2025 Draft Thread - Part 2

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Why is he a better prospect? He's one handed, short for SG, isn't a PG, isn't an elite athlete, 1 year older..... This is apples to oranges....

Richardson is actually younger than Fears by a couple of days. They posted the same standing reach. Richardson measured with a longer wingspan/higher vertical.

What exactly is the appeal with Fears? He scores a lot of points on average efficiency, can’t really shoot, is a liability on defense. Not a true PG by any means, posted a brutal A/TO ratio& A/Usage%.

Fears is young. Fears' FT% could translate well into 3PT%. Fears is still growing. Fears didn't have the teammates (for a high assist ratio).

You are betting on the long-term upside as you are with most of the players after 4 in this year's draft.

Now, is he a better prospect than Nolan Traore? Smh... shmaybe. Dylan Harper is the only guy I give a free pass.

I rate Traore, Richardson (if he can transition to PG) and Fears in the same group. Do I pick any of the 3 at 6? Hmmm... probably because next year's draft doesn't seem to be loaded with PGs.

I run away from Demin (but that is just me).

I also think one of Noa Essengue, Carter Bryant or Nique Clifford will be really good. I wouldn't mind trading down or up to try to get two of them.

This is a really hard draft in this way - I give the FO a pass on this one - although they have been pretty darn good at drafting.

I think team chemistry will be compromised if a young PG is added. None of these guys are on a tier that projects them to be superstars.

Adding any one of Richardson, Traore, or Fears will SURELY set back Bub Carrington and A.J. Johnson.

The elephant in the room: What about Jordan Poole?

He's accustomed to starting minutes. He's a young, talented NBA player whose trade value the Wizards need to maintain high.

Personally, I think drafting a PG after moving up the last draft to draft a PG is STUPID. I could say I don't believe drafting perceived BPA applies in a vacuum without considering that the team needs other players at other positions who are on the same tier.

Fears probably should not be the pick. If he becomes a superstar or multiple all-star, I'm wrong.

Derik Queen makes more sense than Fears

Cameron Murray-Broyles makes sense than Fears.

Healthy Thomas Sorber makes more sense than Fears

ERIC DIXON makes more sense than Fears.

Will Riley makes more sense than Fears. He violates my redundancy Fears/Knueppel argument because I think Riley could become an SGA-lite.

Just a few off the top. THE TEAM NEEDS SCORING EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS inside, BIG TO BIG PASSING, and INTERIOR DEFENSE.

I think Dixon is one of the most underrated players in this draft.

There are players like Ryan Kalkbrenner who can help the Wizards. He's worth a late first, just like Dixon and Kam Jones (he's more of a bucket getter than anyone on the roster, but he would have to ride pine behind Poole.)

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Seems possible that we pick Kon Knueppel, btw -- any comments?

I’d feel better about it if I knew he had a good lane agility score.

I’m worried that he is an inch shorter than Kispert and possibly with slower feet. (Kispert actually tested well in lane agility.) Kispert is not a playoff caliber defender, so I question whether Knueppel would be. He would probably be hunted.

I would bet my house that we're not drafting Knueppel, Corey would become even more dead weight than he is currently.

I used to live in a house.

Since my divorce and life/health struggles, the ex-wife got the house. I have experienced homelessness and living in a veteran's homeless shelter. Now, I live in a group home.

Life's "Box of Chocolates" occasionally serves you a candy-coated marble.

(But it's all good in the hood. "God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.)

Don't bet the farm, either. I know it's a Tommy/Ernie flashback, but I can envision hollering in agony after the Wizards select Kon Knueppel. I swear GMs engage in group think. They've assigned magic numbers to these dudes.

[Hibachi_0]

Essengue's last playoff game:

22pts 14rebs 1ast 8/16 FG 2/5 3pt 4/4 FT

Watch on YouTube

Shooting form looks fine and he is averaging 95% FT% in the german playoffs (24/25FT) while averaging 15 & 8. He looks like a top10 lock to me

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

NBA mock draft 2025: Meta AI predictions for the entire first round
First-rounds picks were generated by a Meta AI simulation of the 2025 NBA draft.

1.Dallas Mavericks: F Cooper Flagg, Duke
2.San Antonio Spurs: G Dylan Harper, Rutgers
3.Philadelphia 76ers: F Ace Bailey, Rutgers
4.Charlotte Hornets: G VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
5.Utah Jazz: G/F Kon Knueppel, Duke
6.Washington Wizards: G Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma
7.New Orleans Pelicans: G Tre Johnson, Texas
8.Brooklyn Nets: G Nolan Troare, Saint-Quentin
9.Toronto Raptors: G Egor Demin, BYU
10.Houston Rockets: F Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm
11.Portland Trail Blazers: F/C Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph's
12.Chicago Bulls: F/C Derik Queen, Maryland
13.Atlanta Hawks: G/F Nique Clifford, Colorado State
14.San Antonio Spurs: F/C Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
15.Oklahoma City Thunder: F Will Riley, Illinois
16.Orlando Magic: G Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
17.Minnesota Timberwolves: F Asa Newell, Georgia
18.Detroit Pistons: C Khaman Maluach, Duke AI fail
19.Brooklyn Nets: F Joan Beringer, Cedevita Olimpija
20.Miami Heat: F Drake Powell, North Carolina
21.Utah Jazz: F Liam McNeeley, UConn
22.Atlanta Hawks: F Johnni Broome, Auburn
23.Indiana Pacers: G Jase Richardson, Michigan State
24.Oklahoma City Thunder: G Tamar Bates, Missouri
25.Orlando Magic: G/F Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm
26.Golden State Warriors: G/F Cedric Coward, Washington State
27.Brooklyn Nets: C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
28.Boston Celtics: G Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
29.Phoenix Suns: F Carter Bryant, Arizona
30.Los Angeles Clippers: G/F Hugo Gonzalez, Real Madrid

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2025/05/31/nba-mock-draft-2025-meta-ai-predictions/83947538007/

I don't like meta, either.

How unlikely is it that 23.5 year old Nique Clifford goes on on the 13th pick, before 19.6 year old Carter Bryant goes 29th?

That's wrong and wrong.

[AFM]

Drafting Knoueppel would be my least favorite outcome so consider it a strong possibility.

[willbcocks]

After seeing more of Essengue, I like him a lot. If we keep the pick, assuming Ace/VJ are off the board, my order is probably:

1) Tre Johnson
2) Essengue
3) Malauch
4) Traore

[WizarDynasty]

Essengue's last playoff game:

22pts 14rebs 1ast 8/16 FG 2/5 3pt 4/4 FT

Watch on YouTube

Shooting form looks fine and he is averaging 95% FT% in the german playoffs (24/25FT) while averaging 15 & 8. He looks like a top10 lock to me

Yeah to me he easily top five. Rasheer Fleming is also top five. They should be tier 1B next to Flagg, Dylan Harper. FEARS, Bailey, Queen, AND Edgecome are tier below them.

[dckingsfan]

Richardson is actually younger than Fears by a couple of days. They posted the same standing reach. Richardson measured with a longer wingspan/higher vertical.

What exactly is the appeal with Fears? He scores a lot of points on average efficiency, can’t really shoot, is a liability on defense. Not a true PG by any means, posted a brutal A/TO ratio& A/Usage%.

Fears is young. Fears' FT% could translate well into 3PT%. Fears is still growing. Fears didn't have the teammates (for a high assist ratio).

You are betting on the long-term upside as you are with most of the players after 4 in this year's draft.

Now, is he a better prospect than Nolan Traore? Smh... shmaybe. Dylan Harper is the only guy I give a free pass.

I rate Traore, Richardson (if he can transition to PG) and Fears in the same group. Do I pick any of the 3 at 6? Hmmm... probably because next year's draft doesn't seem to be loaded with PGs.

I run away from Demin (but that is just me).

I also think one of Noa Essengue, Carter Bryant or Nique Clifford will be really good. I wouldn't mind trading down or up to try to get two of them.

This is a really hard draft in this way - I give the FO a pass on this one - although they have been pretty darn good at drafting.

I think team chemistry will be compromised if a young PG is added. None of these guys are on a tier that projects them to be superstars.

Adding any one of Richardson, Traore, or Fears will SURELY set back Bub Carrington and A.J. Johnson.

The elephant in the room: What about Jordan Poole?

He's accustomed to starting minutes. He's a young, talented NBA player whose trade value the Wizards need to maintain high.

Personally, I think drafting a PG after moving up the last draft to draft a PG is STUPID. I could say I don't believe drafting perceived BPA applies in a vacuum without considering that the team needs other players at other positions who are on the same tier.

Fears probably should not be the pick. If he becomes a superstar or multiple all-star, I'm wrong.

Derik Queen makes more sense than Fears

Cameron Murray-Broyles makes sense than Fears.

Healthy Thomas Sorber makes more sense than Fears

ERIC DIXON makes more sense than Fears.

Will Riley makes more sense than Fears. He violates my redundancy Fears/Knueppel argument because I think Riley could become an SGA-lite.

Just a few off the top. THE TEAM NEEDS SCORING EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS inside, BIG TO BIG PASSING, and INTERIOR DEFENSE.

I think Dixon is one of the most underrated players in this draft.

There are players like Ryan Kalkbrenner who can help the Wizards. He's worth a late first, just like Dixon and Kam Jones (he's more of a bucket getter than anyone on the roster, but he would have to ride pine behind Poole.)

As you probably read... I am also not for drafting a PG, I am just giving a rational as to why a FO may pick one of the three PGs. Also, if AJ and Bub can't be out the rookie PG - well then. And I don't give a darn about Poole, I would very much hope he isn't the future of this team (opinion).

My picks would be one of or multiple of Noa Essengue, Carter Bryant or Nique Clifford. Having said that - this is a really hard year to pick, so I give the FO wide latitude. Especially since they have been pretty good at drafting thus far... If they grab Sorber or another big - all good with that - the draft was pretty darn deep in bigs until the recent opt outs.

[NatP4]

Yeah, Essengue looks like a top 10 lock.

[NatP4]

I run away from Demin (but that is just me).

I also think one of Noa Essengue, Carter Bryant or Nique Clifford will be really good. I wouldn't mind trading down or up to try to get two of them.

This is a really hard draft in this way - I give the FO a pass on this one - although they have been pretty darn good at drafting.

I think I’m starting to like Saraf more than Demin.

How wild are these numbers in his last 10 games(per36):

20.1 points 6.4 assists 4.1 rebounds 2.1 steals 0.6 blocks. 47.7/45.5/86.4 shooting splits. 61.5% TS

Playing on the same team as Essengue in the German league, just turned 19. Ratiopharm moved him into the starting lineup for this recent 10 game stretch and have gone 9-1.

The eye test says 6’6 Goran Dragic.

[payitforward]

Seems possible that we pick Kon Knueppel, btw -- any comments?

While preparing a meal, would you add even more salt to a dish that you previously had already added seasoned salt, celery salt, pink salt, and anchovies?

Adding Knueppel when there are 48 minutes at SF to divide between Coulibaly, George, Champagnie, and Kispert SEEMS ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS to me.

I think COMMON SENSE MAKES THE MOST SENSE. Team chemistry matters. Why draft young players like the Core Four just to bench and devalue a couple within one year?


I remember the Wizards had young Rasheed Wallace, Chris Webber, Juan Howard. Rasheed was gone after one year. Champagnie is a stud reserve. Bilal might never develop if Knueppel becomes a coach favorite. What about Kispert?

Is Kon a PG? No. A SG? No. A PF? No. A C? He's certainly not Derik Queen.

I wasn't *advocating* Kon Knueppel be our pick! Just looking for more explicit comments on a guy who will go hight but whom we haven't discussed.

These comments, by you & others, are more or less what I expected.

My preference, as I've made pretty clear, is to trade down & get Essengue plus an extra pick or two....

[dckingsfan]

Seems possible that we pick Kon Knueppel, btw -- any comments?

While preparing a meal, would you add even more salt to a dish that you previously had already added seasoned salt, celery salt, pink salt, and anchovies?

Adding Knueppel when there are 48 minutes at SF to divide between Coulibaly, George, Champagnie, and Kispert SEEMS ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS to me.

I think COMMON SENSE MAKES THE MOST SENSE. Team chemistry matters. Why draft young players like the Core Four just to bench and devalue a couple within one year?


I remember the Wizards had young Rasheed Wallace, Chris Webber, Juan Howard. Rasheed was gone after one year. Champagnie is a stud reserve. Bilal might never develop if Knueppel becomes a coach favorite. What about Kispert?

Is Kon a PG? No. A SG? No. A PF? No. A C? He's certainly not Derik Queen.

I wasn't *advocating* Kon Knueppel be our pick! Just looking for more explicit comments on a guy who will go hight but whom we haven't discussed.

These comments, by you & others, are more or less what I expected.

My preference, as I've made pretty clear, is to trade down & get Essengue plus an extra pick or two....

I would like Essengue as well. But... I think he goes no lower than 13 (some have him higher along with Fleming). So, trading down becomes risky (IMO)?

I have been puzzling over a trade to make this happen for some time - got nothing that I think actually works

[closg00]

Richardson is actually younger than Fears by a couple of days. They posted the same standing reach. Richardson measured with a longer wingspan/higher vertical.

What exactly is the appeal with Fears? He scores a lot of points on average efficiency, can’t really shoot, is a liability on defense. Not a true PG by any means, posted a brutal A/TO ratio& A/Usage%.

Fears is young. Fears' FT% could translate well into 3PT%. Fears is still growing. Fears didn't have the teammates (for a high assist ratio).

You are betting on the long-term upside as you are with most of the players after 4 in this year's draft.

Now, is he a better prospect than Nolan Traore? Smh... shmaybe. Dylan Harper is the only guy I give a free pass.

I rate Traore, Richardson (if he can transition to PG) and Fears in the same group. Do I pick any of the 3 at 6? Hmmm... probably because next year's draft doesn't seem to be loaded with PGs.

I run away from Demin (but that is just me).

I also think one of Noa Essengue, Carter Bryant or Nique Clifford will be really good. I wouldn't mind trading down or up to try to get two of them.

This is a really hard draft in this way - I give the FO a pass on this one - although they have been pretty darn good at drafting.

I think team chemistry will be compromised if a young PG is added. None of these guys are on a tier that projects them to be superstars.

Adding any one of Richardson, Traore, or Fears will SURELY set back Bub Carrington and A.J. Johnson.

The elephant in the room: What about Jordan Poole?

He's accustomed to starting minutes. He's a young, talented NBA player whose trade value the Wizards need to maintain high.

Personally, I think drafting a PG after moving up the last draft to draft a PG is STUPID. I could say I don't believe drafting perceived BPA applies in a vacuum without considering that the team needs other players at other positions who are on the same tier.

Fears probably should not be the pick. If he becomes a superstar or multiple all-star, I'm wrong.

Derik Queen makes more sense than Fears

Cameron Murray-Broyles makes sense than Fears.

Healthy Thomas Sorber makes more sense than Fears

ERIC DIXON makes more sense than Fears.

Will Riley makes more sense than Fears. He violates my redundancy Fears/Knueppel argument because I think Riley could become an SGA-lite.

Just a few off the top. THE TEAM NEEDS SCORING EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS inside, BIG TO BIG PASSING, and INTERIOR DEFENSE.

I think Dixon is one of the most underrated players in this draft.

There are players like Ryan Kalkbrenner who can help the Wizards. He's worth a late first, just like Dixon and Kam Jones (he's more of a bucket getter than anyone on the roster, but he would have to ride pine behind Poole.)

I have come to the opposite conclusion on this exact point. Bub is not a Point Guard, the rest of the team can manage ok around his current game, but if the FO sees Fears as a potential star/allstar point guard, he must be seriously considered, this group is going no-where w/o an elite point guard in the drivers seat.

[WallToWall]

I would call it a good draft if we end up with Maluach, Sorber, and Powell. Those are who I am gunning for, but not at 6, 18 and 40 - we will need to make some trades. 6 is too high for Maluach, 18 may be too low for Sorber, and 40 is definitely too low for Powell.

The team will be built on defense first:
C: Sorber, Sarr, Maluach, [Holmes]
C/PF: Sarr, Maluach
PF: Champagnie, Powell
SF: Coulibaly, Chanpagnie, [Middleton], [Bey], Martin
SG: [Poole], George, Johnson, [Kispert], Jones
PG: Carrington, [Poole], [Smart]

Players in [brackets] are ones who can be trade assets. Trade them and the deconstruction phase will be done with.
I go back and forth on Champagnie on if we should keep/trade him.
A combination of Sorber and Sarr, or Sarr and Maluach could give us some good versatility in complimentary players who are also able to run the P+R with any of the guards. Sarr can hit the 3-ball, and the other bigs will need to develop that shot. Whats good is that Sorber and Maluach have size to beef with the bigger C's on other teams, and will be good rebounders.

The team will not have a young offensive stud, at least none that I can see in this young group. Thats what the 2026 draft is for...or maybe trades...

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Essengue's last playoff game:

22pts 14rebs 1ast 8/16 FG 2/5 3pt 4/4 FT

Watch on YouTube

Shooting form looks fine and he is averaging 95% FT% in the german playoffs (24/25FT) while averaging 15 & 8. He looks like a top10 lock to me

Yeah to me he easily top five. Rasheer Fleming is also top five. They should be tier 1B next to Flagg, Dylan Harper. FEARS, Bailey, Queen, AND Edgecome are tier below them.

He reminds me of Siakam

[gesa2]

closg00 I’m in the same place you are on this. Bub can play 2, AJ may be something special or he may top out as a 7th man or something, and Poole is not part of the future. The real tension is the “if” in your post. Our scout on Fears is where the rubber meets the road.
I like him because he starts with one elite skill - he can break down his man one on one. It’s hard to compare him against the French prospects so if our FO chooses Traore or Essengue I’ll trust their scouting.

[payitforward]

I’d feel better about it if I knew he had a good lane agility score.

I’m worried that he is an inch shorter than Kispert and possibly with slower feet. (Kispert actually tested well in lane agility.) Kispert is not a playoff caliber defender, so I question whether Knueppel would be. He would probably be hunted.

I would bet my house that we're not drafting Knueppel, Corey would become even more dead weight than he is currently.

I used to live in a house.

Since my divorce and life/health struggles, the ex-wife got the house. I have experienced homelessness and living in a veterans homeless shelter. Now, I live in a group home.

Life's "Box of Chocolates" occasionally serves you a candy-coated marble.

(But it's all good in the hood. "God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.)...

It's a narrow aperture through which we know one another on this forum.
But we do get to know one another pretty well all the same.

Here's the most important thing I know about you, Ken, after more than a dozen years:
You are a high-quality human being.

I'm 82: I've lived a lot of different ways in a lot of different places.
I've been around. I know whereof I speak.

[machu46]

Seems possible that we pick Kon Knueppel, btw -- any comments?

He's probably at the top of my list of reasonable options

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[doclinkin]

My preference, as I've made pretty clear, is to trade down & get Essengue plus an extra pick or two....

I would like Essengue as well. But... I think he goes no lower than 13 (some have him higher along with Fleming). So, trading down becomes risky (IMO)?

I have been puzzling over a trade to make this happen for some time - got nothing that I think actually works

I think the trade is to Brooklyn at 8 + stuff for Fears at 6. If Ainge doesn't beat us to it with the #5 pick.

It was bugging me for a while where I had seen it before, but the player that Fears reminds me of is Rod Strickland. Same control of pace, accel and decel, misdirection, fakey-slow quick to quicker, same below the rim game and ability to play in traffic. I buy his game feel, improved assists with better performers around him, I'll bet heavy on the futures of his jumpshot, improved outside range. He's not going to carry a 30+% usage rate in the NBA, at least not early. I like his confidence and work ethic. People keep saying he is skinny, he's not. Just young. He has a solidity about his game, seeking contact and playing off it, that reads to me as strength in waiting. Still growing but I think he grows into his frame, even adds lift to his jump and finishing ability. He'd be a star in the New York market.

AND it's probably not the best asset management to take another lead guard. I don't see great synergy between Fears and Bub. Not worried about Poole actually, I expect we will trade him, probably mid year if he is playing well and draws offers, but as an offensive mentor to Fears I can see his off court work ethic inspiring the kid to work on his shot range and off the dribble jumper game. We are still hunting a star ourselves. I just think the Wiz brain trust is more likely to stick to their formula: positional length, defense, athleticism, BBIQ, upside. Fears has all of that except positional length. Essengue has all of that. Maluach has all that in the hardest position to get superior length.

If we are not trading up for Bailey, I think we see who wants to jump in at 6. But if nothing materializes I would not be surprised if they took a guy other than Tre or Fears with that 6th pick. Essengue is their usual model, even if we already have that guy a few times on our roster. Carter Bryant has muscle/power in addition to the other qualities. Maluach has some duplication with Sarr but that's not a bad thing, takes wear and tear off him and lets him continue to develop in the stretch big role.

I still want Khaman and his 75% scoring from 2. Our passers need a finisher on the interior. Our weak front court needs an intimidator on defense. If his medicals stay green, I trust him to develop as a deterrent in the paint, banking on his size, smarts, and instinct for physicality. But he does have the achilles heel in a thing that no one can control. Politics and the madness of our foreign policy. So he may skid a few spots.

Which is fine with me. Given that there are 2-4 guys I see as a fit for the front office's mindset, why not slip back a bit and trust they can catch the guy they want. Land additional assets for the other guys they want. It was maddening to me that I couldn't quite decide on a guy at 6, or guess who they would pick. Especially as the young Euro talent rises. But now I see it as a strength. The growing certainty we will get someone good. If the overseas talent displaces a guy at the top, it forces lower players like Sorber (turf toe concerns), CMB (size and shooting), Queen (defense), Maluach (politics and box score stats).

This draft is still deep in an odd way. Young talent stayed in the first round, while the 2nd round is all seasoned and proven upperclassmen.

I won't be surprised with anybody they take at 6, I don't think. If they do pick there. I also have a feeling they will be active in the trade market, and try to jump up a few spots with every pick they have, 6 to 3, 18 into the lottery, 40 up into the 1st round.

[closg00]

closg00 I’m innthe same place you are on this. Bub can play 2, AJ may be something special or he may top out as a 7th man or something, and Poole is not part of the future. The real tension is the “if” in your post. Our scout on Fears is where the rubber meets the road.
I like him because he starts with one elite skill - he can break down his man one on one. It’s hard to compare gim against the French prospects so if our FO chooses Traore or Essengue I’ll trust their scouting.

Even if we don't draft fears, I think AJ should get the keys at PG, Bub has no burst, change-up speed, rim attack, penetrate and dish, or breaking his guy down, but he could become a pretty good guard, move Bub to 2.

Essengue is similar to Bilal, poor shooting wing with arms for days and some hops, he could turn into something...

Traore likes to attack and dishes well, he has potential, not sure about his ceiling, haven't seen enough. I believe the French prospects should be given extra scrutiny because of the difference in systems/competition, harder to read/evaluate IMO.