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Tim Lehrbach wrote:Just some fanciful thinking but is there a team that would consider trading out of the top three for something like Sharpe, Clingan, and #10? I'm desperate to get into the top three lol.
zzaj wrote:Tim Lehrbach wrote:Just some fanciful thinking but is there a team that would consider trading out of the top three for something like Sharpe, Clingan, and #10? I'm desperate to get into the top three lol.
I think any team would have to consider that...although I feel like Sharpe may have lost value this season, both with a lack of progression and extension starting to loom.
BlazersBroncos wrote:zzaj wrote:Tim Lehrbach wrote:Just some fanciful thinking but is there a team that would consider trading out of the top three for something like Sharpe, Clingan, and #10? I'm desperate to get into the top three lol.
I think any team would have to consider that...although I feel like Sharpe may have lost value this season, both with a lack of progression and extension starting to loom.
I disagree. If teams by and large see this as a draft w/ 3 potential franchise cornerstones your not getting one by aggregating some lesser value guys.
Albeit, it takes only 1 team to not see the draft that way.
He averages 1.039 in points per possession in total offense, which grades out as “Very Good” per Synergy Sport’s grading system. Johnson can score in a variety of ways, and he has shown some versatility in the role that he can play for a team. He’s a high-volume scorer, leading a senior-laden Texas basketball program in scoring by nearly 100 points. He’s doing this with shooting splits of 45/38/89.
You cannot leave Tre open. Johnson is only left open on about 38% of his jumpers, and he hits on about 38% of such shots. That “only” grades out as average, but his shot-making in other areas suggests that he will be a reliable threat from distance and will absolutely punish teams that sag off of him
The likelihood that Johnson comes into the NBA as a lead facilitator isn’t the highest, so there may be a higher probability that his assists come as a second-side creator.
This exemplifies the 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio we see Tre tout right now. His assist percentage is “only” at a 14.4 rate, but this closely mirrors other freshmen players of his archetype. In fact, his assist numbers top what Devin Booker (10.9), Zach LaVine (12.6), Bradley Beal (12.7), and Malik Monk (13.3) put up in their only year in college. He also boasts a lower turnover percentage than what they put up, per Bart Torvik.
Per Synergy, Tre only allows 0.788 points per possession and an opponent field goal percentage of 36.3%. That grades out as “Very Good” per Synergy.
Like many freshmen before him, Tre Johnson needs to get stronger. He needs to hone in his defensive discipline. I’d love for him to be more aggressive on the glass. However, he has dynamic scoring ability. He is a special shooter. Tre does a fantastic job of moving the ball as a secondary option. There is some potential for him to become more of an on-ball guy. There is something there with tools and potential defensively.
BlazersBroncos wrote:zzaj wrote:Tim Lehrbach wrote:Just some fanciful thinking but is there a team that would consider trading out of the top three for something like Sharpe, Clingan, and #10? I'm desperate to get into the top three lol.
I think any team would have to consider that...although I feel like Sharpe may have lost value this season, both with a lack of progression and extension starting to loom.
I disagree. If teams by and large see this as a draft w/ 3 potential franchise cornerstones your not getting one by aggregating some lesser value guys.
Albeit, it takes only 1 team to not see the draft that way.
I’m very interested in Liam McNeeley. Looks like another Deni.
The way y’all underrate Sharpe no wonder this board is dead lol.
Tim Lehrbach wrote:Just some fanciful thinking but is there a team that would consider trading out of the top three for something like Sharpe, Clingan, and #10? I'm desperate to get into the top three lol.
elias808 wrote:I’m very interested in Liam McNeeley. Looks like another Deni.
Pattycakes wrote:Tim Lehrbach wrote:Just some fanciful thinking but is there a team that would consider trading out of the top three for something like Sharpe, Clingan, and #10? I'm desperate to get into the top three lol.
I hate that deal for us. Maybe one of Clingan or Sharpe and even that is gut wrenching.
Noa Essengue | F | Ratiopharm Ulm
Profile: 6’9”, 200
Year: 2006 Born (18)
Stats (as of 2/11/25):
10.3 PTS | 4.8 REB | 1.2 AST | 1.0 STL | 0.6 BLK
50.2 FG% | 22.4 3P% | 69.9 FT%
35 Games | 23.6 MIN
Stephen: The Trail Blazers have a ton of young talent that are starting to figure out a pecking order. Scoot is averaging around 13 and 5 while shooting almost 37% from deep. Toumani Camara has blossomed into a reliable and impactful rotational player. Shaedon Sharpe is second on the team in scoring. Donovan Clingan has shown the level of efficiency and defensive prowess that many were high on—not to mention that their vets are all mostly contributing to a solid level. It feels like this team can continue their draft philosophy of going with upside. Noa Essengue fits that bill.
That’s not to say that he isn’t producing already. Listed at 6’10”, Essengue is averaging 12 PPG, 5 RPG, 1 APG, and 2 stocks per game. He is an athlete to boot. He has converted on 48 of 51 dunk attempts, grades in the 74th percentile at the rim, and is in the 89th percentile on 72 transition opportunities. He is a little skinny, but Portland has some forward depth that can allow him to build his strength and grow acclimated to NBA physicality.
Adding Edgecombe to the perimeter, alongside the likes of Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, gives the Hornets a serious boost moving forward.
Questions remain about how much of a project Maluach could be, but his potential is worthy of an upside swing; his tools and projectable role also align with Toronto’s needs.
Jakucionis’s feel for the game and playmaking ability could give Brooklyn the steady floor general they’ve been missing.
Demin has the type of future the Thunder front office has bet on time and time again in the draft. If Demin is still available at this pick, he feels like the most Thunder prospect left on the board.
Rolling out a defensive lineup of Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, and Asa Newell sounds incredibly fun, and that’s ignoring what Newell can grow into on the offensive end, given his shooting and passing potential.
There might not be a better landing spot for Fears to maximize his talent while learning how to become a long-time pro both on and off the floor than Miami. It wasn't too long ago, after all, that the Heat struck gold by drafting another young guard from Illinois in Dwayne Wade.
While Knueppel’s defense is below-average and therefore doesn’t conform to Nico Harrison’s recently stated belief in defense winning championships, he does have good size and competes on that end. Knueppel’s shooting and playmaking would be a boost to a Dallas team with plenty of offensive question marks now going forward.
Despite the lack of production, Arizona freshman forward Carter Bryant should have a bundle of fans in NBA front offices. Bryant has been fantastic for Arizona when he’s been on the court, standing out with his ability to make winning plays.
Richardson is another player who is quickly rising up boards and could end up in\near the lotteryMichigan State freshman Jase Richardson has become one of the more intriguing prospects in this class. Richardson has been extremely efficient throughout the year despite heavy minutes. As the year has gone on, Richardson has continued to stand out with his feel for the game and ability to make winning plays.
I think Essengue is interesting but, at #9? Not a fan of that pick would rather see them target Asa Newell or Liam McNeeley there
NBA fit and intel: Winning 10 of their past 13 games, the Blazers have vaulted into the middle of the lottery pack. Portland doesn't have a ton of playmaking on its roster outside of Scoot Henderson (who has started to flash promise in his second season), and adding a change-of-pace ball handler with size could be an interesting long-term play. There's certainly less duplication with Demin than there would be with some of the other guards left on the board here, and his upside tied to his frame and impressive passing vision would hold appeal for Portland and other teams through his ups and downs.
NBA fit and intel: Edgecombe's athletic, slashing style would be a compelling fit in Charlotte, giving the Hornets a high-energy, competitive, two-way shooting guard to slide in between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. His strong flashes of upside in recent weeks have reaffirmed his appeal at the top of the draft. The fit here on paper is strong, with Charlotte still in the talent-gathering stage of its rebuild.
NBA fit and intel: Toronto's addition of Brandon Ingram at the deadline positions the Raptors to push for the playoffs as soon as next season, but they will presumably slow-play that process in the interest of one more strong chance at the top of the lottery. Jakucionis on a rookie deal might eventually provide better value than the highly paid Immanuel Quickley, and he would give Toronto a true pass-first point guard the roster presently lacks. The Raptors could benefit from adding a playmaker to reduce stress on Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
Once the top names in this group are off the board, Knueppel's shooting and offensive feel could make him an appealing building block. His skill set would make sense for whichever direction the Nets choose, whether that's returning to relevance in the short term or waiting another year before cashing in their stockpile of assets. Part of the appeal with Knueppel is his near-universal fit as an off-ball scorer.
Chicago got the San Antonio Spurs to lift their rights to this pick (previously top-10 protected) as part of the three-team De'Aaron Fox/Zach LaVine trade.
Maluach, the clear top rim-protecting prospect, would fill a void, giving a young roster a long-term defensive backbone. The Bulls have been without a defensive-minded big for some time, with this era largely defined by their trade for Nikola Vucevic in 2021.
His flashes of talent will have to outweigh his shortcomings from a physical and defensive perspective, but he'd have the opportunity to learn behind Fox and eventually pair with the bigger and more defensive-minded Stephon Castle.
Adding a high-upside young interior defender in Beringer, who could take on some responsibility in the paint and allow Victor Wembanyama to handle a more versatile defensive role, would give the Spurs a different dimension. Beringer's upside and ability to defend bigger bodies would make him an intriguing option as a young rim protector on the right timeline with the rest of the team's core players.
Adding a tough, smart, versatile ball-mover such as McNeeley would be a good move as the Hawks build out tall perimeter lineups around Trae Young.
Should Traore wind up falling toward the back of the lottery, he becomes an interesting value play for teams looking to swing big on his playmaking talent. Though Dallas will still likely need to add an older guard in the offseason to create offense, a chance to develop Traore in a low-pressure situation as a high-upside depth addition
The Thunder are again selecting from a position of strength -- attempting to add to a well-balanced younger roster -- and could see value in bringing in a natural glue guy such as Gonzalez, who would presumably be content to fill in the blanks and supply energy.
Essengue has the type of skilled, physical blueprint NBA teams are often willing to take a chance on. Landing with a patient organization might be the ideal outcome for him as he adds strength and develops his offensive game.
One of the advantages the Thunder have (in addition to creative coaching) is the ability to afford those types of prospects time and patience. Given how much talent it has across the roster and the amount of future draft capital it still holds, Oklahoma City is an optimal situation for a player like this, albeit actually finding NBA minutes might take time
While it's unclear whether Brooklyn will actually make all four of their first-round picks (it's a reasonable guess they'll consolidate in some way), the Nets should be looking to invest in developmental players such as Bryant, who has shown more lately after a slow start to the season. It's hard to truly overindex on big, versatile defenders, particularly ones who can knock down an open shot.
Chance at No. 1 pick: 4.7%
Chance at top-5 pick: 20.1%
What's new after the trade deadline?
Portland chose to stand pat at the trade deadline, something that has become a bit of a habit for the Trail Blazers in recent years. Despite having logjams at several positions, Portland heads into the stretch run with all of those battles in place -- and, after wins in 10 of its past 12 games, perhaps even dreaming of an extremely unlikely push for a play-in spot. -- Bontemps
How have the Blazers' draft plans changed?
Portland's recent hot streak vaulted it firmly out of the bottom six teams in the league and unexpectedly within reach of the play-in. A quiet deadline might not help the team's chances at top odds, but the momentum the Trail Blazers caught with their young roster might be more valuable in the end than slightly better chances in the lottery -- at least, that has to be the hope. -- Woo
How could Portland approach the offseason and free agency?
The Trail Blazers are again posed with the question on how their veterans -- Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle -- fit into the team's future. Four out of the five players (Grant has three more years after this season) are both extension eligible and set to enter the last year of their contracts. Shaedon Sharpe's next contract will play a role in how much flexibility the Trail Blazers have in 2026-27. Sharpe is rookie extension eligible starting on the day after the NBA Finals conclude. Portland has 13 players under contract for next season and is $17 million below the luxury tax. -- Marks
Which player could shine in the second half?
This should be 2024 first-round pick Donovan Clingan, who has proved to be an impressive presence in the paint, averaging 1.5 blocks despite playing 15 minutes a game. But with Ayton and Williams still on the roster after the deadline, Clingan could remain in a partial role down the stretch in Portland. -- Bontemps
BlazersBroncos wrote:I think Essengue is interesting but, at #9? Not a fan of that pick would rather see them target Asa Newell or Liam McNeeley there
In terms of high upside, Noa to me is in a different league than Asa or Liam.
Noa is listed at 6'10 195lbs. Asa is listed at 6'10 205lbs. But Asa is much more of a straight up big, some nice switchability but his skillset is much more of a traditional post guy. Noa meanwhile, despite being nearly the same size, has a wings skillset. His 3 has fallen off lately but the form is there. He also is really good at getting to the line for a guy his age playing at such a high level - 5.6FTA in under 24mpg - those numbers are very exciting to me for a guy his age, and size playing the wing.
Liam is a great shooter and very safe to at least be a rotation bench floor spacer but he isnt nearly as fluid or athletic as Noa.
I think Essengue would be a fantastic pick at #9. I see him as a higher ceiling prospect than Riascher and Sarr. His length, functional agility / mobility, finishing, the sporadic high level passing, workable shot, etc. I think there are maybe 2-3 guys in the entire draft with more potential than this kid. If he can fill out a bit and has a quality work ethic he can be a star.
After Flagg, Ace and Harper there are no players I could easily say I take over Essengue. For a team that needs to strike gold on a high upside pick, Noa fits the bill IMO.
Noa Essengue: absolutely one of the more interesting prospects in the 2025 draft class that I get a wide range of feedback on at this stage from scouts. Some say real lottery potential, others wonder about what the perimeter skill level is.
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