2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 6

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[Clutch0z24]

Coming down to the wire on Bryant/Maluach ....That would be a big hit to us because they are potential picks for us....But i could see why both stay in college another year.

[Walid]

We spent the entire year trying to move up by intentionally losing games and now people want LOWER picks? What is with this board. I see this every year with people here falling in love with some end of first round prospect, let me tell you about the year everyone here fell in love with Roko Ukić and wanted us to use our first round pick on him. His entire career was 85 games in the NBA after he stayed overseas for 3 years and he exited with a negative VORP and negative Win Shares. But one offseason everyone here was massively excited for us to draft him, let me tell you!

Yes, I was a fan during that time and remember those and many other blunders throughout the years - beginning with Raptors fans preference for Charles O'Bannon over the eventual ROY Mighty Mouse during the team's first ever draft.

None the less, I would personally prefer to have the opportunity to draft two (2) first round prospects from the mid-to-late first round than a single one from the middle of the lottery.

#7 pick - One of either: Derik Queen | Khaman Maluach | Jeremiah Fears | Kaspars Jakucionis | Jase Richardson | Tre Johnson | Kon Knueppel

VS

#13-#16 - One of either: Nolan Traore | Egor Demin | Asa Newell | Noa Essengue | Thomas Sorber | Joan Beringer
+ PLUS +
#22-#25 - One of either: Carter Bryant | Will Riley | Ben Saraf | Nique Clifford | Noah Penda | Rasheer Fleming | Labaron Philon | Alex Condon | Adou Thiero | Miles Byrd

While the upside of the prospects available at #7 is probably going to be higher, I'd rather have more than one opportunity to hit on a prospect and would be willing to drop out of the lottery in exchange for 2 first round picks and the chance to draft another player who can be part of the long-term plans and outlook for this team.

We already have a ton of young players on this roster though, a lot of players we are trying to develop at the same time as we want to get back to winning. This next season is not going to be like the past two, minutes for young unproven players will be cut as Masai and Darko try to get this roster into the playoffs or at least the play-in, I expect a somewhat tight rotation of BBQ + Ingram, Poeltl, and then 3-4 bench players who will have to fight for minutes behind the starters.

We already have two picks in this draft, I don't see the point in adding even more young players when the ones we already have will be fighting for minutes, they will just get sent to the G-League and only play in garbage time, probably for years. Now is the time to focus on quality in the draft, not quantity.

I agree with dohboy but my perspective is based on the players I like in this draft, who would be considered reaches based on recent big board evaluations. So we can either keep the pick and make a “surprise” selection, or trade down and get two quality first rounders (or an existing player + late pick).

As for the current squad and lineup being affected, our current roster construction is quite poor. I am hopeful Scottie can fit in lineups with BI and Poeltl, but I believe the way our roster is set up is purely Bobby and Masai racking up assets who can be tradeable pieces. RJ would be a key player to move if his value is as high as it’s going to be. Poeltl is a solid C on a great contract and we bought BI relatively low. I’d like to see how these guys work with Scottie (who if he doesn’t perform by trade deadline, could also hit the market). These are just a couple things I’ve pondered. May not make sense to anyone else.

[Mark_83]

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This is one of my guys. If we don't move up from 7. Trade 7 to ATL for 13 and 22.

13 - Flemming
22 - Bryant / Sorber
39 - Markovic/Evans/Ivisic/Kalkbrener

[Clutch0z24]

We are not moving our pick to move back in the draft to grab 2 rookies since we have so many to develop ....Also if we were to move back while also getting a pick in the 20s the chances Masai targets both being available on both picks are slim ....And if your moving your higher pick you better 100 percent get both players your targetting.

If we move the pick its prolly going to be part of a package for an already established player....But even that prolly not happening....Most likely we just select where we end up post lotto.

[TNRaps4life]

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This is one of my guys. If we don't move up from 7. Trade 7 to ATL for 13 and 22.

13 - Flemming
22 - Bryant / Sorber
39 - Markovic/Evans/Ivisic/Kalkbrener

So the other teams don't want 2 picks? Focus on ours

[TNRaps4life]

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[Clutch0z24]

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Yep we will see in a few days....As of yet no announcements for both Bryant/Khaman but it would be smart for Khaman to declare since you can withdraw later if any issues come up....As for Bryant who knows he might want a bigger role in college....But his draft stock is decent atm so idk why he would return.

[TNRaps4life]

https://www.instagram.com/stories/khaman_maluach/3619672808547943404

[ArthurVandelay]

Khaman Maluach in

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article303847861.html

[TNRaps4life]

Malauch Enters nba draft

https://amp.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article303847861.html

[Clutch0z24]

Malauch Enters nba draft

https://amp.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article303847861.html

Awesome would have sucked if he didn't enter i am not a fan of him going over a few guys up top but if we move down to 8 he would be my 8th pick....Plus if Maluach goes earlier before our pick at least that gives us more room for guys Masai wants to drop to us...

[Grew]

Carter Bryant better enter. Feels like his coach thought he could get away with not playing him much and having him for multiple years. Reminds me of when Calipari said Shaedon Sharpe wasn't going to play his freshman year, and then rambled on about how he's going to be the number 1 pick next year after he comes back, and how much he needs to go through the fire of Kentucky to get ready for the NBA.

Watching that Arizona team it just felt like there was no way Carter shouldn't have been playing heavy minutes as a starter. He was their best athlete, best defender, in a 6'8 225 NBA ready body, and he seemed to play within their system just fine. Just so happens Arizona has number 10 and 12 of the ESPN top 100 freshman coming in next year.

[mtcan]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5X1SipteJ9/

If this is what the teams get to see in workouts and the combine...he is going top 5. The dribbling, the shooting...it all looks good. It is a shame Duke didn't let him do this and relegated him to being a lob catcher. There is a skillset that he has been working on that most of us haven't seen in North America. Remember...he's been playing basketball for 5 years and can do this. Masai and Darko will unlock more. You can't not develop him as a Chet/Wemby-type of player. LOL at the Deandre Jordan comps made earlier on. DJ could never do this.

[Indeed]

We already have a ton of young players on this roster though, a lot of players we are trying to develop at the same time as we want to get back to winning. This next season is not going to be like the past two, minutes for young unproven players will be cut as Masai and Darko try to get this roster into the playoffs or at least the play-in, I expect a somewhat tight rotation of BBQ + Ingram, Poeltl, and then 3-4 bench players who will have to fight for minutes behind the starters.

We already have two picks in this draft, I don't see the point in adding even more young players when the ones we already have will be fighting for minutes, they will just get sent to the G-League and only play in garbage time, probably for years. Now is the time to focus on quality in the draft, not quantity.

If BI3 is going to be our #1 offensive weapon with Scottie (#2), RJ (#3), IQ (#4) and Yak (#5) playing their respective roles and our bench is pretty much set with a rotation of Shead - Walter - Dick - Ochai - Mogbo - Chomche, there aren't really going to be many minutes for anyone we draft or players like Jared Rhoden, AJ Lawson, Jamison Battle, and Colin Castleton who contributed off the bench at the end of this season.

Thankfully we have spots available on the 905 and whoever we draft can learn, contribute and grow playing games in the G-league just the same as they could if given the chance to play minutes in the NBA just the same as Shead, Mogbo, and Walter have this season due to injuries.

STARTERS:
IQ - 30 mins
RJ - 30 mins
Ingram - 30 mins
Scottie - 30 mins
Poeltl - 30 mins

BENCH:
Shead - 16 minutes
Walter - 16 minutes
Dick - 16 minutes
Ochai - 16 minutes
Mogbo - 16 minutes
Chomche - 10 minutes

905:
Rhoden
Lawson
Battle
Castleton
2025 1st round pick (#13- #16)
2025 1st round pick (#22 - #25)
2025 2nd round pick (#39)

No way you want a bottom of the league efficiency player to be your #2 option, unless you are tanking. Your #2 needs to be at least average in creating his own shot.

Meanwhile, Battle (definitely not 905), Agbaji and Mogbo may only get spot minutes. Only Shead and Walter are certain for backup minutes.

[Mark_83]

Can anyone explain to me why Markovic is mocked by most experts in the 2nd round? I mean, I'd love to get him with the Blazers' pick, but on talent alone he looks like one of the 30 best players in this draft to me. He's a 6'11 19-year-old with guard skills but can also play in the post and isn't allergic to rebounding. He's putting up good numbers in the Adriatic League on excellent efficiency. I can see Masai being all over this guy. I also wonder if Darko might be familiar with him given their Serbian background.

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[Clutch0z24]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5X1SipteJ9/

If this is what the teams get to see in workouts and the combine...he is going top 5. The dribbling, the shooting...it all looks good. It is a shame Duke didn't let him do this and relegated him to being a lob catcher. There is a skillset that he has been working on that most of us haven't seen in North America. Remember...he's been playing basketball for 5 years and can do this. Masai and Darko will unlock more. You can't not develop him as a Chet/Wemby-type of player. LOL at the Deandre Jordan comps made earlier on. DJ could never do this.

Every player at this level looks like this in a workout in a practice gym....Even the worst NBA players....And yes also other big men....Its how you look doing it in an actual game with legit defenders on you.....Khaman has not yet shown it so you can't assume he can play that style in an NBA Game vs open gym with no one defending him.

Every NBA level player in an open gym is going to look ridiculous because they are highly talented to make it to that level but i will believe it when i see it on the court....If he does show it in 5 on 5 in workouts though with decent defenders on him no doubt he has a chance to go top 5.

[Tripod]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5X1SipteJ9/

If this is what the teams get to see in workouts and the combine...he is going top 5. The dribbling, the shooting...it all looks good. It is a shame Duke didn't let him do this and relegated him to being a lob catcher. There is a skillset that he has been working on that most of us haven't seen in North America. Remember...he's been playing basketball for 5 years and can do this. Masai and Darko will unlock more. You can't not develop him as a Chet/Wemby-type of player. LOL at the Deandre Jordan comps made earlier on. DJ could never do this.

Every player at this level looks like this in a workout in a practice gym....Even the worst NBA players....And yes also other big men....Its how you look doing it in an actual game with legit defenders on you.....Khaman has not yet shown it so you can't assume he can play that style in an NBA Game vs open gym with no one defending him.

Every NBA level player in an open gym is going to look ridiculous because they are highly talented to make it to that level but i will believe it when i see it on the court....If he does show it in 5 on 5 in workouts though with decent defenders on him no doubt he has a chance to go top 5.

Ben Simmons summer videos knocking down 3's with ease is the perfect example.

Regarding Maluach....if we take him he might not be allowed to get back into the US. He won't go for that especially if his sister is living there. And what are we going to do...draft him and only get 41 home games out of him on his contract and "hope" the visa threats go away?

I just don't see the Raps taking that risk. But fwiw, I would like a big dude inside to combat other teams that can throw size at us.

That's where my hesitation with Queen comes in. Yeah he could bully some college guys since he is older and has extra weight on, but in the NBA, is he the one getting bullied, especially if he loses some weight getting in better shape.

[JShuttlesworth]

Can anyone explain to me why Markovic is mocked by most experts in the 2nd round? I mean, I'd love to get him with the Blazers' pick, but on talent alone he looks like one of the 30 best players in this draft to me. He's a 6'11 19-year-old with guard skills but can also play in the post and isn't allergic to rebounding. He's putting up good numbers in the Adriatic League on excellent efficiency. I can see Masai being all over this guy. I also wonder if Darko might be familiar with him given their Serbian background.

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Markovic still remains one of my favourites with our 2nd Rounder

[Thaddy]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5X1SipteJ9/

If this is what the teams get to see in workouts and the combine...he is going top 5. The dribbling, the shooting...it all looks good. It is a shame Duke didn't let him do this and relegated him to being a lob catcher. There is a skillset that he has been working on that most of us haven't seen in North America. Remember...he's been playing basketball for 5 years and can do this. Masai and Darko will unlock more. You can't not develop him as a Chet/Wemby-type of player. LOL at the Deandre Jordan comps made earlier on. DJ could never do this.

Every player at this level looks like this in a workout in a practice gym....Even the worst NBA players....And yes also other big men....Its how you look doing it in an actual game with legit defenders on you.....Khaman has not yet shown it so you can't assume he can play that style in an NBA Game vs open gym with no one defending him.

Every NBA level player in an open gym is going to look ridiculous because they are highly talented to make it to that level but i will believe it when i see it on the court....If he does show it in 5 on 5 in workouts though with decent defenders on him no doubt he has a chance to go top 5.

Ben Simmons summer videos knocking down 3's with ease is the perfect example.

Regarding Maluach....if we take him he might not be allowed to get back into the US. He won't go for that especially if his sister is living there. And what are we going to do...draft him and only get 41 home games out of him on his contract and "hope" the visa threats go away?

I just don't see the Raps taking that risk. But fwiw, I would like a big dude inside to combat other teams that can throw size at us.

That's where my hesitation with Queen comes in. Yeah he could bully some college guys since he is older and has extra weight on, but in the NBA, is he the one getting bullied, especially if he loses some weight getting in better shape.

Queens lack of size and shooting is going to be a problem. The Rockets won't win a championship with Sengun for a similar reason. I also don't think they're the same quality of prospects and give Sengun a big edge.

Maluach might drop from a projected 4-6th to us because of visa issues. If the potential is there in work outs I would jump on it. Develop him similar to how we are with Chomche. At that point he could get a Canadian PR or citizenship. It's a lot easier to immigrate in Canada than the US and it would bolster our national team.

We have a serious big man talent gap and the only meaningful way it can be addressed is a good trade or draft pick. Maluach could be the C of the future once Poeltl ages out (a lot of time left there)