd round range. And frankly, you don't need an executive like Ainge for that. If that was good enough they could have simply kept the Mitchell-Gobert team and I'm glad they didn't. It's ok to try and fail but if they don't even try then they can GTFO and move.