2025 NBA Draft Thread: Detroit Pick Edition

[m2002brian]

Demin looks like he is really going to struggle to score. He isn’t as bad as Ricky, but he has a lot of those really awkward layup attempts.

Tall dark and handsome?

He won’t have any problems scoring.

[Mattya]

I’d be looking to trade back and get Danny Wolf and then hope Carter Bryant, Jase Richardson, Sergio de Larrea, or Rocco Zikarksy. If any of those 3 aren’t available I’d trade it for a future late first round from another team. Then trade that second rounder for multiple future second rounders.

[minimus]

Something some of you might find interesting, particularly minimus.

There's a statistical search I've been running in recent years to try and identify good prospects. Filter is as follows:

Min% > 40 (does the player play more than 40% of available minutes, so are they not an end of bench guy whose stats might be inflated)
BPM > 8
DBPM > 5
STL% > 3
BLK% > 2

The idea behind it is to try and identify great to elite defenders that are also producing offensively. It isn't perfect, as I'm sure no one has heard of DeAndre Williams or Michael Hughes but it did also pick up Tari Eason and Jamal Shead (I will be proven right on him, just wait).

This season there are 4 players hitting this mark:
Joshua Jefferson, JR, Iowa State
Collin Murray-Boyles, SO, South Carolina
Miles Byrd, SO, San Diego State
Carter Bryant, FR, Arizona

Jefferson is a transfer up from St Mary's, so the fact he's increased his production against better competition is intriguing. CMB is looking like a similar player to Randle, although with significantly better defence (he's still only listed at 6-7 though). Byrd is a rangy 6-7 wing who plays an impactful and low mistake brand of basketball.

The real interesting one in all of this is Carter Bryant. He's 6-8, athletic with what looks like a good wingspan. He's widely considered under utilised at the moment at Arizona (42% Min%, 16% USG) but is efficient offensively (62% TS) while flashing 3 level scoring skills and has the defensive stats (5.8 BLK%, 3.4 STL%). Watching him play, he just looks like an NBA player with the way he moves out there and while his TOV% is higher than I'd like, I don't think he's a dumb player. He is in many ways what we hoped Minott could be.

Unfortunately there's not much in the way of videos out there for him but I'll throw in a highlight video below if anyone wants to watch. I expect he'll be one of those guys that's mocked in the late 1st early 2nd range right up until pre-draft where he rockets up boards. And from everything I've seen so far he seems like someone the Wolves tend to like in a prospect.

I've seen last mock draft from noceiling (Tyler Metcalf)

He has Thomas Sorber at 17 to MIN. I like this pick a lot. Sorber has 6.9% block rate, 3.3% steals rate, 23.8 USG%, 19.8 AST%, and 1.75 ATO. 6'9" with 7'4" wingspan. Reminds me Al Horford but without three point shot yet. He is shooting around 78% from free throw line and his shooting form is not broken. Can finish with either hand. He is only 20yo and fits perfectly as development project behind Gobert and Reid: he obviously needs to improve his body the way Naz did, and develop three point shot, but he has a lot of potential as passer, rim protector and defender.

Watch on YouTube

P.S. Carter Bryant is an interesting prospect as well.

[minimus]

My idea behind Thomas Sorber is simple: imagine replacing Randle with true defensive minded bigman: much less offense, but still a capable ball mover, an elite rebounder and rim protector. I can see as successful strategy because of following trends:

First and the most obvious reason: MIN need backup С badly. It is clear that last season despite bad fit at PF, Towns and Gobert created a lot of depth at C, and this depth already showed to be crucial for #1 defense. In some sense drafting a bigman might signal that MIN returns to already successful path. Also Gobert is declining, TC and Finch need to have a contingency plan

Second, McDaniels has been great playing more as PF. Last season MIN had luxury to play Anderson who could defend C/PF/SF, but McDaniels development as rebounder is crucial for PF position

Third, Reid has showed improvements as defender, but still it is less than ideal to play him as rim protector. Meanwhile he has showed more and more that he has wing skills by creating of the dribble, shooting pullup threes, and still can posting ups smaller opponents as bigmen do. This fact and McDaniels improvement creates some depth at PF. I wish Minott and Miller showed improvements tho.

Finally, if Sorber can be developed in Al Horford type of versatile big, I see a lot of similarities with BOS defensive structure

KP - Gobert = long drop defender
Horford - Sorber = versatile big
JT - McDaniels = oversized wing
Brown - Edwards = athletic guard
White - Clark = 3&D
NAW - Holiday = elite defender

+ Reid

[minimus]

Carter Bryant = Keegan Murray ???

[minimus]

Thomas Sorber (or any other bigman who falls out of 13) with DET pick and Kanon Catchings with UTA pick?

Kanon Catchings reminds me young Zach LaVine in terms of raw talent. He is a lot bigger tho.

Gobert/Sorber/FA
Reid/McDaniels/Miller
McDaniels/Clark/Catchings
Edwards/NAW/TJ
DDV/Dillingham/Conley

[minimus]

Does NAW sign and trade have enough value to attach UTA pick to NAW and send both ORL in exchange of 23rd pick?

[minimus]

I wonder if this draft will continue to favor wing skills over size. Edey and Clingan were drafted 9th and 7th, after Salaun. Now that DAL has three bigs in the frontcourt, POR and MEM have a lot of depth, etc. Another interesting thing will be the situation with bigs who don't have exceptional length or athleticism or consistent three point shooting. They all fall into a very strange category of bigs who need to show some additional type of skill to be selected. I would put Sorber, Flaming, Queen and Wolf in that category. I think there is a good chance that at least one of them will be available at the DET pick (if MIN get that pick). Assuming that all these guys are not super bouncy, dont offer much of rim running or three point shooting. Here are additional skills they can bring:

- Defensive rebounding
- Ability to defend in a variety of defensive schemes
- Passing skills as a five-out big
- Ability to set screens
- Ability to get offensive rebounds
- Ability to handle the ball
- Ability to drive
- Ability to pass the outlet pass
- Ability to shoot the floater
- Post up game

However, even with a few skills from this list, it is guaranteed that a player will be a big improvement for us. Even in the best case scenario of development. Just for reference: Julius Randle is mobile, physical, can rebound, pass and shoot threes. But he is clearly not an ideal fit next to Gobert and Reid. The easiest way to identify his problems is to say that he lacks length despite being a 6'9", 250 lbs player with a 7'0" wingspan, but I have concerns about this archetype of bigs, about their fit in the MIN. I feel like the must-have skillset for bigs from the draft should be as follows:

- Rebounding (most important)
- Ability to play solid defense in different defensive schemes
- Any of the passing skills (DHO, outlet, passes over defenses)
- Any of the scoring skills (three point shot, post up, floater)

My lowest expectations for such a big man would be a healthy Day'Ron Sharpe or a healthy Rob Williams.

MIN also have luxury of playing Naz Reid, who can basically play any three positions C/PF/SF in offense, so Finch can plug non-shooting big, or even a wing like Anderson next to him. So the must-have skillset for big wings from the draft should be the following:

- Ability to defend the perimeter
- Ability to hit open threes
- Dribbling, slashing skills
- One of the scoring skills (three point shot, post up, floater)
- rebounding

My lowest expectations for such a comboforward would be Kyle Anderson with a functional shot. I would avoid combo forwards of the Geant Williams, PJ Tucker, or Randle archetypes.

Generally speaking I want to add young players who have high competitiveness level. See Naz Reid and Jalen Clark examples. Both did not have ideal skillset at the moment of draft and still do not have ideal skillset, but their competitiveness has brought them to whole new level. I truly believe that getting Day'Ron Sharpe and Kyle Anderson type and caliber players would do wonders for our frontcourt and team in general. Whether it's doable I don't know, but I'm sure MIN will need a lot of luck to get the DET pick this year and then draft wisely.


UPD: fixed some typos.

[minimus]

Who from this draft can be next Toumani Camara (versatile big wing defender, limited offensive)? Noa Essengue?
Who from this draft can be next PJ Washington (can defend PF/C, can hit open threes)? Rasheer Fleming? Yaxel Lendeborg?
Who from this draft can be next Paul Millsap / Al Horford (can defend PF/C, high IQ versatile big)? Thomas Sorber?
Who from this draft can be next Jabari Parker (can defend PF/C, can hit open threes)? Asa Newell?
Who from this draft can be next Kyle Anderson (can defend SF/PF/C, can pass, can rebound)? Collin Murray-Boyles?
Who from this draft can be next Jalen Johnson / Jalen Williams (can defend in space, can run the floor, can score a bit)? Carter Bryant?
Who from this draft can be next Alperen Şengün (unathletic big who can pass and score, and has advanced footwork )? Derik Queen? Danny Wolf?
Who from this draft can be next OG Anunoby? (athletic wing who can finish alleyoops, can rebound, block shots and defend PoA)? Adou Thiero?

[Biff Cooper]

Danny Wolf to the Wolves makes a lot of sense.

[minimus]

Adou Thiero is 6'8" with 7'0"wingspan and 46 vertical.

Read on Twitter

A part of me wants MIN to draft this guy and go all-in on small ball. If Thiero is a defensive monster, I want to see him alongside McDaniels, Clark, NAW, DDV, and Edwards—six relentless hounds of hell, unleashed for all 94 feet, devouring every offensive hope before it can take form. Let the court be their battlefield, the opponent’s fear their feast. I don’t care about offense—let’s make MIN defense great again (this time I've put some effort in phrasing lol)

Watch on YouTube

[thinktank]

Theo is more toward what I’d like with this pick. Too small though. Even with the wingspan. We need another defensive banger. Just needs hands to finish lobs and a jump hook would be gravy.

[fattymcgee]

Adou Thiero is 6'8" with 7'0"wingspan and 46 vertical.

Read on Twitter

A part of me wants MIN to draft this guy and go all-in on small ball. If Thiero is a defensive monster, I want to see him alongside McDaniels, Clark, NAW, DDV, and Edwards—six relentless hounds of hell, unleashed for all 94 feet, devouring every offensive hope before it can take form. Let the court be their battlefield, the opponent’s fear their feast. I don’t care about offense—let’s make MIN defense great again (this time I've put some effort in phrasing lol)

Watch on YouTube

That's not 46", not close.

[minimus]

Adou Thiero is 6'8" with 7'0"wingspan and 46 vertical.

Read on Twitter

A part of me wants MIN to draft this guy and go all-in on small ball. If Thiero is a defensive monster, I want to see him alongside McDaniels, Clark, NAW, DDV, and Edwards—six relentless hounds of hell, unleashed for all 94 feet, devouring every offensive hope before it can take form. Let the court be their battlefield, the opponent’s fear their feast. I don’t care about offense—let’s make MIN defense great again (this time I've put some effort in phrasing lol)

Watch on YouTube

That's not 46", not close.

I am ok with 41

Watch on YouTube

[BlacJacMac]

Adou Thiero is interesting if he makes it to the Utah pick.

I think he's exactly the kind of guy who slides. Older, not a shooter, kind of a tweener.

[winforlose]

I don’t follow this much at all. But assuming we made 3 roster spots to draft players, and assuming we don’t send out the Det first or Utah 2nd in a player trade, what would a trade back or series of trade backs look like? What teams have multiple picks that would be worth giving up the Detroit first for? Do you guys believe giving up the Detroit pick for 2 or both picks for 3 later firsts would be worthwhile?

[BlacJacMac]

I don’t follow this much at all. But assuming we made 3 roster spots to draft players, and assuming we don’t send out the Det first or Utah 2nd in a player trade, what would a trade back or series of trade backs look like? What teams have multiple picks that would be worth giving up the Detroit first for? Do you guys believe giving up the Detroit pick for 2 or both picks for 3 later firsts would be worthwhile?

I wouldn't.

I'd be more inclined to trade both picks to move up a few spots if a player we love is there.

We don't need 3 more rookies.

[winforlose]

I don’t follow this much at all. But assuming we made 3 roster spots to draft players, and assuming we don’t send out the Det first or Utah 2nd in a player trade, what would a trade back or series of trade backs look like? What teams have multiple picks that would be worth giving up the Detroit first for? Do you guys believe giving up the Detroit pick for 2 or both picks for 3 later firsts would be worthwhile?

I wouldn't.

I'd be more inclined to trade both picks to move up a few spots if a player we love is there.

We don't need 3 more rookies.

With 2 picks that is the question. Do you want 1, 2, or 3 young players and how much upside does each player/pick represent?

[BlacJacMac]

I don’t follow this much at all. But assuming we made 3 roster spots to draft players, and assuming we don’t send out the Det first or Utah 2nd in a player trade, what would a trade back or series of trade backs look like? What teams have multiple picks that would be worth giving up the Detroit first for? Do you guys believe giving up the Detroit pick for 2 or both picks for 3 later firsts would be worthwhile?

I wouldn't.

I'd be more inclined to trade both picks to move up a few spots if a player we love is there.

We don't need 3 more rookies.

With 2 picks that is the question. Do you want 1, 2, or 3 young players and how much upside does each player/pick represent?

I'll take targeted drafting over shotgunning.

1st choice: Move up for a guy that we think can be a core piece.
2nd choice: Draft a player we really like in the 1st and then take a flyer on a high risk/reward player in the 2nd.
3rd choice: Draft a player we really like in the 1st and then move the early 2nd for a future pick.
4th choice: Trade back for multiple picks in this draft.

[shangrila]

Demin looks like he is really going to struggle to score. He isn’t as bad as Ricky, but he has a lot of those really awkward layup attempts.

He's 75% from the rim according to Hoop-Math, which is more in line with bigs than guards. He's also likely to be a bigger benefactor than most from the increased spacing in the NBA with his passing skills.

I'd agree that short term there'll be some struggles but long term I think he'll be fine. My main concern with him is everything outside of the offensive side. Rebounding, defence, and I'm still not sure exactly what position he plays (I envision him as a Kyle Anderson type but he's got a lot of muscle to put on to be able to defend the 4/5 like Anderson can).