2025 Draft Thread - Part 2

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Cooper Flagg, like Bub Carrington, both think the world of DQ.

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[gambitx777]

I like Queen but I look at him and se Thomas Bryant and I haven't seen enough of him to know if he can't be a better defender and if he has better feet or not.

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[closg00]

Pre-draft lottery, my hope was that we didn’t drop to 6, now my wish is that Utah takes Kon at 5, come-on Utah, let Kon become your consultation prize.

[doclinkin]

Hoopshype.com tracker says we’ve worked out Jeremiah Fears. Many mocks moved him up after he measured taller than expected. Added an inch and 11lbs in this past year. As far as the Wiz brain trust is concerned he’s the 4th youngest in the draft. High BBIQ. Upside in his ranged shooting if you look at his 85% at the line. Gets to the line frequently. Virtuoso with the ball in his hands on the attack, if not yet with the pass. I like that his best games were against his toughest opponents. I can see them picking him as an upside play with the idea of trading Poole for value.

Looking at his frame he’s going to add muscle quick as he grows. Definitely one of the players you could look back at in a few years and wonder how he slipped.

Most mocks I’ve seen where he jumps up a few spots have him taken by Utah. If so he knocks somebody down to us.

[dckingsfan]

So here's where I am at on our 3 picks.

At 6 ... I get the same feeling about Tre Johnson that I got about Jalen Williams during his draft cycle. He's very underrated. The length, the wingspan, the handle, the spot up shooting, the ability to shoot on the move & off the dribble! Kon is the best spot up shooter in the draft but Tre is the most complete shooter. When you have that wing span and shooting ability, you are built to play in the playoffs. I love his quick release... This is a future 20+ ppg scorer & potential all-star.

Assuming Coop, Dylan & VJ are gone, only Ace & Tre have a chance at landing at 6. The elephant in the room, at least to me is that its a 5 potentially very good prospects and alot of decent ones. We need either Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach or Jeremiah Fears to jump up and claim one of those spots or try to trade up.

At 18... coming away with one of these 5 is an incredible win.

Danny Wolf
Noah Penda
Walter Clayton Jr
Derik Queen
Will Riley

At 40 ... I favor...

Hansen Yang
Maxime Raynaud
Bogoljub Markovic
Adou Thiero
Neoklis Avdalas

At 6 Carter Bryant is my guy. I get the argument that he didn't play a lot. IMO that's the only reason he's still available here.

Tre would be my 2nd choice. He's a prototypical SG. I don't expect Poole to be here long-term, and we need a scorer. OKC has SGA, TWolves have Ant... that's the model, and surround him with long athletic defenders like Bilal and Sarr.

VJ would be my 3rd choice. High motor, relentless on D. Fits an up tempo defense creating offense style of play.


At 18 I'd be happy with any of...

Drake Powell
Thomas Sorber
Asa Newell
Rasheer Fleming
Joan Beringer
Cedric Coward
Adou Thiero


At 40 I'm looking to add interior depth...

Yanic Niedenhauser
Hansen Yang
Maxime Raynaud
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Noah Penda
Amari Williams
Mouhamed Faye

I would be all in on adding two Cs/bigs in this draft. I like both of your lists - always take BPA (I know, I know) but we are already invested in Sarr so - who fits best next to him?

And If Yang is there at 40, I think he could have a really nice ceiling. But... it will take a couple of years.

[The Consiglieri]

I feel like Ian Mahinmi and Evan Fournier are in the own category. The teams that had Ian Mahinmi (Dallas and Indiana) and Fournier (Denver and Orlando) early on were fine with him but have reached huge levels of disappointment with their contracts relative to their production later on.

I am trying to figure out the player which you would be closest to the break even point of neither happy nor sad- it might be Pietrus or Serapahin.

Also, Pecherov isn't French.

There has never been a true engine from france. Someone who scored close to 2,000 points at close to 50 percent efficiency.

I am also very leery of French prospects, I believe it's harder to evaluate their prospects because their Pro league is largely fools gold IMO, Tidjane looks like a massive bust.

I'd argue that you can work from comparisons in international competition within the European and American framework.

France won Silver in '24, and '21 at the Olympics and played the US tough in both, losing by 5 in '21, and trailing by 5 at the start of the fourth in '24 before the US won by 11 with a strong 4th quarter finish.

At the Euro Basket Championship level they took runner up to Spain in '11, the title was theirs in '13, they lost to Champion Spain in the semifinals in '15 in OT, lost early in the R16's to Germany in '17, before losing to Spain again in the final in '22.

Their international side has basically been pretty consistently right there with Spain for 15 years as a top 2 side in Europe.

That basically tells me they've been dominant in Europe since probably their teams were built primarily from '81's to '85's, the current team is likely built around '95's to '07's.

Evidence seems to be that their leagues/clubs lag behind the powers of Europe, but that their youth development programs likely have been jumpstarted dramatically over the past 10-20 years, not sure why it's taking so long to be competitive in Europe, and I'm not 100% year where all these guys are being developed as U12's, U'15's, U17's etc, but the trend line is largely impossible to ignore, and unlike Spain, France has a huge international well spring they can pull kiddos from. Anyone who pays attention to the French National team in soccer knows that the bulk of their best prospects have heritage in Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Caribbean, not just mainland France. Their Basketball team is the same: pulling in prospects born in France, as well as born abroad and having immigrated to France, we should absolutely be buyers of this market, just understand, if you are buying U18 prospects out of Europe, and Africa, they are going to be more complicated projects which much higher volatility in terms of hit and bust. The fact that the past 11 drafts, the hit rate on 1st rounders is as high as it is, suggests teams should be buyers on the mega upside highly thought of prospects, and a bit more gun shy with the higher risk guys taken especially in round 2.

The current crop (Traore, Essengue, Penda, Beringer, especially the latter two) carry a lot more bust risk, but also those high potential outcome possibilities. I'm not suggesting we must draft them, just suggesting that once you get into the double digits, they start to have much higher potential outcomes in the positive zone, than your Kispert caliber role player upsides, and when we need to suck (to protect that '26 pick), the bust risk, and raw potential issues carry their own upside.

I have no idea if they will end up going that way. I tend to doubt it, simply because I suspect Traore will go before 18, and only Essengue and Beringer will be left anywhere close to 18, if at all, and I imagine they will end up with another prospect entirely, I just hope its a really high upside/ceiling potential guy, rather than a fit and floor type.

[dckingsfan]

Hoopshype.com tracker says we’ve worked out Jeremiah Fears. Many mocks moved him up after he measured taller than expected. Added an inch and 11lbs in this past year. As far as the Wiz brain trust is concerned he’s the 4th youngest in the draft. High BBIQ. Upside in his ranged shooting if you look at his 85% at the line. Gets to the line frequently. Virtuoso with the ball in his hands on the attack, if not yet with the pass. I like that his best games were against his toughest opponents. I can see them picking him as an upside play with the idea of trading Poole for value.

Looking at his frame he’s going to add muscle quick as he grows. Definitely one of the players you could look back at in a few years and wonder how he slipped.

Most mocks I’ve seen where he jumps up a few spots have him taken by Utah. If so he knocks somebody down to us.

If he grows another 1" or 1.5" that would put him in the 6'4ish category. That would make him "very interesting". I guess if you are gambling on ceiling - well then...

He wouldn't have been my pick pre-combine. I would have guessed 6' w/o shoes not 6'2.5" and the 6-5.25 is near to Kon's. And 85% from the line is pretty elite.

[The Consiglieri]

That is why I was so adamant during the season that we needed to finish with the worst record to assure a top 5 pick. There is a clear drop off after the top 5

Next year, we don’t have a choice. We have to do that.

We didn't have a choice either this year, we just botched it. I would have dared the NBA to do something about it beyond fines. ---- them. That's just me though. I'm flat out disgusted at the NBA's bull---- "anti-tanking" reward the flagship teams and big markets, big players approach. It's absolute horse ---- in the sport that most desperately needs a non-lottery to provide teams from cities that will NEVER attract FA's EVER, hope. Absolute insanity. So tank away and give the league the middle finger and go from there.

I just wonder how they'll handle the stretch run next year when the Phoenix's, and Milwaukee's of the world totally implode. The draft this year was the stupidest draft I've ever seen with 57 pick swap scenarios in play and practically no one drafting at slot. Utterly asinine and easy as hell to rig.

[doclinkin]

Hoopshype.com tracker says we’ve worked out Jeremiah Fears.
…
Most mocks I’ve seen where he jumps up a few spots have him taken by Utah. If so he knocks somebody down to us.

If he grows another 1" or 1.5" that would put him in the 6'4ish category. That would make him "very interesting". I guess if you are gambling on ceiling - well then...

He wouldn't have been my pick pre-combine. I would have guessed 6' w/o shoes not 6'2.5" and the 6-5.25 is near to Kon's. And 85% from the line is pretty elite.

My guess is we are doing due diligence. Willing to be blown away. But also signaling we might could take the guy so if a lower team likes him they’ll have to offer something real to trade up.

[The Consiglieri]

Double Post

[The Consiglieri]

Pre-draft lottery, my hope was that we didn’t drop to 6, now my wish is that Utah takes Kon at 5, come-on Utah, let Kon become your consultation prize.

If we stay at 6, my targets are:
1.) Miracle fall of VJ, or Bailey: not happening I know (well, maybe Bailey, one can dream anyway)
2.) Trade Up or out (down for '26 draft assets)
3.) Fears: I'm swinging for upside, praying he can hit 3's, he doesn't turn 19 until basically Halloween, grew the extra inch from June '24 to May '25, maybe hits 6'3.5" to 6'4" if we're lucky by '26.
4.) Tre Johnson: really concerned about the stories that there is basically huge gaps in his game, and he could be a classic scorer who has zero effect on W/L's, just empty calorie production, stat-collector.

[dckingsfan]

Hoopshype.com tracker says we’ve worked out Jeremiah Fears.
…
Most mocks I’ve seen where he jumps up a few spots have him taken by Utah. If so he knocks somebody down to us.

If he grows another 1" or 1.5" that would put him in the 6'4ish category. That would make him "very interesting". I guess if you are gambling on ceiling - well then...

He wouldn't have been my pick pre-combine. I would have guessed 6' w/o shoes not 6'2.5" and the 6-5.25 is near to Kon's. And 85% from the line is pretty elite.

My guess is we are doing due diligence. Willing to be blown away. But also signaling we might could take the guy so if a lower team likes him they’ll have to offer something real to trade up.

That would be "interesting" if it was Brooklyn that just had to have Fears (for example). 6 for 8 and 26. Doubt it happens but if the FO has someone targeted that they think will go a bit lower... Then they could trade up with 18 & 26? Or given this is a flat draft just take the picks? Or 8 and a future FRP. My brain hurts

Or likely nothing happens...

[Kanyewest]

Mike Miller represents Fears. He was on Pardon My Take and he was saying after saying to PFT that he doesn't think that Fears will be there at #6 for the WIzards. Miller also represents Paulo Banchero among others.

[doclinkin]

That would be "interesting" if it was Brooklyn that just had to have Fears (for example). 6 for 8 and 26. Doubt it happens but if the FO has someone targeted that they think will go a bit lower... Then they could trade up with 18 & 26? Or given this is a flat draft just take the picks? Or 8 and a future FRP. My brain hurts

Or likely nothing happens...

The more I watch the kid the more I like him. Master of the hesi, has SGA style misdirection and body fakes. Protects the ball with his body in traffic. Refs are going to call him for offensive fouls in fending off opponents. He will hook and stiffarm defenders to make space. But once he learns other dirty tricks he will live at the line as he does in college. The things that he needs work on are fixable with reps. Better form on his 3pt shot etc. And interestingly his lack of height also seems to be fixing itself.

That said he would sell a shxt ton of tickets in Brooklyn. Has the classic NYC point guard game. They might actually offer a haul to catch him.

Tho of course the haul they offer could go to Utah instead.

[dckingsfan]

That would be "interesting" if it was Brooklyn that just had to have Fears (for example). 6 for 8 and 26. Doubt it happens but if the FO has someone targeted that they think will go a bit lower... Then they could trade up with 18 & 26? Or given this is a flat draft just take the picks? Or 8 and a future FRP. My brain hurts

Or likely nothing happens...

The more I watch the kid the more I like him. Master of the hesi, has SGA style misdirection and body fakes. Protects the ball with his body in traffic. Refs are going to call him for offensive fouls in fending off opponents. He will hook and stiffarm defenders to make space. But once he learns other dirty tricks he will live at the line as he does in college. The things that he needs work on are fixable with reps. Better form on his 3pt shot etc. And interestingly his lack of height also seems to be fixing itself.

That said he would sell a shxt ton of tickets in Brooklyn. Has the classic NYC point guard game. They might actually offer a haul to catch him.

That said the haul they offer could go to Utah instead.

That would be very Ainge like...

[doclinkin]

Exactly. I think that’s why a few of the mock drafts have him going to Utah. Brooklyn wants him as their very own Jalen Brunson, and they have the assets to make Danny Ainge satisfied. Not just in this year‘s draft, but in future drafts.

[Rafael122]

Pre-draft lottery, my hope was that we didn’t drop to 6, now my wish is that Utah takes Kon at 5, come-on Utah, let Kon become your consultation prize.

If we stay at 6, my targets are:
1.) Miracle fall of VJ, or Bailey: not happening I know (well, maybe Bailey, one can dream anyway)
2.) Trade Up or out (down for '26 draft assets)
3.) Fears: I'm swinging for upside, praying he can hit 3's, he doesn't turn 19 until basically Halloween, grew the extra inch from June '24 to May '25, maybe hits 6'3.5" to 6'4" if we're lucky by '26.
4.) Tre Johnson: really concerned about the stories that there is basically huge gaps in his game, and he could be a classic scorer who has zero effect on W/L's, just empty calorie production, stat-collector.

Curious about Fears, as of now he doesn't have an NBA trait, and is small so why are we banking on him finding a shooting stroke when Tre Johnson is right there and has that already?

Comps from the Ringer on Fears: Scoot Henderson/Jerryd Bayless/Devin Harris/Jaden Ivey. Meh.

Tre Johnson: OJ Mayo, Michael Redd, Allan Houston, Terrence. Ross.

Tre arguably has a higher upside just for the fact that he can immediately be on the floor and contribute something.

[nate33]

Still not a huge fan of Fears. He is too small to get away with being a questionable outside shooter.

I’d be thrilled if someone takes him ahead of us so one of Edgecombe or Johnson falls to us.

[dobrojim]

Hoopshype.com tracker says we’ve worked out Jeremiah Fears.
…
Most mocks I’ve seen where he jumps up a few spots have him taken by Utah. If so he knocks somebody down to us.

If he grows another 1" or 1.5" that would put him in the 6'4ish category. That would make him "very interesting". I guess if you are gambling on ceiling - well then...

He wouldn't have been my pick pre-combine. I would have guessed 6' w/o shoes not 6'2.5" and the 6-5.25 is near to Kon's. And 85% from the line is pretty elite.

My guess is we are doing due diligence. Willing to be blown away. But also signaling we might could take the guy so if a lower team likes him they’ll have to offer something real to trade up.

Might be illuminating to see a scrimmage in which
Fears leads one team and Traore leads the other team. Seems like both, as well as others, are solidly in that 5-25 pack.

[dobrojim]

If he grows another 1" or 1.5" that would put him in the 6'4ish category. That would make him "very interesting". I guess if you are gambling on ceiling - well then...

He wouldn't have been my pick pre-combine. I would have guessed 6' w/o shoes not 6'2.5" and the 6-5.25 is near to Kon's. And 85% from the line is pretty elite.

My guess is we are doing due diligence. Willing to be blown away. But also signaling we might could take the guy so if a lower team likes him they’ll have to offer something real to trade up.

That would be "interesting" if it was Brooklyn that just had to have Fears (for example). 6 for 8 and 26. Doubt it happens but if the FO has someone targeted that they think will go a bit lower... Then they could trade up with 18 & 26? Or given this is a flat draft just take the picks? Or 8 and a future FRP. My brain hurts

Or likely nothing happens...

Like Traore.

That said, I'd prefer 3x Johnson to either.