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2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8

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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#821 » by WuTang_CMB » Fri May 30, 2025 2:01 am

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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#822 » by bballsparkin » Fri May 30, 2025 2:02 am

earthtone wrote:Why are people quick to compare big men prospects to busts like Thabeet/Bamba but no one ever compares guard prospects to Jarret Culver/Dennis Smith Jr/the many Top 10 guards and wings who also bust?

I don’t think the hit rate on bigs is the lottery is any lower than any other position


I thought Culver was going to be good. :D
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#823 » by Indeed » Fri May 30, 2025 2:11 am

earthtone wrote:
VanWest82 wrote:
Indeed wrote:No he is not switchable, most draft scouting has him as drop coverage.
His lane agility and other quickness test are pretty much at the bottom.

Just hype.

I recall some of the same hype for Mo Bamba coming out. Raw but big defensive body, shows touch, looking to add the three ball, blank canvass, etc. More often than not these projects stay that way.

Why are people quick to compare big men prospects to busts like Thabeet/Bamba but no one ever compares guard prospects to Jarret Culver/Dennis Smith Jr/the many Top 10 guards and wings who also bust?

I don’t think the hit rate on bigs is the lottery is any lower than any other position


Nope, and in previous drafts, we pointed out guards as well. Johnny Davis was one from 2022, Jalen Hood-Schifino was one from 2023, etc.
Aren't we talking about Jase Richardson earlier?
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#824 » by Yallbecrazy » Fri May 30, 2025 2:11 am

bballsparkin wrote:
earthtone wrote:Why are people quick to compare big men prospects to busts like Thabeet/Bamba but no one ever compares guard prospects to Jarret Culver/Dennis Smith Jr/the many Top 10 guards and wings who also bust?

I don’t think the hit rate on bigs is the lottery is any lower than any other position


I thought Culver was going to be good. :D



I took a bit of a deep dive recently into higher oBPM prospects drafted in the lottery who busted and the common theme was their free throw percentage was usually not as great as their 3pt% suggested their shooting ability was and the team had other guards or wings that teams had to give attention to which provided a lot of spacing for them to work with and possibly not always face the other team's best defender.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#825 » by dohboy_24 » Fri May 30, 2025 2:16 am

Mark_83 wrote:Let's talk about pick 39. Who ya'll got?


Bigs:
Yanic Konan Niederhauser
Michael Ruzic
Maxime Raynaud
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Hansen Yang

Forwards:
Adou Thiero
Dink Pate

Wings:
Hugo Gonzalez
Drake Powell
Kobe Sanders
Neoklis Avdalas

Guards:
Javon Small
Ben Henshall
Raptors record prediction: 45-37 (6th place in the East)
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#826 » by bballsparkin » Fri May 30, 2025 2:28 am

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C – Duke (South Sudan) – HT: 7-2 – WT: 253 – WING: 7-6 3/4 – Fr – Maluach has seemed destined to go to the Raptors for a long time and would be a solid pick here at no.9. He’s a high upside and very intriguing player who is just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s a game-changer on the defensive end, is a great lob threat on offense and can step out and shoot the rock.


Funny how people are so split on Maluach. He alone sums up this draft perfectly. Fears, Bailey, Queen, Jaku, Tre, CMB etc. This draft will be one of those fun redraft ones years later I think.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#827 » by Psubs » Fri May 30, 2025 2:31 am

Clutch0z24 wrote:Apparently Wemby has been growing more and hit a growth spurt lol....supposidly he is 7'7" now with shoes on...


That's like not a good thing. I think he'd be more open to knee problems and other injuries.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#828 » by dohboy_24 » Fri May 30, 2025 2:36 am

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Khaman Maluach at #9 and Yanic Konan Niederhauser at @39.

Sign me up!
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#829 » by Psubs » Fri May 30, 2025 2:38 am

Rapsfan07 wrote:
Psubs wrote:
Dalek wrote:
That makes it more worrying to me. Fleming has been in college for 3 years and is still making mistakes playing in the A10. Newell was a frosh and playing in the much tougher SEC.


Different people have different growth curves. Fleming was a zero star recruit, that developed through hard work. He's humble but still seems confident that he belongs.

Amare Stoudemire was a turnover machine with an A/T of 0.5. He was a 6 time allstar because he was a great finisher who developed a reliable foul-line jumper.

Fleming is a great get in the late teens. Trade for someone that wants a more proven player. I think Miami sees who Davion Mitchell acclimated to Heat Culture, maybe Ochai Agbaji is someone that would covet. If Rasheer is still there at #20, I trade Ochai and #39 for #20 and Kevin Love.


Why not just trade #9 for #13 & #22? Pick Fleming at #13 and someone else at #22. That way, you can keep Agbaji and #39.


I've proposed that trade around here maybe 10 times. :lol:

I would then trade #22 and Agbaji to say Orlando for #16 and Goga Bitadze.

#13 Carter Bryant
#16 Rasheer Fleming
#39 Markovic/Kalkbrenner/Yang/Sion James
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#830 » by Mark_83 » Fri May 30, 2025 2:52 am

PhilBlackson wrote:
Mark_83 wrote:Let's talk about pick 39. Who ya'll got?

Realistic prospects I'm hoping make it there are:

Ryan Kalkbrenner, C
Drake Powell, SG
Jamir Watkins, SF
Noah Penda, SF
Bogoljub Marković, PF
Hansen Yang, C
Chaz Lanier, SG
Tyrese Proctor, PG
Adou Thiero, SF
Mark Sears, PG


No way Yang is still on the board and we should trade into the late 1st to grab him, if he’s even still there. I could see the Nets taking a flyer on him. They’ll likely take a couple of gambles. But really Hansen impressed and the 2nd rd is looking paper thin so I’m sure someone must see the obvious upside. Likewise I’m doubtful Penda will be available then either but I’d praying one of those 2 fall through.

I also think Powell who was initially projected in the lottery impressed at the combine so good chance those 3 are gone in the late first imo.

Realistically I think we’ll need to hope to grab one of Kalkbrenner, Markovic or Watkins. But the sounds of our early workouts it seemed like we were looking more at the wings with our 2nd so my early guess is Watkins although I know Masai was seen scouting Markovic before.

I think Powell is going to go much higher than he's ranked currently but my list is moreso based on consensus rankings.

I don't really see a lot separating Powell from VJ from a pure talent standpoint. He's taller, has a longer wingspan, and a superior vertical. He's also 2 months younger. VJ is a better defensive playmaker and passer, but Powell is also excellent defensively. He's also a well spoken young man who will interview well.

I think your list is probable and that we'll be looking at Yang and Powell being gone. Less sure on Penda, but he has some helium right now.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#831 » by Rapsfan07 » Fri May 30, 2025 3:26 am

Psubs wrote:
Rapsfan07 wrote:
Psubs wrote:
Different people have different growth curves. Fleming was a zero star recruit, that developed through hard work. He's humble but still seems confident that he belongs.

Amare Stoudemire was a turnover machine with an A/T of 0.5. He was a 6 time allstar because he was a great finisher who developed a reliable foul-line jumper.

Fleming is a great get in the late teens. Trade for someone that wants a more proven player. I think Miami sees who Davion Mitchell acclimated to Heat Culture, maybe Ochai Agbaji is someone that would covet. If Rasheer is still there at #20, I trade Ochai and #39 for #20 and Kevin Love.


Why not just trade #9 for #13 & #22? Pick Fleming at #13 and someone else at #22. That way, you can keep Agbaji and #39.


I've proposed that trade around here maybe 10 times. :lol:

I would then trade #22 and Agbaji to say Orlando for #16 and Goga Bitadze.

#9 Carter Bryant
#16 Rasheer Fleming
#39 Markovic/Kalkbrenner/Yang/Sion James


You wouldn't have #9 in this situation.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#832 » by Raptors Realtor » Fri May 30, 2025 3:33 am

Psubs wrote:
Rapsfan07 wrote:
Psubs wrote:
Different people have different growth curves. Fleming was a zero star recruit, that developed through hard work. He's humble but still seems confident that he belongs.

Amare Stoudemire was a turnover machine with an A/T of 0.5. He was a 6 time allstar because he was a great finisher who developed a reliable foul-line jumper.

Fleming is a great get in the late teens. Trade for someone that wants a more proven player. I think Miami sees who Davion Mitchell acclimated to Heat Culture, maybe Ochai Agbaji is someone that would covet. If Rasheer is still there at #20, I trade Ochai and #39 for #20 and Kevin Love.


Why not just trade #9 for #13 & #22? Pick Fleming at #13 and someone else at #22. That way, you can keep Agbaji and #39.


I've proposed that trade around here maybe 10 times. :lol:

I would then trade #22 and Agbaji to say Orlando for #16 and Goga Bitadze.

#9 Carter Bryant
#16 Rasheer Fleming
#39 Markovic/Kalkbrenner/Yang/Sion James


I think you meant Bryant at #13, but I'm not sure he'll still be there.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#833 » by earthtone » Fri May 30, 2025 3:40 am

bballsparkin wrote:
earthtone wrote:Why are people quick to compare big men prospects to busts like Thabeet/Bamba but no one ever compares guard prospects to Jarret Culver/Dennis Smith Jr/the many Top 10 guards and wings who also bust?

I don’t think the hit rate on bigs is the lottery is any lower than any other position


I thought Culver was going to be good. :D

yah I liked him a lot that year too, I thought his floor was gonna be at least a solid rotational guard but he flamed out immediately.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#834 » by WuTang_CMB » Fri May 30, 2025 3:42 am

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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#835 » by DreamTeam09 » Fri May 30, 2025 4:01 am

Derik Queen | C | Maryland
The Raptors reportedly interviewed the Maryland big man on May 14 in Chicago, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

Queen is widely viewed as one of the top centers in the draft and is projected to go in the lottery. He’d give the Raptors a young backup behind Jakob Poeltl with room to develop and could add some offensive upside to the second unit.

Tre Johnson | G | Texas
Toronto reportedly met with Texas freshman Tre Johnson in Chicago, per Josh Robbins of the Athletic.

Johnson is one of the most explosive offensive guards in the class and is expected to be off the board before Toronto picks at No. 9. If the Raptors are interested in the 6-foot-5 guard, it would likely take a move into the top five or six to get him.

Jase Richardson | G | Michigan State
The Raptors are said to have interviewed Michigan State's Jase Richardson at the draft combine, per Josh Robbins of the Athletic.

Richardson, the son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson, broke out this past season at Michigan State as a crafty, undersized point guard with strong scoring instincts. He’s projected to go in the middle of the first round.

Collin Murray-Boyles | F | South Carolina
Toronto reportedly interviewed South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyes at the draft combine, per Libaan Osman of the Toronto Star.

Murray-Boyles is viewed as one of the top and most versatile defensive wings in this year’s draft. He’d give Toronto another multi-positional defender in the mold of Scottie Barnes and is projected to go right around the Raptors’ pick at No. 9.

Alex Toohey | F | Sydney, Australia
Toronto will reportedly workout Alex Toohey later this summer, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

The 6-foot-8 Australian is a versatile forward and skilled playmaker who’s still developing on both ends of the floor. He’s projected to be a second-round pick and could be a target for Toronto at No. 39.

Sion James | G | Duke
Toronto will reportedly meet with Sion James on May 15 in Chicago, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

A fifth-year senior from Duke, James profiles as a 3-and-D guard and measured just over 6-foot-4 at the draft combine. He’s projected to go in the second round, likely after Toronto's pick at No. 39.

Lamont Butler | G | Kentucky
The Raptors will reportedly work out Lamont Butler ahead of the NBA Draft, per Bill O'Rear.

Butler is a fifth-year senior who was invited to the G League draft and could be a prospect Toronto is eyeing for the Raptors 905 or as a training camp invitee this offseason.

Jamir Watkins | F | Florida State
The Raptors appear to have worked out Jamir Watkins who posted a photo on his Instagram from the OVO Athletice Centre.

The 23-year-old Watkins is a 6-foot-5 senior who is projected to go in the second round.

Tahaad Pettiford | G | Auburn
Toronto will reportedly work out Tahaad Pettiford, per Justin Hokanson of On3.

Pettiford, 19, is a 6-foot point guard projected to go in the second round.

RJ Felton | G | East Carolina
The Raptors will reportedly host RJ Felton, per Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire.

Felton is a 6-foot-3 senior point guard who could be a target for Toronto as an undrafted free agent.

Trey Townsend | F | Arizona
Trey Townsend posted a photo on Instagram in Toronto ahead of his workout with the Raptors.

The fifth-year senior out of Arizona is not expected to be drafted but could be a target for the organization following the draft.

TJ Bamba | G | Oregon
TJ Bamba posted a photo on Instagram from Toronto, suggesting a workout with the Raptors.

The 6-foot-5 guard was among the best defensive guards in the Big Ten last year and could be a prospect to watch as an undrafted free agent.

Aaron Scott | F | St John's
Scott is a 6-foot-7 wing who is not projected to get drafted this year.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#836 » by Clutch0z24 » Fri May 30, 2025 4:28 am

dohboy_24 wrote:
Clutch0z24 wrote:
For me you would have to do a deeper dive than just look at his size and write him off because of that....

He shot 69% at the rim in a pretty fair amount of attempts going 60-87 at attacking the rim which shows he can finish with the best of them in the paint in this class....Because he may not have the height but he has the craftyness, footwork, speed to blow by, ball handling to get to the rim and has the athletic ability to make shots because he can hang in the air with a 38 inch vert....


Yes, he did... but against whom?

If you look at Michigan State's opponents this year, what was his 2P% when playing against teams and/or opposing players who were elite, or at least above-average at protecting the paint (i.e. ranked top 100 in opp 2P% and blocks per game).

New Mexico:
5.0 blocks per game (18th)
48.4% 2P% (93rd)
Jase went 1-for-5 (20%) on 2PA

Florida Atlantic:
4.3 blocks per game (59th)
46.8% 2P% (41st)
Jase went 1-for-4 (25%) on 2PA

Wisconsin (2 games):
2.4 blocks per game (317th)
46.9% 2P% (46th)
Jase went 1-for-5 (20%) and 1-for-3 (33%) for a total of 2/8 (25%) on 2PA

Bryant:
6.0 blocks per game (2nd)
46.6% 2P% (35th)
Jase went 2-for-7 (28.6%) on 2PA

Illinois (2 games):
4.2 blocks per game (66th)
46.1% 2P% (24th)
Jase went 2-for-6 (33%) and 5-for-9 (55.6%) for a total of 7/17 (41.1%) on 2PA

Auburn:
5.9 blocks per game (3rd)
46.8% 2P% (40th)
Jase went 4-for-11 (36.4%) on 2PA

Minnesota:
4.7 blocks per game (26th)
49.2% 2P% (126th)
Jase went 2-for-4 (50.0%) on 2PA

Kansas:
4.7 blocks per game (29th)
46.3% 2P% (30th)
Jase went 2-for-4 (50.0%) on 2PA

Maryland:
4.5 blocks per game (44th)
47.8% 2P% (73rd)
Jase went 6-for-11 (54.5%) on 2PA

Michigan (2 games):
3.6 blocks per game (120th)
46.0% 2P% (23rd)
Jase went 5-for-8 (62.5%) and 4-for-5 (80%) for a total of 9/13 (69%) on 2PA

Memphis:
4.7 blocks per game (25th)
48.6% 2P% (97th)
Jase went 2-for-3 (66.7%) on 2PA

Colorado:
3.9 blocks per game (96th)
49.1% 2P% (120th)
Jase went 5-for-6 (83%) on 2PA

Against these 12 teams (15 games), Jase was 43/93 (46%) on 2PA.

Considering the NBA competition he'll face is going to be as tall, athletic, and long as these teams, if not taller, longer, and more athletic, how is he going to be able to finish at the rim at even an average, let alone elite rate?


You can cherry pick anyones stats and say "Against Whom" ....

Guys like Carter Bryant for example can't even get to the rim off the dribble and when he does get to the rim he can't finish....He is a big body yeah but he struggles even getting to the rim at all.....

a player like Noa Essengue whos whole game is based on slashing....He gets to the rim alot but go look at the BBL League and you will see hes playing against majority unathletic short white players who he towers over and jumps 10x higher than....Since the BBL has worse athletes than the NCAA let alone the NBA....

Maluach who has all the bust potential in the world....Can't do anything outside of the paint and has stone hands, is not that fast, Can't do much besides lob dunk, And has questions about his rebounding/shot blocking < The two things he should be elite at....

There are things you can nit pick about every draft prospect in the 9th range.....The positives Jase has in his game outweigh the negatives....And the Stats show that....Stats show that Jase is the better prospect than all of these players as well....Which most the time stats do not lie....Stats usually translate to the next level as well.....Its rare a player with low stats at the college level end up being great in the NBA level....

How does Conley/FVV/Lowry/Kyrie/Garland etc finish in the NBA?...Because they are crafty which Jase is crafty in ways to finish at the rim....Hes also more athletic than the PGs his size so that gives him the edge...

Now consider all the positives that Jase has over these prospects in every single basketball category for me thats the safer option....You may have different players you personally like....But don't act like they are perfect prospects either because i bet i can nit pick their games alot more if i wanted too....At 9th Jase has the most talent....He has top 5 talent and if you can't see that idk what to tell you.....
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#837 » by Got Nuffin » Fri May 30, 2025 4:37 am

Indeed wrote:
Got Nuffin wrote:
Basketball_Jones wrote:
Could be. I think he’s a switchable 7’2” rim deterrent with solid shooting mechanics. Okay, maybe Myles Turner/Gobert cross between the two so not huge potential but his size is really tough to pass up on.


A Myles Turner / Gobert cross would be pretty crazy honestly, and he has shown the ability to switch better than those two guys so there's no real reason that he would get run off the floor in the 4th? Duke had him guarding out on the perimeter quite a lot.

I know we're not talking All-NBA talent etc here, but at 9? Yes of course you would take that and run.


No he is not switchable, most draft scouting has him as drop coverage.
His lane agility and other quickness test are pretty much at the bottom.

Just hype.



Just watch some games of his? Duke were definitely not a team reliant on drop coverage, and had Maluach out on the perimeter quite often. He will of course get burned by a guy like Quickley, for example, if on an island but you ask him to switch for a few seconds on a small? That's what he was doing for a lot of the season and why people get excited when they watch him defensively.. this is not Hasheem Thabeet.

He may be at his BEST in drop coverage, but one of the attractive things about him is that he is mobile and you can run different defensive sets with him on the floor and he will cover an enormous amount of the court.

Look how much of the court he is covering here, just as an example -
https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1hzk6dk/highlight_khaman_maluach_showcases_his_defensive/#:~:text=While%20he%20may%20not%20have,to%20the%207%2D12%20range.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#838 » by RoteSchroder » Fri May 30, 2025 4:48 am

Psubs wrote:
Rapsfan07 wrote:
Psubs wrote:
Different people have different growth curves. Fleming was a zero star recruit, that developed through hard work. He's humble but still seems confident that he belongs.

Amare Stoudemire was a turnover machine with an A/T of 0.5. He was a 6 time allstar because he was a great finisher who developed a reliable foul-line jumper.

Fleming is a great get in the late teens. Trade for someone that wants a more proven player. I think Miami sees who Davion Mitchell acclimated to Heat Culture, maybe Ochai Agbaji is someone that would covet. If Rasheer is still there at #20, I trade Ochai and #39 for #20 and Kevin Love.


Why not just trade #9 for #13 & #22? Pick Fleming at #13 and someone else at #22. That way, you can keep Agbaji and #39.


I've proposed that trade around here maybe 10 times. :lol:

I would then trade #22 and Agbaji to say Orlando for #16 and Goga Bitadze.

#13 Carter Bryant
#16 Rasheer Fleming
#39 Markovic/Kalkbrenner/Yang/Sion James


What if neither Carter or Fleming are your targets. I don’t like the offensive potential of Fleming or Carter. If you’re getting two picks, at least one of them should have some proven upside.

For Indiana, Boston, OKC, Knicks, you generally have 4 out of 5 guys who are offensively versatile. Even OG worked on his game a ton to be a solid #5 guy on offense, there are more facets to his offense than just catch and shoot.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#839 » by Tripod » Fri May 30, 2025 11:24 am

DreamTeam09 wrote:Derik Queen | C | Maryland
The Raptors reportedly interviewed the Maryland big man on May 14 in Chicago, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

Queen is widely viewed as one of the top centers in the draft and is projected to go in the lottery. He’d give the Raptors a young backup behind Jakob Poeltl with room to develop and could add some offensive upside to the second unit.

Tre Johnson | G | Texas
Toronto reportedly met with Texas freshman Tre Johnson in Chicago, per Josh Robbins of the Athletic.

Johnson is one of the most explosive offensive guards in the class and is expected to be off the board before Toronto picks at No. 9. If the Raptors are interested in the 6-foot-5 guard, it would likely take a move into the top five or six to get him.

Jase Richardson | G | Michigan State
The Raptors are said to have interviewed Michigan State's Jase Richardson at the draft combine, per Josh Robbins of the Athletic.

Richardson, the son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson, broke out this past season at Michigan State as a crafty, undersized point guard with strong scoring instincts. He’s projected to go in the middle of the first round.

Collin Murray-Boyles | F | South Carolina
Toronto reportedly interviewed South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyes at the draft combine, per Libaan Osman of the Toronto Star.

Murray-Boyles is viewed as one of the top and most versatile defensive wings in this year’s draft. He’d give Toronto another multi-positional defender in the mold of Scottie Barnes and is projected to go right around the Raptors’ pick at No. 9.

Alex Toohey | F | Sydney, Australia
Toronto will reportedly workout Alex Toohey later this summer, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

The 6-foot-8 Australian is a versatile forward and skilled playmaker who’s still developing on both ends of the floor. He’s projected to be a second-round pick and could be a target for Toronto at No. 39.

Sion James | G | Duke
Toronto will reportedly meet with Sion James on May 15 in Chicago, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

A fifth-year senior from Duke, James profiles as a 3-and-D guard and measured just over 6-foot-4 at the draft combine. He’s projected to go in the second round, likely after Toronto's pick at No. 39.

Lamont Butler | G | Kentucky
The Raptors will reportedly work out Lamont Butler ahead of the NBA Draft, per Bill O'Rear.

Butler is a fifth-year senior who was invited to the G League draft and could be a prospect Toronto is eyeing for the Raptors 905 or as a training camp invitee this offseason.

Jamir Watkins | F | Florida State
The Raptors appear to have worked out Jamir Watkins who posted a photo on his Instagram from the OVO Athletice Centre.

The 23-year-old Watkins is a 6-foot-5 senior who is projected to go in the second round.

Tahaad Pettiford | G | Auburn
Toronto will reportedly work out Tahaad Pettiford, per Justin Hokanson of On3.

Pettiford, 19, is a 6-foot point guard projected to go in the second round.

RJ Felton | G | East Carolina
The Raptors will reportedly host RJ Felton, per Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire.

Felton is a 6-foot-3 senior point guard who could be a target for Toronto as an undrafted free agent.

Trey Townsend | F | Arizona
Trey Townsend posted a photo on Instagram in Toronto ahead of his workout with the Raptors.

The fifth-year senior out of Arizona is not expected to be drafted but could be a target for the organization following the draft.

TJ Bamba | G | Oregon
TJ Bamba posted a photo on Instagram from Toronto, suggesting a workout with the Raptors.

The 6-foot-5 guard was among the best defensive guards in the Big Ten last year and could be a prospect to watch as an undrafted free agent.

Aaron Scott | F | St John's
Scott is a 6-foot-7 wing who is not projected to get drafted this year.

Appreciate posting this. Looking at this, certainly seems like they want another guard and are most likely targeting him later in the draft.

Obviously if Fears falls that changes things. And with Jase likely they wanted to see him since he could go after our pick.

Interesting that they have not really been looking at C's that project to go later....certainly makes it feel like they think that C will already be taken at 9...which is Queen or Maluach most likely.
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Re: 2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8 

Post#840 » by WuTang_CMB » Fri May 30, 2025 11:51 am

Tripod wrote:
DreamTeam09 wrote:Derik Queen | C | Maryland
The Raptors reportedly interviewed the Maryland big man on May 14 in Chicago, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

Queen is widely viewed as one of the top centers in the draft and is projected to go in the lottery. He’d give the Raptors a young backup behind Jakob Poeltl with room to develop and could add some offensive upside to the second unit.

Tre Johnson | G | Texas
Toronto reportedly met with Texas freshman Tre Johnson in Chicago, per Josh Robbins of the Athletic.

Johnson is one of the most explosive offensive guards in the class and is expected to be off the board before Toronto picks at No. 9. If the Raptors are interested in the 6-foot-5 guard, it would likely take a move into the top five or six to get him.

Jase Richardson | G | Michigan State
The Raptors are said to have interviewed Michigan State's Jase Richardson at the draft combine, per Josh Robbins of the Athletic.

Richardson, the son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson, broke out this past season at Michigan State as a crafty, undersized point guard with strong scoring instincts. He’s projected to go in the middle of the first round.

Collin Murray-Boyles | F | South Carolina
Toronto reportedly interviewed South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyes at the draft combine, per Libaan Osman of the Toronto Star.

Murray-Boyles is viewed as one of the top and most versatile defensive wings in this year’s draft. He’d give Toronto another multi-positional defender in the mold of Scottie Barnes and is projected to go right around the Raptors’ pick at No. 9.

Alex Toohey | F | Sydney, Australia
Toronto will reportedly workout Alex Toohey later this summer, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

The 6-foot-8 Australian is a versatile forward and skilled playmaker who’s still developing on both ends of the floor. He’s projected to be a second-round pick and could be a target for Toronto at No. 39.

Sion James | G | Duke
Toronto will reportedly meet with Sion James on May 15 in Chicago, per Sportsnet's Michael Grange.

A fifth-year senior from Duke, James profiles as a 3-and-D guard and measured just over 6-foot-4 at the draft combine. He’s projected to go in the second round, likely after Toronto's pick at No. 39.

Lamont Butler | G | Kentucky
The Raptors will reportedly work out Lamont Butler ahead of the NBA Draft, per Bill O'Rear.

Butler is a fifth-year senior who was invited to the G League draft and could be a prospect Toronto is eyeing for the Raptors 905 or as a training camp invitee this offseason.

Jamir Watkins | F | Florida State
The Raptors appear to have worked out Jamir Watkins who posted a photo on his Instagram from the OVO Athletice Centre.

The 23-year-old Watkins is a 6-foot-5 senior who is projected to go in the second round.

Tahaad Pettiford | G | Auburn
Toronto will reportedly work out Tahaad Pettiford, per Justin Hokanson of On3.

Pettiford, 19, is a 6-foot point guard projected to go in the second round.

RJ Felton | G | East Carolina
The Raptors will reportedly host RJ Felton, per Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire.

Felton is a 6-foot-3 senior point guard who could be a target for Toronto as an undrafted free agent.

Trey Townsend | F | Arizona
Trey Townsend posted a photo on Instagram in Toronto ahead of his workout with the Raptors.

The fifth-year senior out of Arizona is not expected to be drafted but could be a target for the organization following the draft.

TJ Bamba | G | Oregon
TJ Bamba posted a photo on Instagram from Toronto, suggesting a workout with the Raptors.

The 6-foot-5 guard was among the best defensive guards in the Big Ten last year and could be a prospect to watch as an undrafted free agent.

Aaron Scott | F | St John's
Scott is a 6-foot-7 wing who is not projected to get drafted this year.

Appreciate posting this. Looking at this, certainly seems like they want another guard and are most likely targeting him later in the draft.

Obviously if Fears falls that changes things. And with Jase likely they wanted to see him since he could go after our pick.

Interesting that they have not really been looking at C's that project to go later....certainly makes it feel like they think that C will already be taken at 9...which is Queen or Maluach most likely.


The NBA sets up the interviews not the teams fwiw

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