2025 NBA Draft Thread: Detroit Pick Edition

[BlacJacMac]

7' 0", 250 lbs, to me he is more Sengun type than Naz.

Sure. Sengun is not the type of C I want as Gobert’s understudy. I already said I want a legit two-way C with the pick. Sengun isn’t a defender.

I seem to have upset everyone with my personal preference. Hahahaha

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

My favourites end lottery picks are:

Khaman Maluach - rim-running, defensive-anchor
Liam McNeeley - bigger Joe Harris?
Carter Bryant - raw Tatum?
Rasheer Fleming - Serge Ibaka?
Collin Murray-Boyles - Kyle Anderson?
Derik Queen - less athletic Julius Randle?
Danny Wolf - slightly smaller Sengun???

Wolf: 7'0, 255
Sengun: 6'11, 243

[Klomp]

I just can't get Naz Reid out of my head when I'm watching Wolf. Probably not quite as athletic, but has a very similar dribble package, as if you were building Danny in NBA2K and Reid was one of your available options.

[BlacJacMac]

I just can't get Naz Reid out of my head when I'm watching Wolf. Probably not quite as athletic, but has a very similar dribble package, as if you were building Danny in NBA2K and Reid was one of your available options.

I would absolutely take a Center sized version of Naz that is a better rebounder and defender.

[Klomp]

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

They get a bad rap, but let's look specifically at the big white American centers taken in the first round over the past 12 drafts though...

Walker Kessler - solid NBA career so far
Chet Holmgren - Very good NBA player
Zach Collins - solid, but unspectacular career
Domantas Sabonis - NBA star (yes, he's American born and raised)
Henry Ellenson - Not really a center, but if you're desperate to find a bust in the list I guess he's one
Frank Kaminsky - Unspectacular, but has held his own within a pretty competitive draft class
Mitch McGary - Sure, you could probably call him a bust
Mason Plumlee - In the league over a decade, I'd call that a solid player
Cody Zeller - Unspectacular, but had one of the longest careers from the top half of the 2013 lottery

Sure there aren't a ton and they mostly had lower ceilings, but the hit rate for serviceability inside the first round seems solid for those who get graded out there. I know it's not flashy though, so people often aren't enthused about the idea.

[minimus]

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

They get a bad rap, but let's look specifically at the big white American centers taken in the first round over the lottery

Sure there aren't a ton and they mostly had lower ceilings, but the hit rate for serviceability inside the first round seems solid for those who get graded out there. I know it's not flashy though, so people often aren't enthused about the idea.

To be honest this list scares me

[BlacJacMac]

This is impressive as well:

While from the United States, Wolf’s Jewish background and heritage allow him to compete for team Israel as a naturalized citizen. In his first national-level competition, Wolf represented Israel at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece.

While playing for Israel’s national under-20 team, he averaged 17.7 points (second in the tournament), a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game (ninth); leading team Israel to a second-place silver medal, and recognized for his stellar play by being named to the all-tournament team.

[Klomp]

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

They get a bad rap, but let's look specifically at the big white American centers taken in the first round over the lottery

Sure there aren't a ton and they mostly had lower ceilings, but the hit rate for serviceability inside the first round seems solid for those who get graded out there. I know it's not flashy though, so people often aren't enthused about the idea.

To be honest this list scares me

Like I said, if you're looking for a future star, the pinning your hopes on a white American center means your odds are probably lower. But there are not many Justin Patton-type busts on that list either.

[Klomp]

This is impressive as well:

While from the United States, Wolf’s Jewish background and heritage allow him to compete for team Israel as a naturalized citizen. In his first national-level competition, Wolf represented Israel at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece.

While playing for Israel’s national under-20 team, he averaged 17.7 points (second in the tournament), a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game (ninth); leading team Israel to a second-place silver medal, and recognized for his stellar play by being named to the all-tournament team.

Watch on YouTube

[thinktank]

There’s one guy on that list.

Talk about drafting low ceiling.

A funny conversation but data is data.

[Mattya]

And I’m saying go C so you shouldn’t care.

7' 0", 250 lbs, to me he is more Sengun type than Naz.

Sure. Sengun is not the type of C I want as Gobert’s understudy. I already said I want a legit two-way C with the pick. Sengun isn’t a defender.

I seem to have upset everyone with my personal preference. Hahahaha

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

It seems more like people found flaws in your logic. I didn’t know AJ Johnson was white.

[thinktank]

7' 0", 250 lbs, to me he is more Sengun type than Naz.

Sure. Sengun is not the type of C I want as Gobert’s understudy. I already said I want a legit two-way C with the pick. Sengun isn’t a defender.

I seem to have upset everyone with my personal preference. Hahahaha

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

It seems more like people found flaws in your logic. I didn’t know AJ Johnson was white.

Im not talking about AJ Johnson. Why are you talking about AJ Johnson?

[Mattya]

Sure. Sengun is not the type of C I want as Gobert’s understudy. I already said I want a legit two-way C with the pick. Sengun isn’t a defender.

I seem to have upset everyone with my personal preference. Hahahaha

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

It seems more like people found flaws in your logic. I didn’t know AJ Johnson was white.

Im not talking about AJ Johnson. Why are you talking about AJ Johnson?

Of course you aren’t because it doesn’t work for your generalization to knock people for liking a white guy in this draft.

[thinktank]

It seems more like people found flaws in your logic. I didn’t know AJ Johnson was white.

Im not talking about AJ Johnson. Why are you talking about AJ Johnson?

Of course you aren’t because it doesn’t work for your generalization to knock people for liking a white guy in this draft.

Right. Minnesota fans get obsessed about an obviously pale white guy every year. Not just white. Extremely white. Thanks for pointing that out.

[BlacJacMac]

Im not talking about AJ Johnson. Why are you talking about AJ Johnson?

Of course you aren’t because it doesn’t work for your generalization to knock people for liking a white guy in this draft.

Right. Minnesota fans get obsessed about an obviously pale white guy every year. Not just white. Extremely white. Thanks for pointing that out.

Thanks for grouping us all together. I mean there is no possible other reason any of us could like Wolf than his skin color...

[shangrila]

Big thing is that even getting a solid backup in the mid-teens is excellent for a team in Minnesota’s position. While swinging for stars is great, Playoff teams really benefit from drafting for depth.

Well, maybe, but not with finch.

Agreed. Cheap depth is only great if they get played.

To Finch's credit he's been more willing to play Rob, Clark and TSJ recently which is leaning me more towards guys like Minott and Miller not doing what he wants (I'll assume from a defensive standpoint).

[shangrila]

I’m just saying, he overlaps with Naz a lot.

Even if he does, is that a bad thing? Naz is an off ball mover and quick decision maker. Having more of those guys isn't a bad thing.

This Naz comp has also started to get out of hand. Wolf is far more of an on-ball guy than Naz, a worse shooter but far better passer. I'd argue Wolf is more of a midpoint between Naz and Kyle Anderson.

[Klomp]

Agreed. Cheap depth is only great if they get played.

Yes and no.

If you are paying $150M and $50M is going to your bottom half of the roster, that leaves only $100M for the top half
If you are paying $150M and only $10M is going to your bottom half of the roster, that leaves $140M for the top half

[shangrila]

7' 0", 250 lbs, to me he is more Sengun type than Naz.

Sure. Sengun is not the type of C I want as Gobert’s understudy. I already said I want a legit two-way C with the pick. Sengun isn’t a defender.

I seem to have upset everyone with my personal preference. Hahahaha

NOTE: Wolves fans always seem to fall in love with a white guy at draft time. Last year it was Scheierman.

My favourites end lottery picks are:

Khaman Maluach - rim-running, defensive-anchor
Liam McNeeley - bigger Joe Harris?
Carter Bryant - raw Tatum?
Rasheer Fleming - Serge Ibaka?
Collin Murray-Boyles - Kyle Anderson?
Derik Queen - less athletic Julius Randle?
Danny Wolf - slightly smaller Sengun???

CMB is closer to Randle than Anderson, although he's a better defender but worse overall scorer.
Queen is the Sengun comp but he's a step below him (people forget Sengun was the MVP of the Turkish league)

[shangrila]

Agreed. Cheap depth is only great if they get played.

Yes and no.

If you are paying $150M and $50M is going to your bottom half of the roster, that leaves only $100M for the top half
If you are paying $150M and only $10M is going to your bottom half of the roster, that leaves $140M for the top half

I'm not sure I get your point.

If by "top half" you mean the literal definition of 7-8 guys then sure, I guess what you said makes sense. But my comment about depth was in regards to an actual rotation player, which puts them in the top 9. If you can have someone like that making the minimum that's great since it frees up money for the rest of the team. Hell, if you have multiple you can afford to have multiple other massive contracts (like us).

But it's only relevant if they're being played. If we go down the Thibs route and overplay the main guys we have on bigger contracts than any smaller ones are irrelevant ultimately.

[shangrila]

This is impressive as well:

While from the United States, Wolf’s Jewish background and heritage allow him to compete for team Israel as a naturalized citizen. In his first national-level competition, Wolf represented Israel at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece.

While playing for Israel’s national under-20 team, he averaged 17.7 points (second in the tournament), a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game (ninth); leading team Israel to a second-place silver medal, and recognized for his stellar play by being named to the all-tournament team.

I've been curious if this kind of thing is worth considering when looking at filling out a roster.

The ability to play for a country gives them additional reps and development opportunities they wouldn't get if they were American, since they wouldn't make that team over the megastars.