2025 Draft Thread

[payitforward]

Question: do we have 1 R2 pick? Or do we have 2?

I seem to recollect that we had 3 originally but gave one in our trade at the deadline? Am I wrong about that? Note that https://nbadraftroom.com/2025-2nd-round/ shows us w/ a pair of picks in R2.

[BearlyBallin]

Question: do we have 1 R2 pick? Or do we have 2?

I seem to recollect that we had 3 originally but gave one in our trade at the deadline? Am I wrong about that? Note that https://nbadraftroom.com/2025-2nd-round/ shows us w/ a pair of picks in R2.

I’ve been trying to figure that out for awhile now. I’m still not sure but I think our 2nd round pick went to Boston, Wizards kept the PHX 2nd round pick, the Detroit 2nd round pick goes to the Bucks & the GSW 2nd round pick went to the Grizzlies.

But I’m just guessing to be honest.

[DCZards]

Maluach is on my radar but there are 5 guys I’d definitely take ahead of him.
Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson

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Oh that makes sense, of course -- tho I probably wouldn't include Johnson on the list. But certainly Flagg & Harper & almost certainly Edgecombe. Bailey gives me the willies, but... it'd be hard to pass on that level of potential, I agree!

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How about this: say the Nets offer us 26 & 27 for 18: do we take it or pass on it?

[penbeast0]

How about this: say the Nets offer us 26 & 27 for 18: do we take it or pass on it?

If there's no one we like, take it. Otherwise, do we have enough PT to develop two young players with all the young players already getting time and all the 2nds we have?

[DCZards]

Oh that makes sense, of course -- tho I probably wouldn't include Johnson on the list. But certainly Flagg & Harper & almost certainly Edgecombe. Bailey gives me the willies, but... it'd be hard to pass on that level of potential, I agree!

I really like Johnson. He might just be my third pick after Flagg and Harper.

[DCZards]

How about this: say the Nets offer us 26 & 27 for 18: do we take it or pass on it?

Depends…if this FO had someone at 18 that it’s really high on that they know won’t be there at 26, I say keep the pick. I trust this FO from a team-building and talent evaluation standpoint.

[Dat2U]

Oh that makes sense, of course -- tho I probably wouldn't include Johnson on the list. But certainly Flagg & Harper & almost certainly Edgecombe. Bailey gives me the willies, but... it'd be hard to pass on that level of potential, I agree!

I agree on Bailey. He scares me but in this draft, there's a point where you don't pass on his potential. I like Johnson more than you do and would include him on that list.

I honestly have Malauch as my 3rd center behind Sorber & Queen who both have elite feel IMO and can process the floor quickly. I can understand those having Sorber lower because of injury but would see him as a terrific value at 18 if he's there. Out of the 3, Queen has the most upside in terms of production. He's a real face up threat with excellent court vision. His handle is really tight for a guy his size. I can buy the jumpshot coming along. The questions are all defense related with Queen.

[AFM]

CCJ and I are waging a war of attrition against Dairy Queen doubters. Gonna have this entire board trying to draft him second come June.

[dckingsfan]

Oh that makes sense, of course -- tho I probably wouldn't include Johnson on the list. But certainly Flagg & Harper & almost certainly Edgecombe. Bailey gives me the willies, but... it'd be hard to pass on that level of potential, I agree!

I agree on Bailey. He scares me but in this draft, there's a point where you don't pass on his potential. I like Johnson more than you do and would include him on that list.

I honestly have Malauch as my 3rd center behind Sorber & Queen who both have elite feel IMO and can process the floor quickly. I can understand those having Sorber lower because of injury but would see him as a terrific value at 18 if he's there. Out of the 3, Queen has the most upside in terms of production. He's a real face up threat with excellent court vision. His handle is really tight for a guy his size. I can buy the jumpshot coming along. The questions are all defense related with Queen.

I could honestly see Bailey being a bust for that draft position. If we are drafting 5th and he is still there - I would trade down (if SA would trade for 8 & 14 for example).

I can't decide on Malauch. Why? Because he might actually be able to hit the three later in his career. A guy that can screen and pick 'n roll (like he can now) and the pick 'n pop could be a very good offensive weapon. He is another C that I would want a really good rebounding forward next to him.

[dckingsfan]

How about this: say the Nets offer us 26 & 27 for 18: do we take it or pass on it?

Right with you there on that one. Well, unless someone really drops that we want - I see Sorber dropping to that position from time to time.

But if say, Lendeborg & Clayton were there at 26 & 27... but I guess you wouldn't know until later. So hard...

[dckingsfan]

CCJ and I are waging a war of attrition against Dairy Queen doubters. Gonna have this entire board trying to draft him second come June.

Some have Queen going as late as 10. If we have 4 or 5 then trading for 8 & 14 from SA?

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Oh that makes sense, of course -- tho I probably wouldn't include Johnson on the list. But certainly Flagg & Harper & almost certainly Edgecombe. Bailey gives me the willies, but... it'd be hard to pass on that level of potential, I agree!

I agree on Bailey. He scares me but in this draft, there's a point where you don't pass on his potential. I like Johnson more than you do and would include him on that list.

I honestly have Malauch as my 3rd center behind Sorber & Queen who both have elite feel IMO and can process the floor quickly. I can understand those having Sorber lower because of injury but would see him as a terrific value at 18 if he's there....

Oh hell yes!

Out of the 3, Queen has the most upside in terms of production. He's a real face up threat with excellent court vision. His handle is really tight for a guy his size. I can buy the jumpshot coming along. The questions are all defense related with Queen.

Agreed. But, the defensive questions are significant. Will he be able to significantly improve on defense? Will he stay on the floor if he doesn't?

As to MalUAch (get that spelling down, Dat! ), his upside is what's interesting given how fluid & mobile he is for a guy his size. I wouldn't claim to be able to place him exactly in the draft, but if we are at 6 (ggrrrr!) he'd have to be on my list to consider.

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How about this: say the Nets offer us 26 & 27 for 18: do we take it or pass on it?

Right with you there on that one. Well, unless someone really drops that we want - I see Sorber dropping to that position from time to time.

But if say, Lendeborg & Clayton were there at 26 & 27... but I guess you wouldn't know until later. So hard...

Yup, uncertainty.... That's the problem.

[The Consiglieri]

Question: do we have 1 R2 pick? Or do we have 2?

I seem to recollect that we had 3 originally but gave one in our trade at the deadline? Am I wrong about that? Note that https://nbadraftroom.com/2025-2nd-round/ shows us w/ a pair of picks in R2.

I’ve been trying to figure that out for awhile now. I’m still not sure but I think our 2nd round pick went to Boston, Wizards kept the PHX 2nd round pick, the Detroit 2nd round pick goes to the Bucks & the GSW 2nd round pick went to the Grizzlies.

But I’m just guessing to be honest.

Someone on the board, I forget who, seemed to do a bunch of research, and found it was clearly just the 1, but I don't remember which teams, it wasn't ours of course. Sounds like Phoenix, as you mention, 40th overall. Not bad, a top 6 pick, potentially very high (PLEASE), 18th, and 40th. Really like in general, what the FO is doing, in general, not everything, but the overall approach has been remarkably creative and insightful, turning what seemed like a hopeless situation (how do you accomplish a tear down and rebuild when you have no assets anyone wants or is willing to trade draft capital and young prospects to acquire). I remain absolutely stunned that since arriving in '23, they managed to parlay an absolute horse ---- roster, with no prospects save Deni, and no veteran talent to unload on reasonable contracts (for the most part) and managed to spin all that into extra first rounders in '24, '25 and '26, a billion pick swaps, some young first rounders and early 2nd's from '23-24 acquired via trades, and even another first rounder or two, I think in that '28-'30 zone.

Think about the creatively challenged, utterly unimaginative talentless ----'s that spun silver into dog and horse ---- the past 35-40 years, and what these guys have done w/the absolute moribund roster of total --- (including no help whatsoever from the '18-'22 draft classes save Deni) they inherited two years ago. Even if the build doesn't work out, and odds are basically about 50/50 at best I think, they've done more with less than any GM in my lifetime already, and have better positioned the Wizards for at least a chance to build something than any GM since I was in preschool (I turned 50 this past winter). It's pretty crazy when you think of it, and that's fully taking into account that I didn't like the Deni trade at the time and hate it more now (and same for not trading Kuzma last year, though I like the return we got this year).

It's important to note that we had no assets worth a ---- when he came in to turn around a tear down and rebuild franchise. Sheppard had completely botched the trade Beal for goodies scenario that was mandatory '19-'21, and left us utterly screwed, and yet somehow, these guys have found a way to restock the cupboard with picks, swaps and a pile of prospects with potential. It's no OKC situation to be sure, but two years ago I would never have guessed in a million years they could restock the pantry with this many picks, prospects, and pick swaps w/what straight trash we had left when they arrived.

[payitforward]

CCJ and I are waging a war of attrition against Dairy Queen doubters. Gonna have this entire board trying to draft him second come June.

Some have Queen going as late as 10. If we have 4 or 5 then trading for 8 & 14 from SA?

Nobody is giving both 8 & 14 for either 4 or 5! Wish they would tho....

[Dat2U]

I feel strongly about my top 3. I don't think it will change unless Edgecombe's measurements are terribly disappointing.

1. F Cooper Flagg
2. G Dylan Harper
3. G V.J. Edgecombe

I'm with DcZards on Tre Johnson. I like his feel for the game, his high level shooting and his ability to find the open man. He's 6-6 with a 6-10 wingspan so I don't see defense being a huge concern here. I trust Tre more than Ace at the moment.

4. G Tre Johnson
5. F Ace Bailey

At 6 is where my struggles really begin but I've solidly had 8-9 guys in this group for a while and I have recently added Carter Bryant & Kasparas Jakucionis after doing deep dive on them. I dropped CMB out of this group after losing confidence in him becoming a passable shooter in the near future.

6. G Jeremiah Fears
7. G Jase Richardson
8. C Derik Queen
9. C Khaman Malauch
10. F Noa Esssengue
11. C Thomas Sorber
12. F Carter Bryant
13. F Kon Knueppel
14. G Kasparas Jakucionis

Now here's where it's a mess as the draft appears to drop a notch where it's hard to differentiate mid 1sts from early 2nd rounders.

Yaxel is my slight fav out of this group. Saraf has played better lately and has two-way with good size. Rasheer seems like a safe bet to be at least a decent role player. Alex Condon I think is a little underrated but needs to get stronger. Not high on Nolan Traore at all.

15. F Yaxel Lendeborg
16. G Ben Saraf
17. F Rasheer Fleming
18. C Alex Condon
19. G Sergio de Larrea
20. F Noah Penda
21. G Labaron Philon
22. F Bogoljub Markovic
23. C Danny Wolf
24. F Collin Murray-Boyles
25. F Will Riley
26. F Asa Newell

[closg00]

CCJ and I are waging a war of attrition against Dairy Queen doubters. Gonna have this entire board trying to draft him second come June.

Draft scenario:
1. Utah - Cooper Flagg
2. Philly - Dylan Harper
3.Charlotte - VJ Edgecome
4. New Orleans - Tre Johnson
5. Wizards - I would consider taking Queen here, but he is a bit slow, I would love to be able to peer into the future and see what his body will look like, but he may grow into being a nasty grown man, and we need those.

[The Consiglieri]

CCJ and I are waging a war of attrition against Dairy Queen doubters. Gonna have this entire board trying to draft him second come June.

There's no such thing as a Queen doubter on this board. There are a giant pile of, "Queen's ability to defend" doubters. I've yet to find anyone on the board that doubt's he'd be a genuine weapon on the offensive side of things for us, but the general consensus that he's a huge to consistent liability as a defender as a prospect now, and most scouts and GM's quoted on him appear to agree with that concern which is why a guy with his skill set on the offensive side is so damn low in a 3-4 blue chip draft. If he had the defensive side of the game down, he'd be consistently projected 3rd-6th, instead, the huge general skepticism, has him 6th-12th everywhere I look.

We all get it AFM, if all we had was the ball, Queen would dominate and he'd be an absolute steal. But we have to defend, and right now, based on what I've read, he's a huge negative in that arena, which makes him a non-starter for me as a pick, period, w/our first overall. Trading up from 18? Now that I'd consider (though I think I'd probably prefer Sorber, particularly considering cost in draft capital to acquire).