2025 General Draft Discussion 2

[Diop]

It's a pattern - you get sensible mocks shortly after the lottery. There's an entire college season of player scouting to go on at that point. Then there are a few understandable risers and fallers after the combine and as workouts roll out. But in the relative quiet between now and draft day, there is also the continuous BS reshuffling of individual mocks by draft hacks hunting clicks that result in things like Queen at 3 and Maluach at 4. In the end, the draft will look a lot more like the post-lottery consensus mocks (with trades being the wild variable) and the clickbaiter mocks will magically begin to realign with them closer to.

i should have read your post before posting previously

[Diop]

https://www.rookiescale.com/2025-consensus-board/

consensus big board as of 5/28/25

"Input sources include ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, The Ringer, Tankathon, For the Win, CBS, No Ceilings, NBA Big Board, Swish Theory, Babock Hoops, SBN, and dozens of other independent boards/mocks."

posted in wrong thread

that looks better, but even as an Aussie I would take Yang over Rocco.

[Liver_Pooty]

All the Maluach overrating disgusts me

It shouldn't. Hes a good prospect. I just pray we don't take him.

i get it, he could/should be solid, i didn't watch much College basketball but he never stood out as a top 5 prospect to me.

its funny how they start rising in the ratings, is he interviewing well or something??

He’s doing the normal thing that happens when people rise. Hitting 3s in workouts that more than likely won’t translate but teams are like oh ****.

[wilson115]

This FO tried to get out of paying Mark and passed on Clingan and Edey. Doubt they're spending a high pick on a traditional center when they can get a work horse like Moose on the cheap.

Understandable looking at the cap rules. Roster-building from this point probably in the mold of OKC and the Pacers and last year's Mavericks. One or two max contract playmakers surrounded by a bunch of cheap 3-and-D guys and bigs who can switch and shoot.

[amcoolio]

Yeah if Harper is on the table the Hornets need to do everything possible to get him with LaMelo and Miller, as he would be the perfect connector at the 1 with LaMelo more off ball, but there's no way he isn't.

I'm actually starting to lean more towards Ace at 4 and hoping VJ goes 3rd. And I actually think Ace is perfect for the Spurs, its just too bad we are picking 4th instead of 3rd because the Sixers are in the way.

[amcoolio]

I think Mark Williams is expendable because we will need a 5 who shoots 3's and we have 3 centers who don't. And Mark's defense isn't good enough to warrant keeping him. Would love to find a sucker team to take Mark in the lottery (maybe add a pick and take back a bad salary) and get Queen somehow

[JustBuzzin]

Yeah if Harper is on the table the Hornets need to do everything possible to get him with LaMelo and Miller, as he would be the perfect connector at the 1 with LaMelo more off ball, but there's no way he isn't.

I'm actually starting to lean more towards Ace at 4 and hoping VJ goes 3rd. And I actually think Ace is perfect for the Spurs, its just too bad we are picking 4th instead of 3rd because the Sixers are in the way.

Trade up for Harper is the dream scenario.

Not sure if the Spurs would want Mark Williams. It depends on how high they are on Harper.

Mark/#4 doesn't seem like enough we would probably have to add another 1st.

[Diop]

I think Mark Williams is expendable because we will need a 5 who shoots 3's and we have 3 centers who don't. And Mark's defense isn't good enough to warrant keeping him. Would love to find a sucker team to take Mark in the lottery (maybe add a pick and take back a bad salary) and get Queen somehow

after his first year Mark was meant to be working on his 3 point shot, would be cool if he did it this off season now he is healthy

[GiggitySmalls]

I think Mark Williams is expendable because we will need a 5 who shoots 3's and we have 3 centers who don't. And Mark's defense isn't good enough to warrant keeping him. Would love to find a sucker team to take Mark in the lottery (maybe add a pick and take back a bad salary) and get Queen somehow

Sorber not queen

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[Diop]

I think Mark Williams is expendable because we will need a 5 who shoots 3's and we have 3 centers who don't. And Mark's defense isn't good enough to warrant keeping him. Would love to find a sucker team to take Mark in the lottery (maybe add a pick and take back a bad salary) and get Queen somehow

did i mention that Yang is working on his 3 point shot

[GiggitySmalls]

Just saw bleacher reports new mock has us taking Maluach. Fn gross. Off course I wouldn't be surprised, Peterson has a plan to never contend but say hes going to one day. This would fit that timeline to stay a absolute joke of a franchise. Tidjan, and Maluach in back to back drafts would be devastating.

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[Bassman]

Just saw bleacher reports new mock has us taking Maluach. Fn gross. Off course I wouldn't be surprised, Peterson has a plan to never contend but say hes going to one day. This would fit that timeline to stay a absolute joke of a franchise. Tidjan, and Maluach in back to back drafts would be devastating.

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Maluach is rising, but drafting him at 4 would have to be predicated on some type of Williams trade that gets us our starting SG. Even then I’m not convinced it’s a good pick. Yes, there is the chance that Maluach gets a consistent 3, improves on his skill sets and is a dominating big for years. He has great athleticism, size, wingspan, etc. But, we need a lot of shooting and defense from the guard/wing more.

[Hornet Mania]

https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-draft-big-board-3-0-rising-stars-top-10

clutchpoints big board updated - here's top 14

flagg
ace
harper
malauch
vj
essengue
tre
kon
bryant
fears
demin
kaspar
queen
cmb

highest we've seen ace. another with malauch in top 4, essengue hype out of control or justified?

Be some **** if somehow Harper landed to us at 4.

Horncats history has taught me over and over again that you never catch the falling knife. I am perfectly happy swearing off that strategy for eternity under the assumption our FO is typically dumbest.

If Harper is the falling knife it will test that commitment.

[JustBuzzin]

Yeah I have no problem with drafting Malauch #4.

That would obviously mean we got a solid starter for Mark in a trade. Malauch is just a healthier version of Mark imo.

[EmpireFalls]

Maluach is WAY worse offensively than Mark wtf are we thinking he is not good at all. Disastrous pick

[JMAC3]

I really think most of the Charlotte stuff right now is just made up... last year we had no idea we were taking Salaun. Edgecombe and Malauch just seem like the "best fit" for the casual fan who knows we traded Mark and already have LaMelo and Miller. I have seen nothing about Charlotte actually liking either prospect outside of VJ had a good intereview... it all seems like speculation to me at this point and not real source intel.

[JMAC3]

https://www.hoopshq.com/nba-draft/nba-draft-intel-latest

This is scary, Peak who broke the Tidjane stuff last year mentions Charlotte as a potential team that could have given Jaku a promise.

[Chapelchilla]

I don't want Maluach in the top 7 or so

[driveandkick]

It may be unfair but man I’m so out on Maluach as a top 5-6 guy after how soft he was against Houston. Not a single rebound

[driveandkick]

https://www.hoopshq.com/nba-draft/nba-draft-intel-latest

This is scary, Peak who broke the Tidjane stuff last year mentions Charlotte as a potential team that could have given Jaku a promise.

I’m definitely higher on Jaku than the consensus but 4 for him would just be outrageous. Players with that skill set are so just so unique though and seemingly get more and more valuable as the league continues to evolve. But that would have to be a trade down spot.

Article also says we’re high on Kon. I kinda want him to be the pick just to watch everyone lose their minds