2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8

[sofargone]

jamir watkins in toronto
https://www.instagram.com/stories/jamirwatkins/3641012032166756261/?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=cTZ6Y3Jrcmo4Z2Nn

tj bamba
https://www.instagram.com/stories/tjbamba/

looks like a group workout

[ATLTimekeeper]

Darko wrote a paper on the pick and roll. He needs a guard that can actually do that. Jak, Fears, Traore all fit.

[JCP11]

Jak is more talented and a better shot. Both have good measurements but I'm leaning on talent

I like Jak but do you think he could be someone able to get rim pressure? He's not a vertical athlete so he would need to be a better shooter to get there. We need talented ball handlers so I wouldn't be mad at that.

I’ve been watching a lot on him. He has a steady head and can really manipulate ball screens in order to generate action. Solid passer. I think the rim pressure is valid but i think the less clogging of the lanes at the nba level will benefit him. I think IQ produced 4 layups for teammates when he got in the lane also. That’s not going to cut it especially with how we struggled in half court.

can he beat his man one on one without a screen in the NBA in your opinion? The consistency of his shot and his ability to put get rim pressure are the two things that concerns me. I think all depends on the shot, if he becomes deadly he can pump fake his way to the rim with his size. I also think he's better than Demin.

[Jstock12]

I'm going to look back into Kasparas Jakucionis again. I loved him at the beginning of the college season but he wasn't the same after his injury. He's another guy I like in our range.

You should check out his U-18 Eurobasket 2024 play, which was right before the NCAA season. I think it shows some stuff that college highlights fail. More creation for others, driving to the basket, catch and shoot threes. Pretty much none of that stepback three chucking. I feel like he started relying too much on those step back jumpshots during the college season.

[OakleyDokely]

jamir watkins in toronto
https://www.instagram.com/stories/jamirwatkins/3641012032166756261/?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=cTZ6Y3Jrcmo4Z2Nn

tj bamba
https://www.instagram.com/stories/tjbamba/

looks like a group workout

Watkins would be a good pick at 39 or as undrafted FA. He had a solid year at FSU and he's got nice size.

[WuTang_CMB]

I like Jak but do you think he could be someone able to get rim pressure? He's not a vertical athlete so he would need to be a better shooter to get there. We need talented ball handlers so I wouldn't be mad at that.

I’ve been watching a lot on him. He has a steady head and can really manipulate ball screens in order to generate action. Solid passer. I think the rim pressure is valid but i think the less clogging of the lanes at the nba level will benefit him. I think IQ produced 4 layups for teammates when he got in the lane also. That’s not going to cut it especially with how we struggled in half court.

can he beat his man one on one without a screen in the NBA in your opinion? The consistency of his shot and his ability to put get rim pressure are the two things that concerns me. I think all depends on the shot, if he becomes deadly he can pump fake his way to the rim with his size. I also think he's better than Demin.

He's shifty and his handle is good so I would say yes. It's not Fears level but it's still solid for a 6'6" guy. It's night and day vs a guy like Demin.

[niQ]

Darko wrote a paper on the pick and roll. He needs a guard that can actually do that. Jak, Fears, Traore all fit.

If we draft a PG with our 9th pick, is IQ as good as gone?

[Raptors Realtor]

Darko wrote a paper on the pick and roll. He needs a guard that can actually do that. Jak, Fears, Traore all fit.

If we draft a PG with our 9th pick, is IQ as good as gone?

I doubt it we need his high volume 3pt efficiency, at least initially until you know what you have... However, Shead might lose some minutes.

[Psubs]

Darko wrote a paper on the pick and roll. He needs a guard that can actually do that. Jak, Fears, Traore all fit.

If we draft a PG with our 9th pick, is IQ as good as gone?

100% because Shead has shown that he's a capable starter and the draft pick can develop and compete with him for minutes.

[Psubs]

at this point im starting to think about the next Haliburton tbh, who can be that guy who can run the offense and make plays like him that includes similar measurements etc.

I think we need a PG and stretch 5, then we can look for bigger sg/sf that can guard multiple positions and shoot.

Tre Johson. I would only trade to move up to get Cooper Flagg or Tre Johnson.

[PushDaRock]

Darko wrote a paper on the pick and roll. He needs a guard that can actually do that. Jak, Fears, Traore all fit.

If we draft a PG with our 9th pick, is IQ as good as gone?

100% because Shead has shown that he's a capable starter and the draft pick can develop and compete with him for minutes.

lmao how did Shead prove that?

11 starts
27.3 mpg 10.4 ppg 6.9 apg 2.5 rpg on 48.1 TS% are capable starter numbers?

[TNRaps4life]

https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-2-0-could-spurs-trade-dylan-harper-nets

[PushDaRock]

I'm hopeful that we don't... there are no minutes for a wing unless we then turn around and trade a bunch of guys. So I guess maybe there's that, but still. We need to focus less on these 6'6 - 6'9 dudes and try to bolster our backcourt and center position.

I think it's more likely than not that whoever we take at #9 is not in the rotation on day 1. I think that's likely the case regardless of position.

Sure, but then that becomes problematic for development, right? That's a high-ranked pick, which SHOULD spark some development. So if we're wasting that, it becomes a misuse of resources.

I don't see any high impact NBA ready guys at our pick so they will need to compete with our current guys for minutes. Jak played less than 12 mpg in his rookie year as a #9 pick. That's a pretty normal thing on a team that's trying to win and make the playoffs.

[Psubs]

If we draft a PG with our 9th pick, is IQ as good as gone?

100% because Shead has shown that he's a capable starter and the draft pick can develop and compete with him for minutes.

lmao how did Shead prove that?

Capable, not like he's going to lead the team to the playoffs, but who knows with Ingram added to the starting lineup.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sheadja01/splits/2025

A/T over 2, plays hard defense and post-allstar 35.4% from 3 (in 11 starts shot 34% from 3).

[OakleyDokely]

Barrett is a more likely goner than IQ if the Raps get a ball dominant guard imo.

IQ can play off ball, he's a good enough shooter to complement most natural ballhandlers.

[PushDaRock]

100% because Shead has shown that he's a capable starter and the draft pick can develop and compete with him for minutes.

lmao how did Shead prove that?

Capable, not like he's going to lead the team to the playoffs, but who knows with Ingram added to the starting lineup.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sheadja01/splits/2025

A/T over 2, plays hard defense and post-allstar 35.4% from 3 (in 11 starts shot 34% from 3).

48.1 TS% isn't "capable" even as a bench player much less a starter.

[Yallbecrazy]

I finally found a guy that was really productive, had a poor team around him, played against good competition, had decent stocks, and a good assist to turnover ratio that didn't become a solid NBA player.
He was a senior and shot free throws at 54% (actually declined to 46.6% as a senior) and was considered very unathletic. His teammates weren't awful, but weren't good either and still shot the 3 at 36% on decent volume though.

Ethan Happ. Took me a long time, and he wasn't even drafted.

[Dalek]

jamir watkins in toronto
https://www.instagram.com/stories/jamirwatkins/3641012032166756261/?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=cTZ6Y3Jrcmo4Z2Nn

tj bamba
https://www.instagram.com/stories/tjbamba/

looks like a group workout

This was the group workout:
Alex Toohey (Aussie point-forward - 6’7 ¾" barefoot, 222.8 lbs with a 6’10 ¾" wingspan and 8’8 ½" standing reach)

Read on Twitter

Jamir Watkins (FSU off-the-dribble scoring wing, measured 6’5” barefoot, 214.6 lbs with a 6’11 ¼" wingspan and 8’6 ½" standing reach. Of note, FSU is Scottie's alma mater and Watkins has been playing the past few years with Jason Simpson - Scottie's brother).

Read on Twitter

TJ Bamba (5 year college guard who is a strong defender but low volume scorer - 3.7 stl%)
Lamont Butler (former SDU 3x all-defensive team PG/stopper)
Dylan Cardwell (C from Auburn - measured 6’9 ¾" barefoot, 261 lbs with a 7’0 ¾" wingspan and 9’1” standing reach but a poor shooter)
RJ Felton (guard - dynamic 20+ PPG scorer for Eastern Washington)

The headliners are both not great shooters, but both can play off the dribble and make plays. Watkins is a guys I have watched for years but he still cannot shoot well from outside. Great from mid-range. He is this year's Terrence Shannon Jr. A guy you can throw in off the bench and he will attack the rim and defend.

[TNRaps4life]

I'm going to look back into Kasparas Jakucionis again. I loved him at the beginning of the college season but he wasn't the same after his injury. He's another guy I like in our range.

You should check out his U-18 Eurobasket 2024 play, which was right before the NCAA season. I think it shows some stuff that college highlights fail. More creation for others, driving to the basket, catch and shoot threes. Pretty much none of that stepback three chucking. I feel like he started relying too much on those step back jumpshots during the college season.

Please share video

[Dalek]

Darko wrote a paper on the pick and roll. He needs a guard that can actually do that. Jak, Fears, Traore all fit.

If we draft a PG with our 9th pick, is IQ as good as gone?

Not to me. IQ is best as an off-guard scorer. He can play in a two-guard line-up. If anything, it is worth thinking about RJ Barrett as being moved. I love the local angle but the fit with Scottie has been tenuous. They mainly did the NY/OG trade for IQ and RJ was a nice player to give a second chance to. Long-term, it is hard to see Toronto paying him his next contract. Jak can replicate everything RJ does at a fraction of the cost and adds better FT shooting and theoretically better playmaking.