2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 6

[raptorstime]

edit wrong thread

[PhilBlackson]

There have already been rumblings that we can't afford to keep RJ....

I believe both Maluach & Queen will be gone by the time we draft so my money is on us drafting Carter Bryant. Let RJ play out this year, see if you can boost his value to trade, package him with Dick for some sort of C (dream scenario - Lively) and draft Bryant, let him develop for a year or so and then he'd plug in perfectly to the starting lineup. Occasionally let Scottie run point with Jakobe, Bryant, BI and whatever C we can trade for and that could be a tough team.

Feels a bit underwhelming lol but that's why you don't have meaningless winning streaks near the deadline and beyond.

[Landomar]

1. Dallas - Flagg
2. San Antonio - Harper*
3. Philadelphia - Bailey
4. Charlotte - Edgecombe
5. Utah - Johnson
6. Washington - Queen
7. New Orleans - Maluach
8. Brooklyn - Fears

I think these are the guys that are off the board. I suppose there's a chance that Utah really likes Kon Knueppel, but I expect them to just take Tre Johnson there. Washington has Carrington, George, Coulibaly, and Sarr for the future. They could really use another big, and Queen is likely BPA at this spot anyway. New Orleans has a pretty full depth chart, but are thin at center with just Yves Missi. They can play Olynyk there for a bit while Maluach develops. That leaves Fears for Brooklyn.

I don't think Brooklyn takes Maluach, so if New Orleans takes Kon Knueppel or something, he'd still be there for us at 9.

*Harper is probably getting traded in a package for Giannis. If the Spurs offer up #2, #14, and salary match with Vassell and Keldon Johnson, that's the basis for an offer that's going to beat what other teams can offer.

[Brinbe]

I don't Think Maluach will be there at 9....I think it will be between Kon/Fears/Queen In terms of BPA at 9....Most likely Kon will drop to 9....But could see Masai going off board at 9 but i think if Fears/Queen are available we are taking them and running.

if you're gonna make arguments like that, you have to explain the rationale of who's gonna take him higher and why. the wiz might do it as a complement to sarr but i think they'd take the local guy in queen if they were gonna go for a big. the jazz and pels don't need a big. the hornets don't either. and he's not going top 3. the nets have claxton and sharpe as their C duo already

I think a team ahead of us are going to pick him due to potential/size....Just like we would have taken him prolly if we were at 7....I would not have liked the pick that high but....A team will pick him for his upside before 9th....I could see all
Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson
Maluach
Queen
Fears
All being gone by 9....And we prolly choose between Kon/Traore/Bryant/CMB/Noa/Demin/Jak/Newell/Flemming

I think them 8 are the best players in this draft but id hope a few of them drop to us at 9....But its unlikely.

yeah, i don't see it. it's not just about bpa, it's that they already have young Cs in place that he wouldn't be supplanting. just completely ignoring the context is kinda dumb. you don't even have kon in there and he's a top 8 guy

[Basketball_Jones]

Okay im getting excited about Carter Bryant now. That shooting form looks a lot like Jayson Tatum. Wish he was more 6’8” and not 6’6” but it’s not an huge difference. And dare I say Vince Carter also averaged like 7 ppg freshman year so….

[Jerry Lucas]

I usually like to use HoopsHype's aggregate mock as a rough guide for which prospects should be available in certain ranges, because of the high quantity of mocks they compile for their aggregates:

https://hoopshype.com/lists/aggregate-2025-nba-mock-draft-5-0-top-5-solidifies-walter-clayton-jr-rises/

These rankings reflect the composite score of 10 mock drafts (ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Babcock Hoops, USA Today, NBAdraft.net, SB Nation and FTW) to get a feel for the overall consensus. It’s not our opinion.

I made a similar post pre-lottery and before Aggregate 5.0 was published (https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=118184896#p118184896), so now that the Raptors are locked in at #9 and Aggregate 5.0 is out, it's probably a good time to update my previous post:

Tier 1) Will not be available at Pick #9 (Worst rank no lower than 8):
Cooper Flagg
Dylan Harper
VJ Edgecombe
Ace Bailey

Tier 2) Could be available at Pick #9 but not guaranteed (Best rank no lower than 8 and Worst rank is lower than 8):
Tre Johnson
Kasparas Jakucionis
Kon Knueppel
Derik Queen
Jeremiah Fears
Asa Newell
Khaman Maluach
Collin Murray-Boyles
Jase Richardson

I highlighted names in green if they produced like Masai-type FRPs, and red if they did not produce like Masai-type FRPs.

If the Raptors make the selection at Pick 9, they are guaranteed to have at least 3 of Kasparas/Kon/Queen/Fears/Newell/CMB/Jase available to them, and my early guess is they pick someone from that group.

[Clutch0z24]

My Current list with how i project the draft playing out...
Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson
Fears
Maluach
Queen
-Lets hope one of these players fall to us-
---------------
We will be left with
Kon/Bryant/Flemming/Traoe/Jak/Demin/Newell/CMB/Jase/Noa

Out of them i like Traoe the most followed by Kon as the safe pick and Bryant as the risky but reward type pick...Flemming is inetresting as well.

[Clutch0z24]

if you're gonna make arguments like that, you have to explain the rationale of who's gonna take him higher and why. the wiz might do it as a complement to sarr but i think they'd take the local guy in queen if they were gonna go for a big. the jazz and pels don't need a big. the hornets don't either. and he's not going top 3. the nets have claxton and sharpe as their C duo already

I think a team ahead of us are going to pick him due to potential/size....Just like we would have taken him prolly if we were at 7....I would not have liked the pick that high but....A team will pick him for his upside before 9th....I could see all
Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson
Maluach
Queen
Fears
All being gone by 9....And we prolly choose between Kon/Traore/Bryant/CMB/Noa/Demin/Jak/Newell/Flemming

I think them 8 are the best players in this draft but id hope a few of them drop to us at 9....But its unlikely.

yeah, i don't see it. it's not just about bpa, it's that they already have young Cs in place that he wouldn't be supplanting. just completely ignoring the context is kinda dumb. you don't even have kon in there and he's a top 8 guy

I think Kon slides to us at 9 because of his upside being limited and his measurments weren't the best in terms of Wingspan....I think if anyone is to drop out of the top of the draft it will be him or Queen....Maluach will be taken before Kon/Fears/Queen....Due to his upside and size....I would not have liked it personally because i am not a huge Maluach fan....If he drops to 9 though i would be shocked.

[Duffman100]

:

I think a team ahead of us are going to pick him due to potential/size....Just like we would have taken him prolly if we were at 7....I would not have liked the pick that high but....A team will pick him for his upside before 9th....I could see all
Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson
Maluach
Queen
Fears
All being gone by 9....And we prolly choose between Kon/Traore/Bryant/CMB/Noa/Demin/Jak/Newell/Flemming

I think them 8 are the best players in this draft but id hope a few of them drop to us at 9....But its unlikely.

yeah, i don't see it. it's not just about bpa, it's that they already have young Cs in place that he wouldn't be supplanting. just completely ignoring the context is kinda dumb. you don't even have kon in there and he's a top 8 guy

I think Kon slides to us at 9 because of his upside being limited and his measurments weren't the best in terms of Wingspan....I think if anyone is to drop out of the top of the draft it will be him or Queen....

At that point I'd draft Kon and see what Dick can get us.

[Mascot]

Derik Queen will be the best player in this draft. Hope the raps land him with 9.

[Mark_83]

At 9 I'm taking Flemming. Get an extra pick and take Bryant.

[djsunyc]

I don’t think the Spurs will draft 2 rookies. Could see this pick being moved to the Bucks in a Giannis trade with 2/14/boatload of picks/Sochan and salary.

Getting Harper + another lottery pick along with a boatload of picks is a great way to kickstart a rebuild

i think zion is a more likely get

[Brinbe]

I think a team ahead of us are going to pick him due to potential/size....Just like we would have taken him prolly if we were at 7....I would not have liked the pick that high but....A team will pick him for his upside before 9th....I could see all
Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson
Maluach
Queen
Fears
All being gone by 9....And we prolly choose between Kon/Traore/Bryant/CMB/Noa/Demin/Jak/Newell/Flemming

I think them 8 are the best players in this draft but id hope a few of them drop to us at 9....But its unlikely.

yeah, i don't see it. it's not just about bpa, it's that they already have young Cs in place that he wouldn't be supplanting. just completely ignoring the context is kinda dumb. you don't even have kon in there and he's a top 8 guy

I think Kon slides to us at 9 because of his upside being limited and his measurments weren't the best in terms of Wingspan....I think if anyone is to drop out of the top of the draft it will be him or Queen....Maluach will be taken before Kon/Fears/Queen....Due to his upside and size....I would not have liked it personally because i am not a huge Maluach fan....If he drops to 9 though i would be shocked.

his measurements are fine. he's 6'6. you were also the one who was just making argument earlier that people made too much about measurements and now you're discounting a guy who played exceptionally well because of it when it's not even a big deal. desmond bane already taught teams that wingspan isn't anything for shooting guards. and he's the best shooter in the draft outside of tre johnson. he's not gonna drop. if given the choice, why would any of those teams take maluach ahead of kon when they already have a young C in house?

[Psubs]

At 9 I'm taking Flemming. Get an extra pick and take Bryant.

Agreed. Fleming is like drafting Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire in the top 10.

I would trade Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett or Ochai Agbaji for Carter Bryant. Need to get bigger and give Ja'Kobe 30 mpg.

[Clutch0z24]

:

yeah, i don't see it. it's not just about bpa, it's that they already have young Cs in place that he wouldn't be supplanting. just completely ignoring the context is kinda dumb. you don't even have kon in there and he's a top 8 guy

I think Kon slides to us at 9 because of his upside being limited and his measurments weren't the best in terms of Wingspan....I think if anyone is to drop out of the top of the draft it will be him or Queen....

At that point I'd draft Kon and see what Dick can get us.

Yeah for me atm its either we just take Kon since he will be BPA or Queen maybe falls to us instead of Kon and you get him instead...Imo The BPA at 9 in order are..

Flagg
Harper
Bailey
Edgecombe
Johnson
Maluach
Fears
Queen
Kon

So if your looking in terms of upside/BPA thats prolly the top 9....But there is a high chance Masai likes another player outside of that list of 9 and could totally go off board.

[WuTang_CMB]

Nolan will be in the mix too
you will still find a solid piece for the future

[Clutch0z24]

yeah, i don't see it. it's not just about bpa, it's that they already have young Cs in place that he wouldn't be supplanting. just completely ignoring the context is kinda dumb. you don't even have kon in there and he's a top 8 guy

I think Kon slides to us at 9 because of his upside being limited and his measurments weren't the best in terms of Wingspan....I think if anyone is to drop out of the top of the draft it will be him or Queen....Maluach will be taken before Kon/Fears/Queen....Due to his upside and size....I would not have liked it personally because i am not a huge Maluach fan....If he drops to 9 though i would be shocked.

his measurements are fine. he's 6'6. you were also the one who was just making argument earlier that people made too much about measurements and now you're discounting a guy who played exceptionally well because of it when it's not even a big deal. desmond bane already taught teams that wingspan isn't anything for shooting guards. and he's the best shooter in the draft outside of tre johnson. he's not gonna drop. if given the choice, why would any of those teams take maluach ahead of kon when they already have a young C in house?

Measurements do not play that big of a role because most scouts/gms already know the measurements but...If your looking at it without a bias hat on because you prolly want Maluach bad....I don't see 8 other Gms passing up on the potential...Just like Masai would not have....Kon has the least potential in that list of players would be the reason he could slide a bit....If he doesn't awesome that means another player falls to you ....But i doubt its Maluach...Theres a chance but its unlikely...

[CazOnReal]

The only thing that might make Khaman available is the whole visa situation but even then, teams might just draft him and hope things work out.

[TimeForChange]

I can see Maluach falling out of the top 10

[djsunyc]

this thread is proof positive that so many similar guys in yall view from pick 5 down.