2025 Draft prospects - thread 2

[Muzbar]

Cedric Coward is a project. He's raw. 2nd round talent currently. If we're going to take him, we better not use our first round pick on him. However, we rather take Cedric Coward over Maxine Raynaud in the 2nd round.

We have no 2nd rounder, we gave it to San Antonio along with the 1st rounder and another 2nd rounder for Derozan. They traded it to Sacramento.

We've traded away all our 2nd rounders til 2028, 2nd round is irrelevant for us for a while.

we have the 45th pick (from sacramento, got it in the derozan deal)

Exactly correct. The Bulls acquired two 2nd round picks from Sacramento for DeRozan (2025 and 2028) and then traded back the 2028 SRP in the LaVine/Fox trade.

If Coward is projected to go in the second round I reckon he returns to college. There are a couple of projected 2nd round guys I like: Bogoljub Marković, Rocco Zikarsky, Maxime Raynaud, Miles Byrd & Noah Penda.

My ideal (realistic draft) would be Carter Bryant at 12 and Rocco Zikarsky at 45.

[Dresden]

My completely uninformed opinion: either Queen or Newell look like they'd be good for us.

[2weekswithpay]

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[Sinistar6]

I would love demon demin to be there for us, although he seems like a spurs pick. He may be long gone. I see him with 4 position versatility and mixing with MB, giddy, ball, seems like it could be the most unselfish basketball ever. I also like the lineup changes with current bulls players giving them easy money.

[boozapalooza]

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Admittedly I don’t know a lot about Bryant but I’m impressed by him here. Hes well spoken and clearly has a good head on his shoulders. Knows the modern game well and how he can find his way.

First name he said of guys he watches is TOUMANI CAMARA

You gotta love this game if you want to be a great player. Thats the reason PWill will never make it. I think this kid has a shot.

Had a great week at the combine. The question is, why didnt he get more minutes at Arizona this year?

[DuckIII]

Cedric Coward is a project. He's raw. 2nd round talent currently. If we're going to take him, we better not use our first round pick on him. However, we rather take Cedric Coward over Maxine Raynaud in the 2nd round.

Raynaud is abysmal on defense. His advanced metrics show that. "Intensity?" More like "fake effort" on defense. Jonathan Givony should know better than to sell us on "intensity."

- Jase Richardson
- Thomas Sorber
- Collin Murray - Boyles

That's our best 3 prospects, to decide in the first round, when our turn to draft arrives.

Richardson was one of only a few guys I absolutely didn't want. And that was before I found out I can look him straight in the eye.

[DuckIII]

Rasheer Fleming is pretty interesting on the defensive end. We really need a standout defender on this team. I wish we had taken the time to find out more about Jalen Smith. I can't tell if these two occupy too much of the same space (Fleming is more of a 4/5 and Smith is more of 5/4 but still).

Fleming has mobility issues. Which hurts him on the defensive end.

Are you thinking of someone else? Isn't that supposed to be one of his primary strengths?

[DuckIII]

I would love demon demin to be there for us, although he seems like a spurs pick. He may be long gone. I see him with 4 position versatility and mixing with MB, giddy, ball, seems like it could be the most unselfish basketball ever. I also like the lineup changes with current bulls players giving them easy money.

I have no idea if it will work but it would be fun as hell to see a team with Giddey, Ball and Demin just slinging it. Buzelis sprinting and springing around. Coby and Ayo playing full speed like they prefer. Go, go, go.

I have zero expectations for this team or this FO. But we now have a potentially fun little core and that's at least something. I'm all about saying **** it, draft Demin even though there's 20 reasons not to, and put three of the best tall passers in the NBA together on one roster and just have a blast trying to figure it out.

[League Circles]

Rasheer Fleming is pretty interesting on the defensive end. We really need a standout defender on this team. I wish we had taken the time to find out more about Jalen Smith. I can't tell if these two occupy too much of the same space (Fleming is more of a 4/5 and Smith is more of 5/4 but still).

Fleming has mobility issues. Which hurts him on the defensive end.

Are you thinking of someone else? Isn't that supposed to be one of his primary strengths?

Hell, I think Fleming could possibly play C, and be a good defender while doing it. He's probably in my top 15 or so.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

If Demin cracks the top 11 after not projecting as an NBA shooter, defender, or finisher during the season, we should consider ourselves incredibly lucky. It’ll take a couple Saluan-esque reaches for measurables for the board to break our way.

[Rose2Boozer]

I've been a fan of Hansen Yang since watching him make Alex Sarr look like a little boy at the U19. I think he's a first round pick. If I'm the Utah Jazz and he's on the board at 21, I'm taking him. A Tre Johnson and Hansen Yang first round would be a good look.

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[Rose2Boozer]

Fleming has mobility issues. Which hurts him on the defensive end.

Are you thinking of someone else? Isn't that supposed to be one of his primary strengths?

Hell, I think Fleming could possibly play C, and be a good defender while doing it. He's probably in my top 15 or so.

,

When I look at Fleming, he has all of the tools, but I'm left wondering why wasn't he dominate playing against the level of competition at St. Joe's. I don't trust him.

[tunit213]

This is our guy. Put him next to Matas and now we are cooking!

https://youtu.be/KTAF6itf8rc?si=ihRTciIjS6nxHZfP

[Muzbar]

This is our guy. Put him next to Matas and now we are cooking!

https://youtu.be/KTAF6itf8rc?si=ihRTciIjS6nxHZfP

You don't need to convince me. I'd be pretty happy to pick up CB.

[DuckIII]

Fleming has mobility issues. Which hurts him on the defensive end.

Are you thinking of someone else? Isn't that supposed to be one of his primary strengths?

Hell, I think Fleming could possibly play C, and be a good defender while doing it. He's probably in my top 15 or so.

I do too! And its because of his measurables and mobility (and tape). I was wondering if I'm missing something. We're building around Giddey stylistically (which is different than him being the franchise player). So lets go for it. I want runners, jumpers, defenders, passers, ballers. Lets zig freaking hard. Lets run like the wind and sling that rock like its a pin ball. bim bop boom boom bap bam, or whatever Kendrick says at the end of those Gatorade adds. Don't let anyone set up, and then have depth athletically to run around and defend as best you can.

I realize this is not conventional but I don't care. And its no my preferred style of basketball. I've always been a defense first guy, I'm 51, I don't think I'll change. But this is the NBA. You have to adapt to what you have. And what we have the potential for already on the roster, and can enhance with the right signings, is have a **** load of fun. Might be empty calories, but I'll take it for now and be fine with it.

[DuckIII]

If Demin cracks the top 11 after not projecting as an NBA shooter, defender, or finisher during the season, we should consider ourselves incredibly lucky. It’ll take a couple Saluan-esque reaches for measurables for the board to break our way.

The dude is like 18, measured out incredibly well, and is a once-in-10 drafts type of passer at his size. He has things that are god given and he's a legit 6'9. I agree he will never be an average defender.

But I wholeheartedly reject that he won't be a shooter or finisher. He's very much like Matas in the sense that all the technique and skill is there for those attributes, it will just take a bit. Swing big on elite but currently flawed talent when drafting 12 and our team is projected to keep landing in that range for the foreseeable future.

Right now, and it will change as there are still numerous guys you guys talk about, that I don't talk about, because I have not gotten around to them yet. But for now my top 4 (though my list of guys I like is pretty long) including guys who could conceivably slip but shouldn't is:

KJ
CMB
Essenge
Demin

KJ is a complete player, can play multiple wing positions, and is a winner/gamer/grinder through and through. He's a complete player.

The other three have weaknesses yes, but note that all three are uniquely special in some way with the ability transcend typical role player status if things work out. Don't draft "NICE SOLID GUYS WHO WILL HELP NEXT YEAR". That is not where we are, and those guys are for free agency, not the draft. Target special attributes and develop. That is where we are as a middle-tier team with no franchise player.

[Jvaughn]

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Admittedly I don’t know a lot about Bryant but I’m impressed by him here. Hes well spoken and clearly has a good head on his shoulders. Knows the modern game well and how he can find his way.

First name he said of guys he watches is TOUMANI CAMARA

You gotta love this game if you want to be a great player. Thats the reason PWill will never make it. I think this kid has a shot.

Had a great week at the combine. The question is, why didnt he get more minutes at Arizona this year?

I know a lot of people still have PAW PTSD and want to stay away for his lack of production (mainly due to minutes) but I think a lot here can agree that Pat's issues come mainly from his mental game and lack of drive. He legitimately doesn't even look like he likes basketball most of the time.

I get the exact opposite vibes from CB. He looks eager, excited, and like he has a pure love for the game. At our draft spot if all the big men are gone, I'd have no problem taking a shot at 12. The options we'll have there are going to be limited, so why not take a swing. I think he's going to take some time, but will be special.

[Muzbar]

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Admittedly I don’t know a lot about Bryant but I’m impressed by him here. Hes well spoken and clearly has a good head on his shoulders. Knows the modern game well and how he can find his way.

First name he said of guys he watches is TOUMANI CAMARA

You gotta love this game if you want to be a great player. Thats the reason PWill will never make it. I think this kid has a shot.

Had a great week at the combine. The question is, why didnt he get more minutes at Arizona this year?

I know a lot of people still have PAW PTSD and want to stay away fur to his lack of production (mainly due to minutes) but I think a lot here can agree that Pats issues come mainly from his mental game and lack of drive. He legitimately doesn't even look like he likes basketball most of the time.

I get the exact opposite vibes from CB. He looks eager, excited, and like he has a pure love for the game. At our draft spot if all the big men are gone, I'd have no problem taking a shot at 12. The options we'll have there are going to be limited, so why not take a swing. I think he's going to take some time, but will be special.

I 100% do NOT want another PWill situation. But Carter Bryant is not cut from the same cloth, he's everything you want Patrick to be.

[DuckIII]

You can’t look at what happened with Pat and refuse to take a guy with a somewhat similar profile (though here they really aren’t similar guys anyway). Every player is an individual human being.

Looks like Pat might even completely bust out of the rotation altogether. If he does it’s not because of the player he is, it’s because of the person he is.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

If Demin cracks the top 11 after not projecting as an NBA shooter, defender, or finisher during the season, we should consider ourselves incredibly lucky. It’ll take a couple Saluan-esque reaches for measurables for the board to break our way.

The dude is like 18, measured out incredibly well, and is a once-in-10 drafts type of passer at his size. He has things that are god given and he's a legit 6'9. I agree he will never be an average defender.

But I wholeheartedly reject that he won't be a shooter or finisher. He's very much like Matas in the sense that all the technique and skill is there for those attributes, it will just take a bit. Swing big on elite but currently flawed talent when drafting 12 and our team is projected to keep landing in that range for the foreseeable future.

Right now, and it will change as there are still numerous guys you guys talk about, that I don't talk about, because I have not gotten around to them yet. But for now my top 4 (though my list of guys I like is pretty long) including guys who could conceivably slip but shouldn't is:

KJ
CMB
Essenge
Demin

KJ is a complete player, can play multiple wing positions, and is a winner/gamer/grinder through and through. He's a complete player.

The other three have weaknesses yes, but note that all three are uniquely special in some way with the ability transcend typical role player status if things work out. Don't draft "NICE SOLID GUYS WHO WILL HELP NEXT YEAR". That is not where we are, and those guys are for free agency, not the draft. Target special attributes and develop. That is where we are as a middle-tier team with no franchise player.

I’m with you in terms of process. If any org should should prioritize upside it’s ours. We need to buy as many tickets out of NBA hell as we can.

But as someone who loved Demin’s early season highlights and made a point of watching BYU games because of it, I’d say he’s less a bet than a prayer. If he just needed aberrational development as a shooter, that’d be one thing. If it were the shooting and defense, that’d be another. But it’s shooting, defense, finishing, and strength. There’s also a judgment issue that worries me. He was pulled off the floor in close games for some of the most boneheaded-even-for a-freshman plays I saw from any prospect.

I agree that the passing is tantalizing, but if you’re going to pick one projectible skill to build on, passing is the least important. He won’t see NBA passing windows with his other limitations.

From your list, KJ is starting to interest me again. I got turned off during his mid season slump and didn’t get to watch him once he picked it up again (pre tournament), but I’m willing to gamble that his struggles were at least partly due to injury and adjusting to the American game.

And I love Essengue.

My biggest hope is that one of the top 10 ‘locks’ (Queen, Fears, Kon) slides on draft night, but something tells me they’ll be taken off the board at 11. I can feel it in my bones.