2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 5

[ciueli]

You seriously watched the games? I think you only watched highlights
Look at the blowbys, and ended up with drop coverage? How do you call that "guards out on the perimeter"?

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Sure, he gets blown by a few times and usually winds up blocking or successfully contesting the shot on the recovery, I don't see the problem here. For a 7'2" centre he's far more mobile than most of the similar size guys who play in the NBA, compare him to Zach Edey who spent entire possessions just standing in the paint in college and didn't even try to contest shots on the perimeter.

The concern is him being raw, the clip shows he is raw, and that means all the talks are theoretical.

Been over this too, every player in the draft is theoretical except Cooper Flagg. So what? Do we just trade every draft pick we ever get for established players?

[Clutch0z24]

Here are the 21 centers playing in the playoffs/play-in tournament this year:

Atlanta - Okongwu
Boston - Porzingis
Chicago - Vuvcevic
Cleveland - Allen
Dallas - Lively II & Gafford
Denver - Jokic
Detroit - Duren
Golden State - Green
Houston - Sengun
Indiana - Turner
LA Clippers - Zubac
LA Lakers - Hayes
Memphis - Edey
Miami - Ware
Milwaukee - Lopez
Minnesota - Gobert
New York - Towns
Oklahoma City - Hartenstein
Orlando - Carter Jr
Sacramento - Sabonis

Within the next 2-3 seasons, would you rather have Malauch as our starting center or a player who is randomly selected from the list above?

Your making this list as if you know Maluach will reach the level you think there is still a possibility hes not as good as people predict he will be....But yeah i would prolly rather alot of these big men because they are already proven and you know what they can do already....Raw big men are the scariest type of players to draft in the top parts of the draft because its a very low chance the big man you draft will ever become your star player, And especially a Raw offensive big man who is a rim running big....Chances of that player ever being your "Star" is pretty much 0....And with a high end pick at 7 you can deff still find a Star level talent.

Now one player that is drafted around our area or even below our area of the draft will turn out to be a star....I would take my chances on the field and a different position or a more polished big rather than take Maluach who you know will never reach that level as soon as you draft him and your prolly looking at a Starting C that is no more better than Poeltl at best....

For me im going with a more polished offensive player because you can't go wrong with a player who already has an NBA ready offensive game.

[Indeed]

Sure, he gets blown by a few times and usually winds up blocking or successfully contesting the shot on the recovery, I don't see the problem here. For a 7'2" centre he's far more mobile than most of the similar size guys who play in the NBA, compare him to Zach Edey who spent entire possessions just standing in the paint in college and didn't even try to contest shots on the perimeter.

The concern is him being raw, the clip shows he is raw, and that means all the talks are theoretical.

Been over this too, every player in the draft is theoretical except Cooper Flagg. So what? Do we just trade every draft pick we ever get for established players?

That is not true, there are things that can be translate, instead of just showing "potential".
Shooting (not just stats) can be translated, footwork can be translated. Players like Fears, Queens, they are not theoretical, they already have an offensive skill to play at a position.

[bballsparkin]

I think the team needs more than someone who can shoot.
Carter Bryant shoots 37% from 3, which is why he is higher than Essengue. Neither of them can create their own shot yet, but their quickness should have that potential. Bryant looks like Giannis at SF to me, so I would not be surprised we pick him even at 7.

Spoiler:

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We're talking about a top 10 pick in a supposedly good draft. So for sure more than shooting will be needed. Shooting should definitely be a feature the team looks for. Sure, if the team thinks VJ is the guy and is in a position to draft him shooting might be valued less. There's levels to this. JP, SB, and RJ is not great spacing for starters.

Carter looks like a player every team would like to add. When is too early seems to be the question.

[bballsparkin]

Moving on from Siakam was about moving on period. Pascal doesn't want to waste his years fetching high FRPs for realgm fans. Let's see who the team drafts before getting your panties all wrinkled up.

[Indeed]

I think the team needs more than someone who can shoot.
Carter Bryant shoots 37% from 3, which is why he is higher than Essengue. Neither of them can create their own shot yet, but their quickness should have that potential. Bryant looks like Giannis at SF to me, so I would not be surprised we pick him even at 7.

Spoiler:

Watch on YouTube

We're talking about a top 10 pick in a supposedly good draft. So for sure more than shooting will be needed. Shooting should definitely be a feature the team looks for. Sure, if the team thinks VJ is the guy and is in a position to draft him shooting might be valued less. There's levels to this. JP, SB, and RJ is not great spacing for starters.

Carter looks like a player every team would like to add. When is too early seems to be the question.

Indeed, more than shooting, teams will look for someone who can create their own shot, which makes Edgecombe higher than Bryant on showing better chance in creating his own shot.

Bryant would not be in the top 10 if he is just a 3&D, what I see from Bryant is his movement shooting, and he showed some flashes on pull up 3.

[Basketball_Jones]

I think Mal at 7 is almost like the cusp of where he should be taken. 8–10 I can buy it, 7 feels a tad bit too early. But Masai won’t hesitate to pick him there just like how Scottie went a couple spots higher at 4. Mal should probably spend another year in college and I do think the visa stuff gets figured out, he’s from duke and drafted into the nba for petes sake. Trump administration can’t be this dumb hopefully.

[Dalek]

Why are we comparing Malachi to Lively? Maluach has a developing jumper already. Also Lively was pretty much the same with and without Luka this season. So are we basing this all on one game? He has only been back for 6 games since Jan and barely played. The Mavs basically have no guards who can create after losing both Doncic and Kyrie. Most 5s will struggle in the offense with the type of playable guards the Mavs have right now and Lively was never drafted to create offense.

I agree with the concerns, but there are just as many concerns with the other players around that slot. Heck, what is Queen’s best case scenario - Sengun? So we would need to surround him with elite defensive players to make this work and he has to hit all star status for him to be playable as a starter. He could end up becoming a 6th man type off the bench and I’m not sure you want your 5 to be that.

I’m just going to close my mind to this and let Masai and company do their thing. It’s not as cut and dry as people are making it out to be. Other options are unathletic guards/forwards.

I’m hoping Fears is there because I’m not liking anyone else.

By developing Jumper are we talking about in practice? Cause i have not seen it on the court....Its not like Queen who is a very high level mid range shooter and can score with using jump shots from areas all over the court.....I don't think i seen a mid range shot from Maluach in all the film i watched at Duke....I seen a jump hook from 2 feet away from the basket and lob dunks...

And reason i think You compare Maluach and Lively is because they are in the same style of player....Both are elevated by the players around them....Would you agree Lively is a way better player with a player like Luka setting him up?...Ofc he is...Maluach will never be a player who can be a good player by generating his own buckets, He will never be a guy you can give it to in the post who could attract double teams and make the right pass.....

Defensive lob threats are def valuable players and needed on teams but imo you could get a better player with a high end draft pick especially if more skilled players are OTB still...Id rather trade, or draft late firsts or 2nd rounders for that kinda big than pick one with a high end lottery pick ...With high picks i always shy away from a raw big man...Since in NBA history its high chance they are not as good as where they were picked...

Drafting Maluach at #7 would be like Donovan Clingan (but better FT shooting) being drafted #7. Clingan is taking some 3pt shots but shooting 28.6%. He's a positive player but not good value at #7. I for sure rather draft Ware later.

I wouldn't conflat Maluach from Clingan just because of draft range. Maluach is nowhere near Clingan as a drop big who can change how others attack the paint. Mal has a long way to go. He jumps at everything and is not in the right spots to contest a lot but recovering late in college is more forgiving than the NBA.

You are putting in a lotto ticket with this one similar to Joan Beringer. Not sure I am high on either guy but can see the long term bet and you have to believe your development system can work.

[HumbleRen]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

[Grew]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

The problem is that, who at 7 is a primary shot creator? Tre, can create a jump shot, but he's not really a paint touch guy or a playmaker. If Fears and Queen are gone, who is the next primary creator? Traore? Is Kasp or Jase a good bet to be more than tertiary creators?

[HumbleRen]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

The problem is that, who at 7 is a primary shot creator? Tre, can create a jump shot, but he's not really a paint touch guy or a playmaker. If Fears and Queen are gone, who is the next primary creator? Traore? Is Kasp or Jase a good bet to be more than tertiary creators?

Like Bobby said, pray to the basketball gods that we move up lol.

Our glaring holes on our roster in my opinion in order of importance.

1. We have no lead guard, we need one. We haven’t had one since Lowry. Damn near 5 years at this point.
2. A big 3&D wing.
3. Another competent center.

[Los_29]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

Some of the teams with more dynamic offensive players lost.

[TNRaps4life]

Players that fit 1 to 3.

1. We have no lead guard, we need one. We haven’t had one since Lowry. Damn near 5 years at this point. Harper, Fears
2. A big 3&D wing. Flagg, Bailey
3. Another competent center. Maluach, Queen

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

The problem is that, who at 7 is a primary shot creator? Tre, can create a jump shot, but he's not really a paint touch guy or a playmaker. If Fears and Queen are gone, who is the next primary creator? Traore? Is Kasp or Jase a good bet to be more than tertiary creators?

Like Bobby said, pray to the basketball gods that we move up lol.

Our glaring holes on our roster in my opinion in order of importance.

1. We have no lead guard, we need one. We haven’t had one since Lowry. Damn near 5 years at this point.
2. A big 3&D wing.
3. Another competent center.

[HumbleRen]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

Some of the teams with more dynamic offensive players lost.

And the teams who have more dynamic players in their rotation all won their games. Your point is?

[Los_29]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

Some of the teams with more dynamic offensive players lost.

And the teams who have more dynamic players in their rotation all won their games. Your point is?

My point is you are wrong. Not all the teams with more dynamic offensive players won.

[HumbleRen]

Some of the teams with more dynamic offensive players lost.

And the teams who have more dynamic players in their rotation all won their games. Your point is?

My point is you are wrong. Not all the teams with more dynamic offensive players won.

Knicks have more dynamic players than the Pistons.

Minny has more dynamic players on their roster compared to the Lakers.

Pacers clearly have more dynamic players.

It’s really just potentially Denver Nuggets who have a less dynamic roster than the Clippers.

[DreamTeam09]

And the teams who have more dynamic players in their rotation all won their games. Your point is?

My point is you are wrong. Not all the teams with more dynamic offensive players won.

Knicks have more dynamic players than the Pistons.

Minny has more dynamic players on their roster compared to the Lakers.

Pacers clearly have more dynamic players.

It’s really just potentially Denver Nuggets who have a less dynamic roster than the Clippers.

You wouldn't count a Luka Lebron Reeves trio to be more dynamic than the wolves ?

[Godaddycurse]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

The problem is that, who at 7 is a primary shot creator? Tre, can create a jump shot, but he's not really a paint touch guy or a playmaker. If Fears and Queen are gone, who is the next primary creator? Traore? Is Kasp or Jase a good bet to be more than tertiary creators?

Like Bobby said, pray to the basketball gods that we move up lol.

Our glaring holes on our roster in my opinion in order of importance.

1. We have no lead guard, we need one. We haven’t had one since Lowry. Damn near 5 years at this point.
2. A big 3&D wing.
3. Another competent center.

we had one for 1/2 a season... pre injury/all star Freddy was pretty good.

[Tha Cynic]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.

We need dynamic offensive players. Players who don’t need to be spoon fed. We need shot creators, paint touches with a live dribble and players who can actually dribble in traffic.

Every single player on our roster outside of Ingram are secondary or tertiary creators. That’s simply just not good enough in 2025.

Some of the teams with more dynamic offensive players lost.

Whoever the lead guard is will also need to be able to guard or be surrounded by a bunch of guys who can guard or they won’t be able to play.

That’s what makes the 7th pick so tough. There’s a bunch of guys who have offensive potential who project to be poor defensively, which will most likely relate them to bench players.

Masai also mentioned that the first thing they look for is two way players. After what has happened with Dick, makes you wonder if they are even more adamant about that. The key to whoever they draft will be whether that player can self create and also be taught how to at least be an average defensive player imo. Or you have to be such an elite scorer that you make up for it.

[Duffman100]

I’m just not sure how anyone can watch the playoffs today and look at our roster and think, yeah. We need to add more static offensive players.
.

Does anyone actually think that ?