2025 Draft Thread - Part 2

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I have Jase Richardson firmly above Jeremiah Fears on my board. At #6, I'm fine if they choose to go big (Maluach) or high upside (Essengue) or even a can't-miss role player (Bryant), but if they draft a shot-creating guard, I want Richardson, not Fears.

Agree entirely -- & that's also what the numbers say.

How likely is it that Fears or Jase will be better than AJJ?

Yes I just violated the BPA vs fit rule. How well can a
team develop multiple players at the same position?
Perhaps the usual answer, it'll work itself out in time,
will apply.

You are the position you defend in today's NBA.

Jase will very likely be better. But what if Sorber turns into a bigger Al Horford?

Which helps this team more.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Haven't been here in a long time. But the draft stirs passions and old memories. Gotta say, right now, two guys who look like they have superpowers are Maluach and Fears. I'm an old guy. Fears reminds me a little bit of Rod Strickland; Maluach LOOKS like he could develop as a shooter. Geez, a 7 foot, impossible-reach, rim-running, defensive-player-of-the-year type. Sounds good.
But I also wanted to ask; why no love for Kneuppel. I know he's below the rim.
But gosh, last year a lot of this board was falling all over themselves in love with Reed Sheppard, who was small for a PG! Kneuppel is at least 6-5 and 219 pounds. Smart as hell, good passer and reallllly good shooter. We're pretty bad offensively.
What if he's Chris Mullins?
By the way, he's reminscent of an old 2 time allstar Bullet and Duke player--- Jack Marin.

Knueppel is better than Kispert, the player who's ruining the love.

I never associated him with Chris Mullin

I need to think of another white player--Donta Divencenzo. Would he be the pick at six?

[SUPERBALLMAN]

I've posted it before but if anyone hasn't watched or isn't aware of the Jeremiah Fears Becoming documentary I definitely recommend seeing it. This is season 1, and there is also a season 2...

Watch on YouTube

[TheBlackCzar]

I've posted it before but if anyone hasn't watched or isn't aware of the Jeremiah Fears Becoming documentary I definitely recommend seeing it. This is season 1, and there is also a season 2...

Watch on YouTube

They not understanding what lil younging capable of.. They go off one season where he had to lead a team as a HS senior but in the SEC, and his last 9 games was such a successful stretch that it hadn't been done in the SEC since 96-97.....

[Dat2U]

Cedric Coward = A pro-level shooter, good at rising and firing over contested looks on or off the dribble. Not much an athlete but he looks the part, seems to have a solid b-ball IQ and has very good length., He does remind me of Kawhi in the way he moves - not a complement though. He moves like a guy that's been in the NBA 12 years and had 2 knee surgeries - he looks sorta ground bound.

He's like former Wizard Martell Webster but with a extra juice on the ball to get off a jumper in ISO situations. He uses his ISO to create space for clean looks from 3 and mid-range and does so effectively even if he does not get all the rim. Seems ok defensively, nothing special. I think he's worth a pick in the 15-25 range.

Coward finished 4th in the sprint at the combine at 3.06 and had a 38.5" vert.

Guys can be trained for athletic testing. I only watched his game footage. I didn't see anything that says he's an elite athlete. He sorta plays an old man's game IMO so maybe that's why.

[Gig18]

Haven't been here in a long time. But the draft stirs passions and old memories. Gotta say, right now, two guys who look like they have superpowers are Maluach and Fears. I'm an old guy. Fears reminds me a little bit of Rod Strickland; Maluach LOOKS like he could develop as a shooter. Geez, a 7 foot, impossible-reach, rim-running, defensive-player-of-the-year type. Sounds good.
But I also wanted to ask; why no love for Kneuppel. I know he's below the rim.
But gosh, last year a lot of this board was falling all over themselves in love with Reed Sheppard, who was small for a PG! Kneuppel is at least 6-5 and 219 pounds. Smart as hell, good passer and reallllly good shooter. We're pretty bad offensively.
What if he's Chris Mullins?
By the way, he's reminscent of an old 2 time allstar Bullet and Duke player--- Jack Marin.

Knueppel is better than Kispert, the player who's ruining the love.

I never associated him with Chris Mullin

I need to think of another white player--Donta Divencenzo. Would he be the pick at six?

ehhh. Knueppel has 20 pounds on Divencenzo. And even in college Donta was mainly a 6th man. Not denigrating him, just think Knueppel can be much better.

[nate33]

I think perhaps the best-case comp for a guy like Kneuppel would be Desmond Bane. Like Bane, Kneuppel is a lights out shooter with a stocky, strong frame but not really a lot of quick twitch athleticism.

[Gig18]

You know, another guy who --- I'll get killed for this, I know --- that could be a sneaky pick at 6 could be Egor Demin.
Think about the things this GM group has liked, size, youth, a superior skill, etc.
Demin has the chance to be 6'9" point guard. Everyone acknowledges that he sees the floor and can pass the rock.
AND, he supposedly opened up a lot of eyes with really good shooting at a pro day after the combine.
flame on

[dckingsfan]

You know, another guy who --- I'll get killed for this, I know --- that could be a sneaky pick at 6 could be Egor Demin.
Think about the things this GM group has liked, size, youth, a superior skill, etc.
Demin has the chance to be 6'9" point guard. Everyone acknowledges that he sees the floor and can pass the rock.
AND, he supposedly opened up a lot of eyes with really good shooting at a pro day after the combine.
flame on

Not my choice but... I don't think he will be able to run the point in the NBA, he just doesn't have the handles or ability to separate.

He isn't that strong (but that could develop), his shooting as you noted is suspect and his motor on D isn't all that.

So in my mind he is a wing with limited defensive abilities. I think I would pass on him at 6.

My 1/2 cent.

[payitforward]

I would trade 6, 18, and either KG or Bub for #2 and draft Harper. That's as much as I would trade.

Too much.... You wanna trade two 1sts and one of our youngings, for a player that has two potential comps next season in Peterson and Arenas who shoot even better than him and get to the rim just as frequently..... I wouldn't do that....

No shti! In principle, 6 & 18 is too much to give for 2.

[nate33]

You know, another guy who --- I'll get killed for this, I know --- that could be a sneaky pick at 6 could be Egor Demin.
Think about the things this GM group has liked, size, youth, a superior skill, etc.
Demin has the chance to be 6'9" point guard. Everyone acknowledges that he sees the floor and can pass the rock.
AND, he supposedly opened up a lot of eyes with really good shooting at a pro day after the combine.
flame on

I could see the team being interested. Their MO is generally to draft guys that are big and long for their position and have very good ability to process the game in real time. I think they believe they can teach guys to shoot over time so poor shooting isn't a dealbreaker. Still, #6 seems too high for a guy whose only above-average skill is passing.

[DCZards]

I would trade 6, 18, and either KG or Bub for #2 and draft Harper. That's as much as I would trade.

Too much.... You wanna trade two 1sts and one of our youngings, for a player that has two potential comps next season in Peterson and Arenas who shoot even better than him and get to the rim just as frequently..... I wouldn't do that....

No shti! In principle, 6 & 18 is too much to give for 2.

There’s principle and then there’s reality. If you’re convinced that the guy sitting at #2 has all-NBA potential then you might make that trade.

[Jay81]

I think their is a good chance that Ace Bailey falls to us

[tontoz]

Too much.... You wanna trade two 1sts and one of our youngings, for a player that has two potential comps next season in Peterson and Arenas who shoot even better than him and get to the rim just as frequently..... I wouldn't do that....

No shti! In principle, 6 & 18 is too much to give for 2.

There’s principle and then there’s reality. If you’re convinced that the guy sitting at #2 has all-NBA potential then you might make that trade.

I have no problem "overpaying" for Harper. He has the size and physicality that you want at the point along with elite ball skills.

Early in the season before teams realized how good he was they weren't doubling him much and he was just shredding teams. His ability to get to the rim and finish while limiting turnovers was amazing.

[badinage]

I would do #6 and Bilal. That’s a really good deal for San Antonio — unless they think they can use the #2 to get Giannis.

And for the Wizards — that’s the dynamic lead that this team needs. That’s your Hali or SGA. You have to give to get. If all it takes to get him is Bilal and #6, I don’t think twice. Could Bilal blossom in SA? Sure. Deni has blown up in Portland. It hurts. But the rebuild would move to its next phase.

Harper
Carrington
George
Champagnie
Sarr
AJ Johnson
Colby Jones
Kispert
Vukcevic
Pick #18 (Sorber?)
Pick #40

And then you have Poole, Middleton, and Smart, and maybe they can get some picks for them.

The backcourt would have two big guards who can score. They’d be rounding toward a starting 5 that can handle and shoot.

(Also? The Spurs owe us — twice.

[dobrojim]

I think their is a good chance that Ace Bailey falls to us

And there are probably reasons for that. How serious
those reasons are, time will tell.

[tontoz]

I think their is a good chance that Ace Bailey falls to us

And there are probably reasons for that. How serious
those reasons are, time will tell.

I don't buy it but...

-Philly is in win now mode and might be reluctant to take a guy that needs development.
-Hornets have Miller. VJ seems like a fit there.
-Utah who the f knows, maybe they take the white guy. Or maybe the Nets trade up to take Fears.

[AFM]

I wonder if measuring in at 6'7 dropped his stock, if even a little. They always round up + shoes, but he was listed at 6'10 all season. What type of shoes was fella wearing...

[nate33]

I came across a table for the European combine measurements from last year:



Noa Essengue is a downright freak!

We knew about the height and standing reach, but I had no idea he had a 10.66 lane agility and a 35.5" max vertical! Those are extremely impressive for a guy with a 9'3" standing reach. That lane agility is right up there with the two athletic freaks of this draft class: Flagg (10.64) and Powell (10.71). The only other guys better are guards under 6'-5"

His max vertical ties Flagg and is exceeded mostly only by guards, Powell, and Carter Bryant.

He also has catcher's mitts for hands.

(The 3/4 sprint time is fairly slow, but all the times are slow so it makes me wonder if the test was off somehow. Maluach, for example, is now 10% faster than he was a year ago.)

[dckingsfan]

Noa Essengue is a downright freak!

We knew about the height and standing reach, but I had no idea he had a 10.66 lane agility and a 35.5" max vertical! Those are extremely impressive for a guy with a 9'3" standing reach. That lane agility is right up there with the two athletic freaks of this draft class: Flagg (10.64) and Powell (10.71). The only other guys better are guards under 6'-5"

His max vertical ties Flagg and is exceeded mostly only by guards, Powell, and Carter Bryant.

He also has catcher's mitts for hands.

(The 3/4 sprint time is fairly slow, but all the times are slow so it makes me wonder if the test was off somehow. Maluach, for example, is now 10% faster than he was a year ago.)

If you are a team that wants to take a swing on the next Giannis - Noa is your guy.