2025 NBA Draft Thread, part 1 – Capture the Flagg

[Smart2Nesmith43]

Ok Smart2Nesmith..your guy Raynaud is growing on me as a potential C's target.

I think we need a big. And we know the C's prefer shooters.

Raynaud has solid shooting indicators. 6.6 3PA/30 mins which is a very high number for a big. 77% FT this season and 34% from 3.

Kind of a funky looking shot, how he brings the ball back behind himself like that and then shoots it, but it seems to work for him..some of the shots I've seen he still manages to catch and shoot it fairly quickly. And other guys (like Bird) shot it in a similar way by bringing the ball back and then shooting it..

Read on Twitter

He plays hard, seems to have good feel. And I've mentioned usage % as a good indicator. Raynaud had a 31% usage which is VERY high for a big.

He checks a lot of boxes. And is likely to go in the 2nd round..possibly late in the 1st.

We gotta at least bring him in for a workout. The more I watch him play..man, he could really learn some stuff from KP..

He'll be 22.2 on draft day. So that means he's a little older, less of a development project..more of a ready to contribute guy which are guys who seem to work out better for us (Pritchard, Hauser, Scheierman)

Trade down, snag Raynaud with like the 35th pick and call it a day.

And what is your take on defense etc.. and what about vertical spacing? Smart2Nesmith or Hal14?? or anyone who has seen him?

As for where he may be drafted, very hard to say. If he impresses teams at workouts or does bad, would it really surprise anyone that he may go late teens or even late 2nd rd??

Right now, I am all about a good Bigman draft. preferably nice skill versatility with reasonable defense of course.

Decent defense. Not elite but not terrible.

Same with the vertical spacing.

The sell w/ Raynaud is being a 7'1" big who can shoot, pass and put the ball on the floor. And at age 22, he's more plug and play, less of a development project. He's got good toughness, plays hard, has good basketball IQ.

A guy like that in the late 1st/early 2nd round could turn out to be good value.

I think he might a little underrated as a roll man. He just doesn't get a ton of opportunity to showcase it. Obviously when you are the number one offensive option, there just aren't going a lot of time when you get a free roll to the rim. But if you give him a lane he can get up there:

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

The defense isn't amazing but I can't see a guy as big and as smart(*) as he is not eventually figuring it out (*before going to Stanford he graduated from one of the top 2 most academically demanding high schools in France).

[165bows]

Nice piece about Sion James. Not much new that hasn’t been discussed here, and including high level versatility and physicality on both sides of the ball, two years of being a very effective catch and shoot guy.

Downsides being more of a football style athlete, strong and fast but not necessarily super quick or a one foot leader.

Also the obligatory note about low usage upper classmen, but I’m just not that worried about it in his case. He’s on the low ish end of the bell curve as a volume scorer and likely always will be, but not that far down that curve at all (~15 points/40 mins). So in the usage what is it better if he jacks a bunch of bad shots? Because besides being a modest volume scorer he’s really efficient with his offensive possessions, can dribble pass and shoot (with his other big weakness not being that relevant in a poor off the dribble jumper). So I’m just not swayed by the idea that he’d be better if he took more bad shots.

Really hope they take him in the second round, sign me up for the poor mans bigger Jrue/Smart that can shoot.

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/sion-james-and-the-scalability-question

[redslastlaugh]

I am generally a fan of Sion James, I am not that concerned about his usage rate honestly. Whenever the draft statniks find a correlation, it always breaks down right after, lol. Like after around 2010s, after Wesley Johnson, went 4th everybody was like "don't fall into the trap of taking 23 yr olds beasting on younger competition," which is generally good advice... but also most of the steals in the last decade were 22 or 23 yr olds who were underdrafted because of age: Jalen Brunson, Herb Jones, Derrick White, FVV, Austin Reaves.

So basically, I don't care that much about usage because, basically, it's time for someone to break that trend. But... I do care, and what it giving me pause, is the "football style" athlete who is strong but not that limber because that, to me, is Semi Ojeleye vibes. And, at times, in the tourney when I watched Duke, I thought, "man, what if Sion James is just Semi as a guard," sort of infexible and just really limited because he's too stiff for basketball??

[Gant]

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

If both teams lose their last two, a coin toss will decide whether the Celtics get the 31st or 32nd pick. That coin toss, I believe, has a reverse effect on the second round pick. Meaning, the loser of the toss gets the better second round pick.

Minnesota holds the Jazz second rounder, btw.

Final games-
Washington: Miami and Chicago
Utah: OKC and Minnesota

The Washington second rounder was acquired through the deal which moved Grant Williams to Dallas, in case you need another reason to fire Nico.

[redslastlaugh]

Man, I really want that #31 pick, lol ... it's such a way cooler pick now too with a two day draft, so it is the 1st pick of the 2nd day.

Though I don't think this particular pick came from Grant Williams sign and trade. I think the pick came from the 2023 draft night deal with Detroit where we traded down from 25 to 31 and got two future "best of" seconds this one and a 2026 "best of" NYK, MIN, NOP, POR second rounder as well.

Read on Twitter

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

If both teams lose their last two, a coin toss will decide whether the Celtics get the 31st or 32nd pick. That coin toss, I believe, has a reverse effect on the second round pick. Meaning, the loser of the toss gets the better second round pick.

Minnesota holds the Jazz second rounder, btw.

Final games-
Washington: Miami and Chicago
Utah: OKC and Minnesota

The Washington second rounder was acquired through the deal which moved Grant Williams to Dallas, in case you need another reason to fire Nico.

[Dogen]

I am generally a fan of Sion James, I am not that concerned about his usage rate honestly. Whenever the draft statniks find a correlation, it always breaks down right after, lol. Like after around 2010s, after Wesley Johnson, went 4th everybody was like "don't fall into the trap of taking 23 yr olds beasting on younger competition," which is generally good advice... but also most of the steals in the last decade were 22 or 23 yr olds who were underdrafted because of age: Jalen Brunson, Herb Jones, Derrick White, FVV, Austin Reaves.

So basically, I don't care that much about usage because, basically, it's time for someone to break that trend. But... I do care, and what it giving me pause, is the "football style" athlete who is strong but not that limber because that, to me, is Semi Ojeleye vibes. And, at times, in the tourney when I watched Duke, I thought, "man, what if Sion James is just Semi as a guard," sort of infexible and just really limited because he's too stiff for basketball??

It was a limited sample, but during the tournament I thought the same think about James. Strong body, solid player overall, but sort of ... stagnant? Didn't see much fluidity for a backcourt player and it could hurt him at pro level.

Maybe others who know his game better have a different take. He could have been playing through injury.

[Dogen]

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

If both teams lose their last two, a coin toss will decide whether the Celtics get the 31st or 32nd pick. That coin toss, I believe, has a reverse effect on the second round pick. Meaning, the loser of the toss gets the better second round pick.

Minnesota holds the Jazz second rounder, btw.

Final games-
Washington: Miami and Chicago
Utah: OKC and Minnesota

The Washington second rounder was acquired through the deal which moved Grant Williams to Dallas, in case you need another reason to fire Nico.

I hate the coin tosses, but I guess that's a fair as it gets.

Last time Celtics lost a toss, I believe we ended up with Romeo Langford instead of Tyler Herro.

[playa-hater]

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

If both teams lose their last two, a coin toss will decide whether the Celtics get the 31st or 32nd pick. That coin toss, I believe, has a reverse effect on the second round pick. Meaning, the loser of the toss gets the better second round pick.

Minnesota holds the Jazz second rounder, btw.

Final games-
Washington: Miami and Chicago
Utah: OKC and Minnesota

The Washington second rounder was acquired through the deal which moved Grant Williams to Dallas, in case you need another reason to fire Nico.

I hate the coin tosses, but I guess that's a fair as it gets.

Last time Celtics lost a toss, I believe we ended up with Romeo Langford instead of Tyler Herro.

O Romeo Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo..

Like really. Where is he???

[Gant]

Man, I really want that #31 pick, lol ... it's such a way cooler pick now too with a two day draft, so it is the 1st pick of the 2nd day.

Though I don't think this particular pick came from Grant Williams sign and trade. I think the pick came from the 2023 draft night deal with Detroit where we traded down from 25 to 31 and got two future "best of" seconds this one and a 2026 "best of" NYK, MIN, NOP, POR second rounder as well.

Read on Twitter

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

If both teams lose their last two, a coin toss will decide whether the Celtics get the 31st or 32nd pick. That coin toss, I believe, has a reverse effect on the second round pick. Meaning, the loser of the toss gets the better second round pick.

Minnesota holds the Jazz second rounder, btw.

Final games-
Washington: Miami and Chicago
Utah: OKC and Minnesota

The Washington second rounder was acquired through the deal which moved Grant Williams to Dallas, in case you need another reason to fire Nico.

You're right. It wasn't that Grant Williams trade, but fire Nico anyway.

[Bill Lumbergh]

,

[playa-hater]

I hope Baylor gets a little run tonight. He's just fun to watch.

Wrong dread but the right idea.

If he doesn't get good run, I say we riot.

[Bill Lumbergh]

I hope Baylor gets a little run tonight. He's just fun to watch.

Wrong dread but the right idea.

If he doesn't get good run, I say we riot.

Heh, yeah. I thought I was in the game thread.

[playa-hater]

Oops

[Smart2Nesmith43]

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

If both teams lose their last two, a coin toss will decide whether the Celtics get the 31st or 32nd pick. That coin toss, I believe, has a reverse effect on the second round pick. Meaning, the loser of the toss gets the better second round pick.

Minnesota holds the Jazz second rounder, btw.

Final games-
Washington: Miami and Chicago
Utah: OKC and Minnesota

The Washington second rounder was acquired through the deal which moved Grant Williams to Dallas, in case you need another reason to fire Nico.

I hate the coin tosses, but I guess that's a fair as it gets.

Last time Celtics lost a toss, I believe we ended up with Romeo Langford instead of Tyler Herro.

In 1969 there was no lottery so they had a stright up coin toss to determine who would draft Kareem Abdul-Jabbar first and who would pick second. Imagine losing that coin toss.

[playa-hater]

,

never has anything been said better than this ^

sorry slow Saturday morning

[playa-hater]

For the first time this draft I have a leader for our Pick at 28.. D Wolf. I want a 7fter with skills. Think his creativity would make the team flow so well together. Think about Rico's playmaking combined with a 7fter that probably knows how to exploit mismatches. How many 7fters can create?

Ball movement is and always will be my favorite type of offense. Feel the ball becomes less stagnant with players like Wolf. Think Kornet with greater versatility.

His defense seems similar to the other Big options around our pick so no advantage or disadvantage.

Wolf also easily has a better Ceiling and possible floor to Kornet in skill abilities and far better "feel for the game" in Queta. Tillman is already washed, and Al is of course older than our coach.

My only question is, will we need to trade up for him? Probably. How high?? I don't know. But easily would like to offer 28+31 at this point. 2 young players will not crack our rotation, maybe for years. Wolf can and wood. IMO.

I reserve the right to change my mind since many more prospects I need to actually look at.

* However, one knock I find is he doesn't really look 7ft tall. And though I find wingspan overrated, not so much for my Big men. Feel for the game is Bigtime IMO.

[redslastlaugh]

Looks like we need Washington to lose tomorrow to Miami and then we're looking at that coin flip for #31, unless utah beats Minny in which case we'd get #31 outright. The only bad outcome is if the Wizards beat the Heat tomorrow... in which case we (surely) just get #32

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

[canman1971]

Looks like we need Washington to lose tomorrow to Miami and then we're looking at a coin flip for #31, unless utah beats Minny in which case we'd get #31 outright. The only bad outcome is if the Wizards beat the Heat tomorrow... in which case we (surely) just get #32

It's coming down to the wire for the final position of the Wizards' second rounder as they are tied with Utah at 17 wins each.

Lucky problems when we are discussing the Celtics getting the #31 vs. #32 pick in the draft.

[brackdan70]

For the first time this draft I have a leader for our Pick at 28.. D Wolf. I want a 7fter with skills. Think his creativity would make the team flow so well together. Think about Rico's playmaking combined with a 7fter that probably knows how to exploit mismatches. How many 7fters can create?

Ball movement is and always will be my favorite type of offense. Feel the ball becomes less stagnant with players like Wolf. Think Kornet with greater versatility.

His defense seems similar to the other Big options around our pick so no advantage or disadvantage.

Wolf also easily has a better Ceiling and possible floor to Kornet in skill abilities and far better "feel for the game" in Queta. Tillman is already washed, and Al is of course older than our coach.

My only question is, will we need to trade up for him? Probably. How high?? I don't know. But easily would like to offer 28+31 at this point. 2 young players will not crack our rotation, maybe for years. Wolf can and wood. IMO.

I reserve the right to change my mind since many more prospects I need to actually look at.

* However, one knock I find is he doesn't really look 7ft tall. And though I find wingspan overrated, not so much for my Big men. Feel for the game is Bigtime IMO.

I’ll sign on to the Wolfman.
Now that we signed JD I am not sure we need both picks so combine them to move up to early 20s and nab him.

[165bows]

For the first time this draft I have a leader for our Pick at 28.. D Wolf. I want a 7fter with skills. Think his creativity would make the team flow so well together. Think about Rico's playmaking combined with a 7fter that probably knows how to exploit mismatches. How many 7fters can create?

Ball movement is and always will be my favorite type of offense. Feel the ball becomes less stagnant with players like Wolf. Think Kornet with greater versatility.

His defense seems similar to the other Big options around our pick so no advantage or disadvantage.

Wolf also easily has a better Ceiling and possible floor to Kornet in skill abilities and far better "feel for the game" in Queta. Tillman is already washed, and Al is of course older than our coach.

My only question is, will we need to trade up for him? Probably. How high?? I don't know. But easily would like to offer 28+31 at this point. 2 young players will not crack our rotation, maybe for years. Wolf can and wood. IMO.

I reserve the right to change my mind since many more prospects I need to actually look at.

* However, one knock I find is he doesn't really look 7ft tall. And though I find wingspan overrated, not so much for my Big men. Feel for the game is Bigtime IMO.

I’ll sign on to the Wolfman.
Now that we signed JD I am not sure we need both picks so combine them to move up to early 20s and nab him.

I’m not a big Danny Wolf guy but I was thinking today after the Davison signing that they are going big man in the draft.

First response to this might be that Davison has no bearing on anything really, but thinking back to what Brad said about the Springer deal. Ie, they didn’t have White or Pritchard’s deals done at that time. It was as much about “hey we just want to bank on this kid’s potential” as it was hey we need to make sure we have protected ourselves from not having bodies that can play.

So with both Al and Kornet being the obvious guys whose deals are ending I think they are going to end up with a more developed big man.

Also makes sense why they didn’t dump Tillman, maybe he’s more next year insurance than anything.