2025 Draft Thread - Part 2

[The Consiglieri]

I'd view Sorber as an asset to be flipped. He's also injured, which makes it easier to baby his development.

Please explain. If you don't think he is a good fit here, why pick him and trade him? Why not just pick a guy you think will be a good fit?

It's both. If we end up with bigs at 6 and 18, I deal with it, and in the future, flip one. Draft for value, trade for fit/need, especially now, when we don't even have the skeleton of a core. I want as many high end upside talents as possible. I like Sorber A LOT, if he's the guy that gets flipped down the road in '26 or '27 so be it, if we keep both, so be it.

I'm not worried about having a glut of big men right now because what we lack more than anything, isn't PG's, or 2's, or 3's or 4's or whatever, it's high end talent with the possibility to be truly great. I'm not passing on Sorber because we took say, Maluach at 6, and also have Sarr. I'll figure out the rest later, right now I'm in accumulating talent mode period, we were the worst team last year in terms of performance, if not record, just like we were nearly in '23-'24, nothing that's happened since has changed that tangibly.

The key reason is we have no high end talent whatsoever, we have question marks, and floor guys and old vets. So in the '25 draft, I'm trying to land future stars or the highest end results possible, regardless of where they play. If its a good fit too, great, but I don't really care what position they play right now. Where would I go against that? If I have Sorber in the same tier as a guard, I'd seriously consider the guard, but I'm not taking Traore over Sorber, if my board says Sorber is simply in another tier level as a project just because I took a big at 6.

That's where I'm at with the picks.

[The Consiglieri]

It'll be interesting to see how this draft shakes out because the order of the mocks doesn't very well match up to the needs of the teams that are drafting. In particular, I'm not convinced that San Antonio will take Harper. He is really a bad fit there because they already have a very expensive Fox at PG and ROY Castle at the other guard position, and neither are really ideal as off-ball floor spacers to spread the floor for Harper.

I expect San Antonio to shop the pick at least a little. Ace Bailey or Tre Johnson seem like better fits in San Antonio with their ability to score off ball and spread the floor. What would a team need to offer to move up? Notably, the teams holding the #3 (PHI) and #4 (CHA) picks aren't really in dire need of a ball-dominant PG either.

I could see San Antonio drafting Harper at #2, making a lot of noise about how happy they are, and then quietly listening to offers to trade him to a team picking a bit later - particularly if a guy they like (Tre Johnson?) is still on the board.

I don't know how connected he is, but in a recent podcast Simmons referenced San Antonio being locked on Harper, and not trading out. We'll see. I would LOVE to be able to move up with them, but I doubt they move down, theres just too much of a drop off in talent after the top 2 and the top 4-5. I know I wouldn't move down to 6, but yeah, I'm sure the guys in our FO are calling San Antonio and Philly on the regular, I just know that I'd only surrender 18 to move up to 2, not 3.

[nate33]

Most mocks have Essengue and Bryant going in the teens. I doubt the Wizards take one of them at #6. We also already have 2 guys in that mold in Coulibaly and George (and also Champagne who may not have the length, but he has the heart).

I hope the Zards FO is paying little to no attention to the mock drafts or who is currently on the team when deciding who to draft.

After watching the OKC defense dominate the NBA all season long, I am convinced that you can’t have too many long, tall, active defenders with 3pt range…and Carter Bryant fits that mold to a T.

Not saying that taking Bryant at 6 is the way to go but I wouldn’t rule it out.

I actually think Coward fits the mold in what Dawkins is looking for. 6'5 with a 7'2'' wingspan, he's leveled up everywhere he's been. The shooting seems to be there, 38% career 3 point shooter, 83% from the line. Carter still doesn't have a consistent jump shot. The only way Dawkins takes him 6th is if he thinks he won't be there at 18. My ideal draft would be Johnson and Coward.

It's hard to find anything to dislike about Coward except his age. He looks like the perfect role playing wing. A bigger, longer KCP.

[NatP4]

I think Traore at #18 is a much better value than Fears/Johnson at #6.

I have seen him mocked as high as 9th and as low as 28th. I feel he won't be there at 18, but at this point

Yeah, I’m thinking he goes 12-14ish. He’s the Carrington/Topic of this draft. Too much upside as a 19 year old that started&carried a sky high usage rate for a French pro-A team. Rumored 6’4 with a 6’8 wingspan. Those guys never drop to the late 1st.

After Harper/Flagg, Traore has as much upside as anyone in this draft.

[DCZards]

I actually think Coward fits the mold in what Dawkins is looking for. 6'5 with a 7'2'' wingspan, he's leveled up everywhere he's been. The shooting seems to be there, 38% career 3 point shooter, 83% from the line. Carter still doesn't have a consistent jump shot. The only way Dawkins takes him 6th is if he thinks he won't be there at 18. My ideal draft would be Johnson and Coward.

That would probably be my ideal draft as well, assuming we can't trade up and the top four of Flagg, Harper, Bailey and VJ are gone...and Bryant is gone before 18, which I expect to the case. Sorber might be a player I take over Coward at 18.

I'd even be fine with Fears and Coward or Sorber.

[WizStorm]

I'll give y'all one. F Yaxel Lendeborg. Why is he not a lottery lock? He's solidly built, 6-9, can face up, post up, cut, attack of the dribble, shoot off the dribble, get an ISO bucket, run the offense, make high level decisions, crash the boards, finish strong at the rim. Seems like a legit two-way player who can do a little bit of everything... what is there not to like?

He reminds me ALOT of Derrick Williams physically but processes the floor much better. Maybe a little Michael Beasley without the extra gear but far more likely to reach his potential.

I can easily see him being a starting PF at next level.

Unfortunately, he's heading to Michigan:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/45344623/yaxel-lendeborg-exits-nba-draft-process-heads-michigan

[payitforward]

Most mocks have Essengue and Bryant going in the teens. I doubt the Wizards take one of them at #6. We also already have 2 guys in that mold in Coulibaly and George (and also Champagne who may not have the length, but he has the heart).

I hope the Zards FO is paying little to no attention to the mock drafts or who is currently on the team when deciding who to draft.

After watching the OKC defense dominate the NBA all season long, I am convinced that you can’t have too many long, tall, active defenders with 3pt range…and Carter Bryant fits that mold to a T.

Not saying that taking Bryant at 6 is the way to go but I wouldn’t rule it out.

Carter Bryant is a very talented kid! I'd be ok w/ him as well.

In fact, if there is a way to get him on a trade-down -- say with the Raptors -- I'd be all over it! They throw in #39 to move up the 2 spots. & take Maluach.

We get Bryant, go wild with Coward or Lendeborg at 18, then at 39 & 40 we pick Johni Broome & Drake Powell

Might be my favorite idea so far.

[tontoz]

Like others have mentioned i dont think there is a big difference in tiers from 6-20 so i don't put much weight in the mocks.

[closg00]

I'll give y'all one. F Yaxel Lendeborg. Why is he not a lottery lock? He's solidly built, 6-9, can face up, post up, cut, attack of the dribble, shoot off the dribble, get an ISO bucket, run the offense, make high level decisions, crash the boards, finish strong at the rim. Seems like a legit two-way player who can do a little bit of everything... what is there not to like?

He reminds me ALOT of Derrick Williams physically but processes the floor much better. Maybe a little Michael Beasley without the extra gear but far more likely to reach his potential.

I can easily see him being a starting PF at next level.

Unfortunately, he's heading to Michigan:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/45344623/yaxel-lendeborg-exits-nba-draft-process-heads-michigan

Oh no!! Must have felt uncertain about where he would land in the draft, I thought he was a lock for the 1st round, he was on my wish list at 18.

[Kanyewest]

Avoid the darned groupthink.

Pick Queen

At 18, yes pick Queen. Would have no problem with that.

There's no way DQ slips to 18. Pillsbury Doughboy or not, he's going by early teens

Yeah, I would be a bit surprised too although I do think it is possible for Queen to slip at that range only because the teams drafting in that range other than Chicago do not need a center and may violate the principle of taking the best player available versus drafting for need.

Also we have seen guys like Cam Whitmore who was mocked to go in the top 6, and only to be taken with the #20 pick. It later came out that he had poor medicals and attitude concerns from interviews although their are some stats that suggest he should have been taken higher.

Then again I wouldn't rule out Queen being taken in the top 10.

[Dat2U]

I'll give y'all one. F Yaxel Lendeborg. Why is he not a lottery lock? He's solidly built, 6-9, can face up, post up, cut, attack of the dribble, shoot off the dribble, get an ISO bucket, run the offense, make high level decisions, crash the boards, finish strong at the rim. Seems like a legit two-way player who can do a little bit of everything... what is there not to like?

He reminds me ALOT of Derrick Williams physically but processes the floor much better. Maybe a little Michael Beasley without the extra gear but far more likely to reach his potential.

I can easily see him being a starting PF at next level.

Unfortunately, he's heading to Michigan:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/45344623/yaxel-lendeborg-exits-nba-draft-process-heads-michigan

Oh no!! Must have felt uncertain about where he would land in the draft, I thought he was a lock for the 1st round, he was on my wish list at 18.

Its a shame, i just did a deep dive on him and felt he was NBA ready. The NIL era is crazy.

[9 and 20]

Hope he makes a ton of money at Michigan. One more year in college basketball will put him at 23/24 years old for next draft, I think? Not sure that sounds like a first round pick.

[nate33]

I was just messing around with the player comparisons at Tankathon:



It's a pretty apples-to-apples comparison. Both guys are extremely long roll-men playing in the same Duke system just 2 years apart from each other. Lively proved to be one of the better picks in his draft. Might Maluach do just as well? Maluach lacks Lively's timing on shot blocking and he gets virtually no steals, but he is a more prolific and efficient finisher and a much better free throw shooter. He is also a half-year younger and has a more massive frame.

[payitforward]

Maluach to Toronto makes the best sense. No Trump brain-dead Fascist deportation issues.....

[TGW]

I'll give y'all one. F Yaxel Lendeborg. Why is he not a lottery lock? He's solidly built, 6-9, can face up, post up, cut, attack of the dribble, shoot off the dribble, get an ISO bucket, run the offense, make high level decisions, crash the boards, finish strong at the rim. Seems like a legit two-way player who can do a little bit of everything... what is there not to like?

He reminds me ALOT of Derrick Williams physically but processes the floor much better. Maybe a little Michael Beasley without the extra gear but far more likely to reach his potential.

I can easily see him being a starting PF at next level.

Unfortunately, he's heading to Michigan:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/45344623/yaxel-lendeborg-exits-nba-draft-process-heads-michigan

Dude, you're just going to post that and disappear into the shadows? Where the heck have you been?

Waiting for Cramer to make a comeback.

[prime1time]

I was just messing around with the player comparisons at Tankathon:



It's a pretty apples-to-apples comparison. Both guys are extremely long roll-men playing in the same Duke system just 2 years apart from each other. Lively proved to be one of the better picks in his draft. Might Maluach do just as well? Maluach lacks Lively's timing on shot blocking and he gets virtually no steals, but he is a more prolific and efficient finisher and a much better free throw shooter. He is also a half-year younger and has a more massive frame.

Maluach has about 35+ pounds on Lively. That matters when asking if he will be able to guard elite bigs. The other question with Maluach is how much do you buy into his offensive upside as a one-on-one creator and as a 3-point shooter. Big gap between Lively and Maluach with regards to free throw shooting.

[Hibachi_0]

Read on Twitter

Hugo appreciation post. Upside play at 18. He's always been a better prospect than his european peers. We'll never know whwre would he be drafted if he went tot the NCAA...

[WizarDynasty]

You guys are way over thinking. The goal is always to get anengine if you don't have one. Am engine is a player capable of scoring at least 1800 at .50 percent efficiency or better. If they arent doing this college or coming close to theae numbers, they arent doing it in nba. Otherwise you are analyzing role players. If we dont have an engine and none of the players at our spot project out as an engine, them tou trade your assets for one. Siakam...players like that.

Efficiency is fga/fgm with volume and volume in nba is at least 1800 points. In order to get volume, you need to have a strong injury history so all these per game averages mean nothing because they dont ding players who cant put up volume.
So again nike jordan have seven season at 2500 pts shooting .50 percent or better. If you can get a player who can put volume with .50 percent efficiency and they ate young, yoil u have a building block. Sarr has shown signs but he failed to put up volume in his first season. We can project but until they have actually achieve it, it means nothing.
There only like 15 true engines in the entire league.

[Dat2U]

Maluach to Toronto makes the best sense. No Trump brain-dead Fascist deportation issues.....

If he faces possible deportatiion, then Toronto is his only plausible option - at least in the short term. In that case, they have no motivation to take him top 10 when they can get his rights later in the draft.

[9 and 20]

Read on Twitter

Hugo appreciation post. Upside play at 18. He's always been a better prospect than his european peers. We'll never know whwre would he be drafted if he went tot the NCAA...

Looking like Brent Barry and Tomas Satoransky out there. Amidoingitright?