2025 Draft Prospect Thread

[fatlever]

https://www.youtube.com/live/j2uGPQ2Gwjg?si=cfK1dK1FF_swh9J6

Tre vs vj from no ceilings

Haven't had a chance to watch yet

Sent from my SM-G973U using RealGM mobile app

watching this now...
Interesting comments about tre And his no nonsense approach to the game (i love that). Talking about how basically he only wants to hoop and everything else is a distraction. Maybe didn't quite trust his Texas teammates which led to him taking more mid range jumpers rather than kicking out, so not so much that he can't pass but that he didn't trust his teammates. But also that he's a little bit like Jimmy Butler in the sense that if he doesn't think you're serious about winning then he's not going to want to have anything to do with you. That if he's in a good locker room it won't be an issue but if he's surrounded by a bunch of immature players that are goofing off it might be an issue... (lol... Which locker room does that sound like?) But they are sky high on his upside. But this is exactly what our new front office and coach are trying to change with this Hornet's DNA stuff. So I could definitely see them really appreciating this part of his mentality.

Listening to the vj section now. Another very serious intense competitor incredible work ethic and very high character. Never someone you have to worry about off the court. They told an amazing story about him staying after practicing cleaning up the gym After everyone left. That's just the kind of dude he is. Saying Don't overthink it when it comes to him. He will do what it takes.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows though. They dig into his horrific analytics in terms of finishing at the rim and his lackluster left hand. Maybe it gets better with more spacing in the NBA but also the NBA has better rim protectors. He can get to the rim but doesn't know what to do once he gets there. Doesn't have the craft to finish. High floor but how high is the ceiling? You're banking on him figuring out some counters to just dunking on people. I miss on a guy then you miss on someone with his charactering work ethic. He's gonna bust his **** to get better. sounds like tiddy in that regard. Gushing about how he was by far the best player on the bomb as national team at 18 years old. If he doesn't get any better and his nba career they said that he would be a quicker Lue Dort... assuming He naturally gets stronger

both tre vj Are easily top five picks.

[JDR720]

This draft is going to be very nerve wrecking. If we had #1 or #2, the choice would be so obvious that we couldn't screw it up. But there are 4-5 players who you can make a case for at our spot.

And we have to nail this pick.

[JDR720]

watching this now...
Interesting comments about tre And his no nonsense approach to the game (i love that). Talking about how basically he only wants to hoop and everything else is a distraction. Maybe didn't quite trust his Texas teammates which led to him taking more mid range jumpers rather than kicking out, so not so much that he can't pass but that he didn't trust his teammates. But also that he's a little bit like Jimmy Butler in the sense that if he doesn't think you're serious about winning then he's not going to want to have anything to do with you. That if he's in a good locker room it won't be an issue but if he's surrounded by a bunch of immature players that are goofing off it might be an issue... (lol... Which locker room does that sound like?) But they are sky high on his upside. But this is exactly what our new front office and coach are trying to change with this Hornet's DNA stuff. So I could definitely see them really appreciating this part of his mentality.

Listening to the vj section now. Another very serious intense competitor incredible work ethic and very high character. Never someone you have to worry about off the court. They told an amazing story about him staying after practicing cleaning up the gym After everyone left. That's just the kind of dude he is. Saying Don't overthink it when it comes to him. He will do what it takes.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows though. They dig into his horrific analytics in terms of finishing at the rim and his lackluster left hand. Maybe it gets better with more spacing in the NBA but also the NBA has better rim protectors. He can get to the rim but doesn't know what to do once he gets there. Doesn't have the craft to finish. High floor but how high is the ceiling? You're banking on him figuring out some counters to just dunking on people. I miss on a guy then you miss on someone with his charactering work ethic. He's gonna bust his **** to get better. sounds like tiddy in that regard. Gushing about how he was by far the best player on the bomb as national team at 18 years old. If he doesn't get any better and his nba career they said that he would be a quicker Lue Dort... assuming He naturally gets stronger

both tre vj Are easily top five picks.

That second sentence made me think of Stanley Johnson, and then I shuddered.

[Diop]

watching this now...
Interesting comments about tre And his no nonsense approach to the game (i love that). Talking about how basically he only wants to hoop and everything else is a distraction. Maybe didn't quite trust his Texas teammates which led to him taking more mid range jumpers rather than kicking out, so not so much that he can't pass but that he didn't trust his teammates. But also that he's a little bit like Jimmy Butler in the sense that if he doesn't think you're serious about winning then he's not going to want to have anything to do with you. That if he's in a good locker room it won't be an issue but if he's surrounded by a bunch of immature players that are goofing off it might be an issue... (lol... Which locker room does that sound like?) But they are sky high on his upside. But this is exactly what our new front office and coach are trying to change with this Hornet's DNA stuff. So I could definitely see them really appreciating this part of his mentality.

Listening to the vj section now. Another very serious intense competitor incredible work ethic and very high character. Never someone you have to worry about off the court. They told an amazing story about him staying after practicing cleaning up the gym After everyone left. That's just the kind of dude he is. Saying Don't overthink it when it comes to him. He will do what it takes.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows though. They dig into his horrific analytics in terms of finishing at the rim and his lackluster left hand. Maybe it gets better with more spacing in the NBA but also the NBA has better rim protectors. He can get to the rim but doesn't know what to do once he gets there. Doesn't have the craft to finish. High floor but how high is the ceiling? You're banking on him figuring out some counters to just dunking on people. I miss on a guy then you miss on someone with his charactering work ethic. He's gonna bust his **** to get better. sounds like tiddy in that regard. Gushing about how he was by far the best player on the bomb as national team at 18 years old. If he doesn't get any better and his nba career they said that he would be a quicker Lue Dort... assuming He naturally gets stronger

both tre vj Are easily top five picks.

so he could be Avery Bradley

[fatlever]

lol many Random typos in that last message. I hope you guys figured out what the hell I was trying to say.. The built-in windows 11 voice to text is **** terrible.

[KingCat]

After watching no ceilings, I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought I was going nuts when VJ measured 6'4. Just does not look that big on the eye test. Not putting out any conspiracy about them lying about his height or anything, just feels did not meet the eyes.

[KingCat]

Ok No Ceiling may of radicalized me into being firmly in the Tre wagon. VJ's layup numbers scare the hell out of me. Their hope is maybe better teammates and NBA spacing will help him out. I can buy that.

They also tried to argue him having a good work ethic and being a high character guy means he will likely improve and figure it out. I'm buying that less since I don't take character discussion that seriously anymore. Our FO touted MKG and Miles as two guys with perfect character for the NBA; one ended up having confidence issues that heavily damaged his career, and the other ended up being a lean sipping psychopath.

I get seeing VJ as the best fit with our current roster, I do too. Unfortunately I don't think we should be keeping our current pieces in mind when making this pick. As much as I love them, I don't have enough belief that Melo - Miller - Mark have proved they are healthy or good enough to predominantly draft players specifically around how they fit with them.

I'll probably change my mind by the end of the day. This is my most bipolar draft ever.

[Diop]

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[fatlever]

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thread on max vertical reach for each position

[Snidely FC]

I don’t understand the obsession with trading up for Fleming.

Drake Powell, for instance, is 19 tested as maybe the best athlete at the combine with way more upside if you’re gonna trade up in the draft why would you hone in on someone like Fleming who put up his gaudy numbers in his third yr of college against Fordham Duquesne and St. Bonaventure over someone with the upside of Powell.

Just sayin’ there are plenty of interesting guys gonna go in the 20s, I am not on the home-in-on-Fleming bus

Fleming fits the mold of one of those upperclassmen players who end up being good pros early in their career. It's pretty easy to see him be a rotation player from day 1 with his measurables and skillset.

Powell. To me, he's like Kai and Bryce. If you're drafting a player for athletic upside, but they're in the 20's or 2nd round, I'm not sure if their alleged upside is actually all that high.

Once you're out of the teens, I think you draft players with defined (if not limited) NBA roles. And some of those guys end up being a lot better than expected.

Powell has a defined NBA role, one as you are seeing with OKC in these playoffs whose value is arguably higher than that of a stretch 4, as a perimeter defender.

John Hollinger: "• Perhaps the biggest winner from the athletic testing was North Carolina forward Drake Powell, who only measured 6-5 1/4 in socks but with a massive 7-0 wingspan. Additionally, his 37 1/2-inch no-step vertical was easily the best at the combine. (If you’re wondering, that is generally the leaping test you care about when projecting basketball players, although the “max vert” usually gets reported since it’s a bigger and thus sexier number.)"

With his 7' wingspan he can be the perimeter defender this team needs. Vs Duke for instance he could switch onto Proctor, James, Knueppel and Flagg, something Edgecombe couldn't do. But I see you are concerned that he is only an athlete, so I will point out in terms of basketball skills Powell shot nearly 38% from 3 on nearly 3 attempts per game and scored 7 ppg, not prolific but nearly identical numbers to Carter Bryant. Everyone acknowledges Bryant's role was blocked by upperclassman, and likewise Powell's role was limited by UNC's 3 headed guard system, resulting in Powell putting up nearly identical offensive numbers to Carter Bryant with a lower usage rate (Powell 13% vs Bryant's 16%). So he would come in with the defined role of 3&D wing.

I'm not here to claim Powell is going to be a star. But Powell, Kalkbrenner, Raynaud, Wolf, Penda, Condon, Coward, Sion James, Eric Dixon, Broome, Proctor, many of these guys are going to be floating around the end of the first, early second. The point of my original post was that I don't understand the fervor for trading up for Fleming when we don't know that he is that superior to many of these guys and for me, there are guys on that list I would take ahead of Fleming, and ultimately, I would rather have 2 of the guys from the above list than just Fleming.

[JMAC3]

Drake Powell feels like the type of 2nd rounder that doesn't make it past 12 months with the team that drafted him because he is so raw. Could see him sticking around after Gleague or 2 stops later as solid energy wing off some contenders bench.

[fatlever]

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thread... interesting thought exercise

[SWedd523]

All I can think of is it's very on brand for a Charlotte to get the 4th pick in a 2.5 player draft.

The pessimist (realist?) in me knows they'll outsmart themselves again and take another bust while somebody 5-8 takes an all-nba

[Rays Pompadour]

All I can think of is it's very on brand for a Charlotte to get the 4th pick in a 2.5 player draft.

The pessimist (realist?) in me knows they'll outsmart themselves again and take another bust while somebody 5-8 takes an all-nba

That's why the Hornets should be picking lower in the draft. Picking at the top is as much about not missing out on a Giannis as it is about production. And that comes with risk. If Edgecomb falls to Charlotte, it may be said the player won't ever develop an elite handle and, thus, bust. Same with Bailey and his rawness and street attitude. Got bust written all over him...except that he may be the next Chris Bosh. The Tidjane selection is the exact kind of risky pick the Hornets made. San Antonio would have made the same play.

But for every pessimist there's an optimist like me. We need both.

[JMAC3]

I honestly might lean Dylan Harper bust if the Spurs keep the pick and try to play him with Fox and Castle. None of them shoot over 33% from 3 and they all want the ball.

[vexco]

I honestly might lean Dylan Harper bust if the Spurs keep the pick and try to play him with Fox and Castle. None of them shoot over 33% from 3 and they all want the ball.

As far as BPA goes, he's definitely BPA there but I agree. Nobody would have to respect their shot especially with how bad Castle was as a shooter last year. Makes way more sense to move #2+more for Giannis or attempt to move #2 for someone who can actually space the floor.

[JustBuzzin]

Castle won ROTY and it had nothing to do with his shooting.

[Hornet Mania]

I honestly might lean Dylan Harper bust if the Spurs keep the pick and try to play him with Fox and Castle. None of them shoot over 33% from 3 and they all want the ball.

Yeah, the Harper fit with SAS makes no sense. Definitely BPA and they should take him for value reasons but I don't buy their assertions they'll play all three together over the long term. Realistically one of them will have to go to shore up the lineup down the line.

[Braggins]

I think it makes more sense for the Spurs to trade Castle than to trade the pick. They could lean on Fox for a couple years while Harper develops then trade him when Harper is ready to take over.

[JMAC3]

I honestly might lean Dylan Harper bust if the Spurs keep the pick and try to play him with Fox and Castle. None of them shoot over 33% from 3 and they all want the ball.

Yeah, the Harper fit with SAS makes no sense. Definitely BPA and they should take him for value reasons but I don't buy their assertions they'll play all three together over the long term. Realistically one of them will have to go to shore up the lineup down the line.

At the end of the day it is likely someone within the top 5 picks will bust, it is a pretty common occurrence and it isn't typically because they were not viewed as talented on draft night. Situation is pretty important how players work out.

Harper on a team like Milwaukee where he can play with the ball and learn fast is a better situation then him playing off the ball on a Spurs team that will be competing for playoffs and him getting benched because he is shooting under 30% from three.