2025 Blazer Draft Prospects

[Case2012]

Schmitz falls in love with players and doesn't hide it well. I think Demin is 100% his guy. If he falls to us he's a Blazer. Nique is still top of my board here, but I wouldn't be mad at Demin. Thinking about Deni and him on the floor, both 6'9 playmakers, that could be an interesting team. A line up of Demin,Camara,Deni,Yaxel,Clingan would be wild. We would be very entertained by that group.

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Yaxel is going to be a player in this league. 6'10, 7'4 wingspan, all around game with little to no flaws.

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[dckingsfan]

Yaxel is going to be a player in this league. 6'10, 7'4 wingspan, all around game with little to no flaws.

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Yup - if he is there you take him. Not because he has polish but because he has an extremely high ceiling.

[BlazersBroncos]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

[DaVoiceMaster]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

If you're talking about defense, you need to take Sharpe out of the equation. The guy does not try to play defense. Insert Thybulle (or KCP if he comes back in an Orlando trade) instead.

[BlazersBroncos]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

If you're talking about defense, you need to take Sharpe out of the equation. The guy does not try to play defense. Insert Thybulle (or KCP if he comes back in an Orlando trade) instead.

I dont disagree - I just think we need his scoring in basically any lineup.

[DaVoiceMaster]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

If you're talking about defense, you need to take Sharpe out of the equation. The guy does not try to play defense. Insert Thybulle (or KCP if he comes back in an Orlando trade) instead.

I dont disagree - I just think we need his scoring in basically any lineup.

He has the ability to play better defense. He used to try in history first season or two, but he's just stopped trying. He used to go after people on a breakaway and would get some great shots. Now, he just turns the other way and doesn't try, even if he's in a position to challenge them. He could be a great all around player. I'd want to keep him if he gave even half an effort. If not, trade him for Dyson Daniels.

[Case2012]

I dont think Sharpe is a good fit on this team. He's good and his potential is through the roof but i just don't like him, his style of play, low motor lack versatility, broken shot. I think he coasts, his motor is cold, he hasn't improved as a player on either end and I just think we should move him while he has value before he gets some ridiculous extension that pays him 30 million for 18 ppg. I have no idea what his value is but if i could get another lottery pick for him I do it in a second.

I like everything about Coward, I would have no problem swapping Sharpe with him after watching film on him, the combine results, that freakish 7'2 WS, the ability to play 2,3, or 4, the defensive potential, the shooting efficiency, the post up ability, champion DNA with his grandfather being a gold medalist, really smart and driven guy getting better at every level and an all around game. You don't go from Washington state to Duke without really working on your game whereas Shaedon has just coasted his whole life.

I dont think Coward goes in the lottery and i have Nique, Demin and Yaxel above him but damn he is so tempting. You don't see those measurements and shooting ever.

[Walton1one]

What do people think of Collin Murray-Boyles? Seems the mocks have him all over the place in the 1st round. Pick 11 might be too high, but it's hard to tell by how much.

Defense, rebounding, good team player, but he is undersized, good WS though, but the shooting…..oof

Just don’t see the fit with POR, why not just resign Walker to a minimum deal? He is also undersized, but has shown he can shoot

Walker is not a good defender. This guy is supposed to be a good defender, which is really something I am looking for moving forward. He's only 6'8" but has a decent wing span (i think) and has good hands (steals). He's decent close to the basket and mid range and can back his defender down, something the Blazers don't really have at this point.

I agree about Walker, but you are leaving out a key issue with CMB, he can't shoot, he also measured in at 6'6.5, he does have a plus WS (7.0), but for a guy whose game is inside the paint, he has spotty midrange shooting and no outside shooting whatsoever, that is not ideal. Nor is the fit with Clingan, having two non shooting post players (Clingan\CMB) is not a recipe for success IMO, especially when you consider that the rest of the team's shooting is mid at best.

There are plenty of players in that range who could provide defense and bring something else to the team as well.

I could give or take Walker, he is just another undersized big, but he has shown some capability to hit a 3pt shot\space the floor, which is nice and he will only be 23 next year, if POR can resign him to a minimum deal, I would be ok with that, anything more though and let him go.

[Walton1one]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

This is a good point and something I thought about while watching the playoffs. Teams are always going to find the weakest link on a team and exploit it to death. Right now, POR has a clear weak link, which is Simons, who is undersized & one of the worst defenders in the NBA. Teams hunted him in the regular season when games were close and they needed a score, he would be hunted mercilessly in the playoffs.

Demin or Sharpe would certainly be targeted by other teams, but there is a big difference when your weakest defender is a 6'9 or 6'6 uber athletic guard, instead of a 6'3 guard. Hiding your weakest defender @ 6'6\6'9 on another team's weakest offensive player is a pretty good luxury to have.

Another reason why Bryant would be good pick as well

[BlazersBroncos]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

This is a good point and something I thought about while watching the playoffs. Teams are always going to find the weakest link on a team and exploit it to death. Right now, POR has a clear weak link, which is Simons, who is undersized & one of the worst defenders in the NBA. Teams hunted him in the regular season when games were close and they needed a score, he would be hunted mercilessly in the playoffs.

Demin or Sharpe would certainly be targeted by other teams, but there is a big difference when your weakest defender is a 6'9 or 6'6 uber athletic guard, instead of a 6'3 guard. Hiding your weakest defender @ 6'6\6'9 on another team's weakest offensive player is a pretty good luxury to have.

Another reason why Bryant would be good pick as well

Bryant has a ton of talent and could be a special defender and nice 3PT shooter - but I am not sure this team needs a second Camara. I would prefer it be someone with a bit more projectable dynamisms on offense. Demin as a huge elite passer / handler. Noa as a elite rim running finisher. Yaxel as a jumbo creator and mismatch generator. Bryant to me is someone you hope develops into Toumani Camara - and that is great - but not really what the team needs IMO. I have a hard time seeing him develop the handle or passing that a guy like Yaxel is already showing - granted the age difference is notable.

[Walton1one]

I dont think Sharpe is a good fit on this team. He's good and his potential is through the roof but i just don't like him, his style of play, low motor lack versatility, broken shot. I think he coasts, his motor is cold, he hasn't improved as a player on either end and I just think we should move him while he has value before he gets some ridiculous extension that pays him 30 million for 18 ppg. I have no idea what his value is but if i could get another lottery pick for him I do it in a second.

I like everything about Coward, I would have no problem swapping Sharpe with him after watching film on him, the combine results, that freakish 7'2 WS, the ability to play 2,3, or 4, the defensive potential, the shooting efficiency, the post up ability, champion DNA with his grandfather being a gold medalist, really smart and driven guy getting better at every level and an all around game. You don't go from Washington state to Duke without really working on your game whereas Shaedon has just coasted his whole life.

I dont think Coward goes in the lottery and i have Nique, Demin and Yaxel above him but damn he is so tempting. You don't see those measurements and shooting ever.

Sharpe will be 22 at the end of this month, he is coming off a season where he averaged 18.5ppg - 4.5REB - 2.8AST, shot 45% FG & an abysmal 31.1% from 3pt FG. He should be resigned, and it will probably be in the neighborhood of $30mil/year, and quite frankly at his age\development so far he is worth the gamble, a 4 year deal takes him to 26, which is how old Simons will be this summer. I'd rather gamble on Sharpe from 22-26, than Simons from 26-30, and if Sharpe does not progress, there will be plenty of teams that will have interest in trading for a 24/25/26 year old guard who can put up close to 20ppg a night

BTW, when Simons was 22, he averaged 17.3ppg - 2.6REB - 3.9AST, shot 44.3% FG & 40.5% 3ptFG

Sharpe saw nice increases on his eFG% - 47.5% LY (22nd percentile) to 51.9% (41st percentile) & TS% - 52.3% LY (29th percentile) to 55.1% (42nd percentile)

his NETRTG LY (ORTG - DRTG) was -10, this year was -3.4 - Simons for reference, was -10.4 LY & -5.2 this year

Sharpe's MTD (Mixed Team defense - takes steals\blocks\def reb & team def efficiency into account) was 50th percentile, Simons was 29th, which backs up why he (Simons) provides little else while he is on the court other than scoring

It is all about the 3pt shooting with Sharpe, it needs to improve and he settles for it way too often. I thought later in the season he became much more aggressive on a nightly basis, so there is improvement there IMO. He increased his scoring in the midrange and at the basket (1.11 pts per 2ptFG, LY was .93), while his 3pt shots were up and his efficiency down. I thought it was a positive sign he mentioned that (3pt shooting) as something he was going to be working on over the summer.

He may\not end up as a #1 guy, but even if he doesn't, he is certainly looking like a solid #2/#3 guy and at his age, he is worth the investment. There are no guarantees that Coward\Clifford or any other guard in the draft for that matter are capable of putting up what Sharpe did this year, let alone something better.

[Walton1one]

After some more couch scouting - I prefer Yaxel to Fleming. I see a much more dynamic player offensively and in general a guy who is MUCH more fluid with the ball in his hands.

Fleming has the measurables of an ideal stretch 4 but on the floor he is pretty limited - think Robert Covington or Jae Crowder are the best projections.

I think Yaxel has an outside chance of being a Miles Bridges level guy but with much better character obviously. And that is a hell of a player.

Snagging him with a pick we get in a ORL Simons trade would be great - and while I have hesitation on Demin at 11 if Schmitz thinks that shot can develop its hard to pass up a guy that size who is so natural as a ballhandles and especially passer. When you take into account that Camara showed the ability to guard most PG last season you could be looking at a rotation on defense of something like -

PG - Toumani Camara 6'8
SG - Shadeon Sharpe 6'6
SF - Egor Demin 6'10
PF - Deni Avdija 6'9
C - Donovan Clingan 7'2

w/ Yaxel at 6'10 7'4 WS off the bench at either F spot or even small ball C.

This is a good point and something I thought about while watching the playoffs. Teams are always going to find the weakest link on a team and exploit it to death. Right now, POR has a clear weak link, which is Simons, who is undersized & one of the worst defenders in the NBA. Teams hunted him in the regular season when games were close and they needed a score, he would be hunted mercilessly in the playoffs.

Demin or Sharpe would certainly be targeted by other teams, but there is a big difference when your weakest defender is a 6'9 or 6'6 uber athletic guard, instead of a 6'3 guard. Hiding your weakest defender @ 6'6\6'9 on another team's weakest offensive player is a pretty good luxury to have.

Another reason why Bryant would be good pick as well

Bryant has a ton of talent and could be a special defender and nice 3PT shooter - but I am not sure this team needs a second Camara. I would prefer it be someone with a bit more projectable dynamisms on offense. Demin as a huge elite passer / handler. Noa as a elite rim running finisher. Yaxel as a jumbo creator and mismatch generator. Bryant to me is someone you hope develops into Toumani Camara - and that is great - but not really what the team needs IMO. I have a hard time seeing him develop the handle or passing that a guy like Yaxel is already showing - granted the age difference is notable.

Teams can ALWAYS use another 3&D\Camara like player. He would make POR extremely switchable on the defensive end with 3? 4? guys capable of switching on defense 1-4 and being good\elite level defenders, that would be brutal

I agree though a guy like Demin adds something different, I do think Jakucionis would be a good pick as well, not sure if POR likes his archetype or not though? He has size, can shoot, defense is mid, but not overly athletic, more of a crafty type of player, not sure that is what POR has targeted in recent drafts.

Bryant certainly fits, Essengue probably fits, the issue with him is, how long will it take for him to be a meaningful contributor? 2? 3 years?

Saluan averaged 9 - 4- 1 & shot 37/33 for Cholet in a tough French league (LNB Elite) and he struggled in his 1st year in the NBA

Essengue averaged 12.4 - 5.3 - 1.1 & shot 56/29 for Ulm (BKT Eurocup) which is a step down from LNB Elite.

I think Essengue is going to take some time to develop, there are other players who are more capable of contributing now IMO, & still have as much room as Essengue to develop.

BTW Traore, also plays in LNB Elite, he struggled (was considered a potential Top 5 pick LY), but is starting to play very well lately (19 - 1.8 - 5.3 - 54.7 FG - 50% 3ptFG over last 4 games), he is being slept on, some team is likely going to get a very good player in the teens\20's.

[Walton1one]

Vecenie on some of the players POR could be targeting at #11

JAKUCIONIS - He has them mocked to POR @ #11

Jakučionis is big and can play both on and off the ball, coming off a terrific freshman season in which he averaged 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. His vision is sublime, and he fits the current ecosystem of the NBA well with his dribble, pass and shoot traits. Still, he is a bit polarizing for folks around the league as he doesn’t have a ton of athletic explosiveness, and his defensive game was not always on point this year. His range is seen as somewhere from the middle to the end of the lottery.

The Blazers, in my opinion, have a tremendous frontcourt of the future with Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan. However, there are questions in the backcourt surrounding young players Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and they could use another offensive option to start pushing those guys. Jakučionis can play both on and off the ball, giving him the flexibility to play with either of those players.

BRYANT - He has them going #12 to CHI, I have seen other mocks with him at #10 to HOU, which could be a good fit as well.

Bryant didn’t start many games this year at Arizona, but he was a monster defensive player when he was on the court, showcasing serious playmaking chops as well as great on-ball play. He also knocks down a solid percentage of his 3s. Bryant is the guy in this class who seems to have a ton of juice when you talk to front offices, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him land in the top 10. I think I’d park his range in the No. 7 to No. 16 area.

The Bulls desperately need to find answers on the defensive end, especially if they’re going to go all-in on the Josh Giddey and Coby White backcourt this summer when Giddey hits restricted free agency. Bryant would give Giddey a potential transition running mate and would give them a real perimeter defender to attack opposing ballhandlers and wings with.

ESSENGUE - Has him going #14 to SA

Essengue is starting to turn things on in France, with multiple 20-point outings over the last month. The 6-9 forward is a terrific athlete who moves exceedingly well for his age. He’ll be the second-youngest player in this draft class behind Cooper Flagg and is averaging 12 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks per game since Jan. 22.

The questions here are largely around his polish. The jumper is starting to fall, as he’s made 35 percent from 3 in that window, but there are real mechanical issues regarding his base and balance that teams think will take a lot of time to work through, despite his solid touch. Additionally, while his defensive playmaking numbers are strong and he’s shown improvement throughout the year, his overall impact on that end isn’t all that high. He gets beaten more often off the bounce than you’d expect for this level of athleticism, and his help instincts waver. Still, he’s a young player clearly coming along well regarding his development. Don’t expect Essengue to be a valuable player next year in the NBA, but he could develop in time to be one of the better players in this draft class if he lands with the right organization.

DEMIN - He has him going #18 to WAS, all indications are he will go in the lottery. Curious if next mock has Demin there

Dawkins comes from the Oklahoma City Thunder school, and he’s tended to select players with similar attributes to what the Thunder value. They love players with plus positional size, skill level, processing ability and character attributes. This is the same organization that selected bigger guards in Josh Giddey and Nikola Topić over their time, with Topić coming after Dawkins departed. Demin fits the billing. He’s a 6-9 guard who can play the point and is the best passer in the class. His vision is sublime. But he struggled to score this year. He struggled to get paint touches because his handle is not particularly developed yet, and he doesn’t have the threat of the jumper to fall back on, having made under 30 percent from distance. Still, many teams think they can fix the jumper, and if so, it would open up the rest of his game as a passer and playmaker. I’m a bit lower on Demin than this, but I’d put his range from the late lottery to No. 22 or so.

Some other interesting notes

QUEEN - He has him going #6 to WAS and I think the fit there could be good with Sarr.

Wizards general manager Will Dawkins comes from the Oklahoma City school of getting guys who can dribble, pass and shoot as well as make decisions. Queen has many of those skills and averaged nearly 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists as a freshman at Maryland. He’s been exceptionally productive at every stage of his career, and he has real offensive talent that should lead to him putting up real numbers in the NBA.

Queen is also from the DMV area and is the kind of personality that this team could use as it looks to take the next step forward. I also love the fit of Queen next to Alex Sarr, as Sarr’s struggles to rebound would be helped immensely by Queen’s positional play on the interior, while still allowing the team to play with some fun five-out concepts. Sarr’s ability to protect the rim from the weak side would also help Queen’s play on the interior defensively, too. This is a fun match.

COWARD - Has him @ #22 to ATL, but he also has been rising

Coward is my bet for this year’s riser into the first round. This might not be high enough. Coward only played six games this year, but he was lights out in those appearances, averaging 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and shooting 56 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3 and 84 percent from the line before a shoulder injury knocked him out. I saw Coward work out in Los Angeles in April, and it’s hard to overemphasize just how impressive he was. His balance and fluidity athletically are special for a player who is 6-6 with a 7-1 or so wingspan. Everything in the kinetic chain with Coward is perfect. Everything is in one motion and clean with the jumper, with easy, repeatable mechanics to pair with touch. He seems to have added some explosiveness, too. He’s a real upside swing for a team in the back half of the first round that wants to bet on his current trajectory.

Coward committed to Duke earlier this week and is a perfect fit there if he chooses to attend. But my opinion is that he will prove himself worthy of staying in the draft.

FLEMING - Has him at #27 to BRK, the dreaded processing issues, every time I read that I think of Travis Outlaw, tremendous athletic skills, just the brain could not keep up\out pace the body

Fleming very much looks the part at 6-9 with a 7-4 wingspan. He’s also a very real athlete with leaping ability as well as a chiseled frame that allows him to play with force and strength on both ends. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, then on top of it drilled 39 percent from 3. The idea here is a 3-and-D forward who can potentially be switchable and guard across the positional spectrum while also drilling 3s. But he doesn’t yet process things happening around him on the court all that quickly and needs to keep getting experience. But any team that values looking the part as well as the potential to shoot it will definitely have interest in Fleming.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6345850/2025/05/12/nba-mock-draft-2025-cooper-flagg-mavericks/

[Case2012]

I dont think Sharpe is a good fit on this team. He's good and his potential is through the roof but i just don't like him, his style of play, low motor lack versatility, broken shot. I think he coasts, his motor is cold, he hasn't improved as a player on either end and I just think we should move him while he has value before he gets some ridiculous extension that pays him 30 million for 18 ppg. I have no idea what his value is but if i could get another lottery pick for him I do it in a second.

I like everything about Coward, I would have no problem swapping Sharpe with him after watching film on him, the combine results, that freakish 7'2 WS, the ability to play 2,3, or 4, the defensive potential, the shooting efficiency, the post up ability, champion DNA with his grandfather being a gold medalist, really smart and driven guy getting better at every level and an all around game. You don't go from Washington state to Duke without really working on your game whereas Shaedon has just coasted his whole life.

I dont think Coward goes in the lottery and i have Nique, Demin and Yaxel above him but damn he is so tempting. You don't see those measurements and shooting ever.

Sharpe will be 22 at the end of this month, he is coming off a season where he averaged 18.5ppg - 4.5REB - 2.8AST, shot 45% FG & an abysmal 31.1% from 3pt FG. He should be resigned, and it will probably be in the neighborhood of $30mil/year, and quite frankly at his age\development so far he is worth the gamble, a 4 year deal takes him to 26, which is how old Simons will be this summer. I'd rather gamble on Sharpe from 22-26, than Simons from 26-30, and if Sharpe does not progress, there will be plenty of teams that will have interest in trading for a 24/25/26 year old guard who can put up close to 20ppg a night

BTW, when Simons was 22, he averaged 17.3ppg - 2.6REB - 3.9AST, shot 44.3% FG & 40.5% 3ptFG

Sharpe saw nice increases on his eFG% - 47.5% LY (22nd percentile) to 51.9% (41st percentile) & TS% - 52.3% LY (29th percentile) to 55.1% (42nd percentile)

his NETRTG LY (ORTG - DRTG) was -10, this year was -3.4 - Simons for reference, was -10.4 LY & -5.2 this year

Sharpe's MTD (Mixed Team defense - takes steals\blocks\def reb & team def efficiency into account) was 50th percentile, Simons was 29th, which backs up why he (Simons) provides little else while he is on the court other than scoring

It is all about the 3pt shooting with Sharpe, it needs to improve and he settles for it way too often. I thought later in the season he became much more aggressive on a nightly basis, so there is improvement there IMO. He increased his scoring in the midrange and at the basket (1.11 pts per 2ptFG, LY was .93), while his 3pt shots were up and his efficiency down. I thought it was a positive sign he mentioned that (3pt shooting) as something he was going to be working on over the summer.

He may\not end up as a #1 guy, but even if he doesn't, he is certainly looking like a solid #2/#3 guy and at his age, he is worth the investment. There are no guarantees that Coward\Clifford or any other guard in the draft for that matter are capable of putting up what Sharpe did this year, let alone something better.

Sharpe is not him. He's too low motor and those stats are from coaching begging him to be more active. He has no heart, therefore I don't want him on the team. He's not a competitor, he's coasted off raw athleticism and a natural feel for the game but he's not a winner and I don't think he ever will be and he will absolutely not be worth 30 million. No one is a sure thing but if you give any guard in the league 13-16 shots a game they'll put up about the same PPG. I think he's way more valuable as a trade chip this summer before he hits RFA. There was a reason we starting winning more games after he went to the bench, he's a 6th man type, not a 30 million a year starter. Sell him to some team that thinks he is a future star and get a huge haul if you can.

I would rather set the clock back financially and take a gamble on a 4 year guy like Nique who has shown consistent growth, is taller, longer, better defender, better playmaker, better shooter and rebounder. He's got a lot of Josh Hart in his game and I would love that on this team again.

[Walton1one]

ESPN notes from the combine:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45104149/2025-nba-draft-combine-chicago-prospects-workout-highlights-measurements-stats-cooper-flagg-dallas-mavericks

Interesting about Mbako, he worked out for POR last week

A McDonald's All-American and top-10 recruit entering college in 2023, Mackenzie Mgbako's NBA outlook faded significantly after two inefficient, underwhelming seasons at Indiana. He raised significant questions about his ability to impact winning with his lackadaisical defense and poor passing ability.

Four games at the G League Elite Camp and combine highlighted a different side of Mgbako, a ruthless scorer who racked up 72 points in 85 minutes while shooting a scorching 13-for-23 (57%) from 3 in Chicago. He played hard defensively and on the glass, and didn't force many poor shot selections like he has in the past.

In a league obsessed with size and shotmaking ability at every position, Mgbako's bucket-getting prowess at 6-9 is intriguing, even if he has work to do on his body and overall athleticism.

Slated to transfer to Texas A&M, it will be interesting to see how Mgbako, 20, looks in a different setting next year, as he did a good job of resurrecting his NBA standing in front of a host of decision-makers, although perhaps not to the point of warranting guaranteed money in the NBA or potential NIL opportunities as an Aggie.

If Mgbako can bottle up his combine performance and replicate it across a full season in the SEC, he can position himself to be a top-40 pick in a year. -- Givony

On Lendeborg, will he stay or will he return to school? So we assume that if he stays, that means he is going in the top 20?

Lendeborg is the biggest name to monitor over the next two weeks. He transferred from UAB after a second straight productive campaign, committing to Michigan during Final Four weekend. Should he end up in Ann Arbor, coach Dusty May's team could be in the preseason top-five. But Lendeborg is a projected first-round pick in ESPN's most recent mock draft and proved that while in Chicago. He measured at 6-10 in shoes with a 7-4 wingspan and then performed well in the scrimmages.

Lendeborg said Wednesday he wants to be drafted in the top-20, so it will be interesting to see whether he gets a guarantee before the withdrawal deadline. -- Borzello

Alex Condon, same as Lendeborg? If he stays, then I would guess that means he got a 1st round promise

Condon opted not to participate in Wednesday and Thursday's scrimmages, leaving his borderline first-round pick status intact exiting the combine. Intel surrounding Condon suggests he is more likely to return to Gainesville, but there's also a chance a team in the first round gets intrigued with his 6-11 size and skill set.

That said, a return to the Gators -- along with a potential commitment from Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland, who withdrew from the draft on Tuesday -- could give coach Todd Golden's team a legitimate chance to make back-to-back Final Fours after winning last month's national championship. -- Borzello

[BlazersBroncos]

I dont think Sharpe is a good fit on this team. He's good and his potential is through the roof but i just don't like him, his style of play, low motor lack versatility, broken shot. I think he coasts, his motor is cold, he hasn't improved as a player on either end and I just think we should move him while he has value before he gets some ridiculous extension that pays him 30 million for 18 ppg. I have no idea what his value is but if i could get another lottery pick for him I do it in a second.

I like everything about Coward, I would have no problem swapping Sharpe with him after watching film on him, the combine results, that freakish 7'2 WS, the ability to play 2,3, or 4, the defensive potential, the shooting efficiency, the post up ability, champion DNA with his grandfather being a gold medalist, really smart and driven guy getting better at every level and an all around game. You don't go from Washington state to Duke without really working on your game whereas Shaedon has just coasted his whole life.

I dont think Coward goes in the lottery and i have Nique, Demin and Yaxel above him but damn he is so tempting. You don't see those measurements and shooting ever.

Sharpe will be 22 at the end of this month, he is coming off a season where he averaged 18.5ppg - 4.5REB - 2.8AST, shot 45% FG & an abysmal 31.1% from 3pt FG. He should be resigned, and it will probably be in the neighborhood of $30mil/year, and quite frankly at his age\development so far he is worth the gamble, a 4 year deal takes him to 26, which is how old Simons will be this summer. I'd rather gamble on Sharpe from 22-26, than Simons from 26-30, and if Sharpe does not progress, there will be plenty of teams that will have interest in trading for a 24/25/26 year old guard who can put up close to 20ppg a night

BTW, when Simons was 22, he averaged 17.3ppg - 2.6REB - 3.9AST, shot 44.3% FG & 40.5% 3ptFG

Sharpe saw nice increases on his eFG% - 47.5% LY (22nd percentile) to 51.9% (41st percentile) & TS% - 52.3% LY (29th percentile) to 55.1% (42nd percentile)

his NETRTG LY (ORTG - DRTG) was -10, this year was -3.4 - Simons for reference, was -10.4 LY & -5.2 this year

Sharpe's MTD (Mixed Team defense - takes steals\blocks\def reb & team def efficiency into account) was 50th percentile, Simons was 29th, which backs up why he (Simons) provides little else while he is on the court other than scoring

It is all about the 3pt shooting with Sharpe, it needs to improve and he settles for it way too often. I thought later in the season he became much more aggressive on a nightly basis, so there is improvement there IMO. He increased his scoring in the midrange and at the basket (1.11 pts per 2ptFG, LY was .93), while his 3pt shots were up and his efficiency down. I thought it was a positive sign he mentioned that (3pt shooting) as something he was going to be working on over the summer.

He may\not end up as a #1 guy, but even if he doesn't, he is certainly looking like a solid #2/#3 guy and at his age, he is worth the investment. There are no guarantees that Coward\Clifford or any other guard in the draft for that matter are capable of putting up what Sharpe did this year, let alone something better.

Sharpe is not him. He's too low motor and those stats are from coaching begging him to be more active. He has no heart, therefore I don't want him on the team. He's not a competitor, he's coasted off raw athleticism and a natural feel for the game but he's not a winner and I don't think he ever will be and he will absolutely not be worth 30 million. No one is a sure thing but if you give any guard in the league 13-16 shots a game they'll put up about the same PPG. I think he's way more valuable as a trade chip this summer before he hits RFA. There was a reason we starting winning more games after he went to the bench, he's a 6th man type, not a 30 million a year starter. Sell him to some team that thinks he is a future star and get a huge haul if you can.

I would rather set the clock back financially and take a gamble on a 4 year guy like Nique who has shown consistent growth, is taller, longer, better defender, better playmaker, better shooter and rebounder. He's got a lot of Josh Hart in his game and I would love that on this team again.

I am not sold on Sharpe but I think keeping him around and hoping he hits is a better move than trading him - because I simply dont think he has that much value. Any team trading for him would be in the same position we are in regarding his next contract. I dont think we could get better than maybe the CHI FRP at 12 for Sharpe, and even that is optimistic IMO.

Realistically the team cant just be high motor defenders. We need guys that can score. NYK has 3 of the best defenders in the league from 2-4 but still rely on Brunson and / or KAT putting up 25+ to get them through games - and both those guys are meh defenders. A team where Brunson and KAT are replaced by 2 defenders in the Hart / OG / Mikal mode isnt making it this deep in the playoffs.

Sharpe is going into his age 22 season - I think he has shown enough natural scoring abilities to give him more developmental rope because the ideal version of Sharpe is exactly the guy you need next to players like Camara, Deni, DC and Scoot (Not really sure who Scoot is but throwing him in there lol).

[Walton1one]

More Notes:

Those rumors have masked more likely trade scenarios, however. Chatter at the combine points to Houston (picking 10th), Portland (at No. 11) and San Antonio (picking again at 14th) as teams willing to shop picks in the back half of the lottery for win-now upgrades.

Houston, of course, just took the West's No. 2 seed and already has too many young promising players to fit into its rotation, meaning it might not be incentivized to add another. The Trail Blazers are eager to build off a promising 2024-25 campaign -- they finished 23-22 after a dreadful start -- and another veteran contributor could help them return to the playoff field.

Even if the Spurs keep the No. 2 pick with potential to land a star, they could still dangle the No. 14 selection to get Victor Wembanyama more immediate assistance.

Don't set your sights solely at the top of the draft when conceiving possible draft-night deals. The entire lottery, from top to bottom, is ripe for rumors based on what we heard in Chicago. --Kram

Curious whom that "win now" player could be b\c names like: Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro, Benedict Mathurin, Dalton Knecht, Nikola Jovic, Jamie Jaquez, Seddiq Bey, Corey Kispert don't get me overly enthused.

Christian Braun would, but he blew up this year (and in playoffs), Peyton Watson has looked good as well. Obviously DEN would want to keep him, however, they have serious cap issues and if they are not willing to deal away Murray\MPJ or Gordon, then something has to give. This has been their MO, letting role guys go and back filling them with what they have on the roster. They could easily do that with Braun, with both Watson\Strawther waiting in the wings & the #11 pick from this draft (via POR)

Braun BTW, is an RFA next offseason, huge growth this year, 34min/g career highs in FG/3pt FG%, great advanced metrics (defense\connectivity\eFG\TS%).

DEN will have $150mil tied up in 3 players come 26/27 & that is not including Gordon (another $32mil). Tax\1\2 apron is $206\215\228. How are they going to give Braun a large deal and fill out their team? They could also offload Nnaji to POR and take back a useful vet like Williams\Thybulle in such a deal

I could be convinced to look at Jovic. He is 21, a RFA in 26/27 - He saw more playing time and showed good improvement, efg 65th percentile, TS 71st percentile, defensive metrics 76th percentile, rebounding was a little rough, shot 37% from 3pt (4.6a). If you buy the long term growth, he is a big (6'10) forward who can shoot from 3, he could be worth pursuing. Does MIA need another pick though?

I'd consider a pick swap with POR nabbing Jovic back, MIA moves up to #11, POR moves down to #20 and picks up Jovic?

Maybe POR could pull off a deal with CHI, if a big they like (Maluach\Queen\maybe Sorber?) is sitting there at #11? Bounce down 1 spot and get their pick back? (maybe POR throws some 2nd's back as well?

I'd imagine if Queen\Maluach are there, POR would certainly canvas the league and check who might be willing to offer something for them and a team like CHi or ATL (Vecenie brought this up in a podcast) could make a deal with POR to secure that player.

or POR could straight up trade it to CHI for Williams AND their pick back? CHI owns POR pick thru 2028, apparently there is some buyer's remorse on Williams' contract (4 more years @ $18mil\year) however, that amount is static, so it will look better each year, he is young (23), under contract until 29/30. Does POR look to kill 2 birds with one stone here? Fulfill their obligation to CHI by trading them #11 and then net back a young player on a decent salary back in return as well? Williams is a career 39% 3pt shooter thru 5 seasons (3.1att), but has stagnated\regressed in CHI since signing his new deal, does POR think a change of scenery would benefit him?

Outside of those players I have a tough time finding players who would warrant dealing away #11 AND are actually in the realm of availability. There are certainly some RFA who could intrigue POR (Kuminga, Aldama, NAW) but I cannot recall draft day deals announced with S&T on restricted players, nor do I view any of those players as significant upgrades worth dealing away #11 for. Yes, Kuminga is young and has shown some potential, who is he playing over in POR though? Deni? Camara? Is POR going to pay $30-40 million for a 3rd forward? I don't think they would.

[zzaj]

Schmitz falls in love with players and doesn't hide it well. I think Demin is 100% his guy. If he falls to us he's a Blazer. Nique is still top of my board here, but I wouldn't be mad at Demin. Thinking about Deni and him on the floor, both 6'9 playmakers, that could be an interesting team. A line up of Demin,Camara,Deni,Yaxel,Clingan would be wild. We would be very entertained by that group.

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Yaxel is going to be a player in this league. 6'10, 7'4 wingspan, all around game with little to no flaws.

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I agree with you on Demin...he does seem very Schmitz-y.

I have come around on Demin, and think he's sneakily going to be a very good pro. I'd love for him to be a Blazer.

[Walton1one]

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[Walton1one]

More from ESPN

Arizona forward Carter Bryant, who rose to No. 14 in ESPN's most recent mock draft, told me he is "completely in" on the NBA draft and closed the door on a return to Tucson. Georgetown's Thomas Sorber (No. 23 in ESPN's NBA draft rankings) reiterated that he's staying in the draft.

North Carolina's Drake Powell, who is a borderline first-round pick, told me the "door's closed" on a return to the Tar Heels, while Alabama guard Labaron Philon (No. 43 at ESPN) said he is already informed Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats that he doesn't plan on returning to Tuscaloosa.

"I'm all-in on the draft," Philon said.

Raynaud

The most impactful performance of the day from a draft stock perspective undoubtedly belonged to Raynaud, who posted 20 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in 25 minutes. The French big man measured well at taller than 7-foot barefoot, 237 pounds with a 9-2 standing reach, similar dimensions to Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl.

Raynaud has very different skills than Poeltl, though, hitting on-the-move 3-pointers with ease in the scrimmage while showing impressive skill handling the ball on the perimeter, finding teammates on the move and scoring in the post with strong footwork and touch. But we knew he was capable of all that from his time at Stanford. What we saw in Chicago was the level of intensity and physicality he was willing to bring on the interior -- barking out instructions, defensively anchoring the paint, going right through smaller defenders inside, and bringing terrific energy on the glass.

Raynaud's defense was considered a major concern in college, and while it is still far from perfect, the sheer size and reach he brings coupled with his much-improved physicality allowed him to make a major impact in the 5-on-5 scrimmages, changing shots around the rim and even hedging ball-screens well out beyond the 3-point line to generate turnovers.

Every team in the NBA is looking for 7-footers who can stretch the floor, pass and hold their own defensively and on the glass, so Raynaud did very well for himself not sitting out the scrimmages like several of his peers projected as early second-round picks did. Teams in the first round told us they are monitoring his strong play and will surely have even more interest in him moving forward. -- Givony

More Lendeborg...POR would need another pick to guarantee him

We wrote about Lendeborg's excellent measurements and strong play in Tuesday's live-action drills, and he continued his strong week with an excellent performance in the opening game of the 5-on-5 scrimmages.

Lendeborg's dimensions at 6-foot-10 in shoes with a 7-4 wingspan and 9-½ standing reach will allow him to see quite a bit of time at center in the NBA, like he mostly played in Chicago -- especially once he adds bulk to his 235-pound frame.

His skill set is definitively that of a power forward, though, as he showed several times creating his own shot or taking rebounds off the defensive glass and pushing the ball up the court skillfully, either to drive and dish creatively with intelligent passes or finish at the rim with excellent footwork and touch. While he didn't convert any 3-pointers like he did in Tuesday's drills, he hit two difficult midrange pullup jumpers to demonstrate his shotmaking prowess. And he made good decisions with the ball in his hands throwing touch passes, skip passes and playing with excellent pace, looking much further ahead with his understanding of the game and overall feel than one might expect for someone who possesses such little high-level game experience.

While far from perfect defensively, he competed effectively, all over the glass on both ends of the court while generating several turnovers and misses off his sheer hustle.

It will be interesting to see how aggressive teams with first-round picks will be in trying to keep Lenderborg in the draft as a result of this week, as he has told suitors that he requires a firm guarantee in order to not withdraw his name from consideration at the May 28 deadline. -- Givony

Something to monitor?

Izan Almansa, F, Perth Wildcats (Spain): Almansa sat out the scrimmage due to an ankle injury he sustained in a workout with the Portland Trail Blazers last Thursday. He went through the athletic testing and shooting drills on Wednesday morning and decided he wasn't healthy enough to play.

Coward

Cedric Coward, whose continued rise as a potential first-round pick was something we wrote about on Tuesday, confirmed he has received strong feedback from NBA teams -- and perhaps enough to convince him to remain in the draft. The Washington State transfer committed to Duke in late April.

"Right now, I'm 100% on the draft. I think talking to Coach [Jon] Scheyer and the staff, they've agreed with me in terms of making sure I can focus solely on the draft," Coward said Wednesday.

"It really depends on what I hear. At the end of the day ... the decision I'm going to make is based off the information I get. And right now, the information is definitely leaning towards staying in the draft and I can say that. We got to figure out the best decision to make for myself and the best decision to make for my family as I go forward." -- Borzello

Condon

On Wednesday, he said he's waiting for a guarantee from an NBA team, but didn't specify the range.

"I know I'm kind of in that 20-35 range right now," Condon said. "I've got a good situation waiting for me at Florida. I've got teammates that I just won a national championship with. It has to be a good situation for me to stay [in the draft], but the feedback I'm getting from teams right now is positive, and I'm ready to stay in if I need to." -- Borzello