2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 8

[RoteSchroder]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45470775/2025-nba-mock-draft-debating-30-round-1-picks-need-value-cooper-flagg

9. Toronto Raptors
Givony's pick that fills the biggest need:
Derik Queen, C, Maryland, Freshman | TS%: 60.0

It's hard to see where a rookie guard, wing or forward would fit into the Raptors' depth chart as currently constructed, as the team has at least eight players vying for minutes at those positions. The situation on the interior looks a lot more uncertain, with Jakob Poeltl entering the final guaranteed year of his contract and possessing a player option in 2026-27.

Enter Queen, the most skilled big man in this draft, capable of scoring facing the basket or with his back to it, with impressive passing ability to boot. His shooting will likely need to improve for him to operate effectively alongside Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, but he brings something to this roster that the Raptors don't currently possess, with upside to grow into if his conditioning improves.

Woo's pick that gets the best value: Queen

The No. 9 spot is where the draft starts to flatten out a bit valuewise; this next group of prospects is a bit more eye-of-the-beholder, and they bring very different skill sets to the table.

For a team such as the Raptors, where there isn't necessarily a perfect fit on the board here, this spot could be one to simply swing on talent. Queen is the most offensively gifted big man in the class, and although he has several areas for improvement, particularly as a defender, Toronto has room to develop talent up front and could certainly justify a swing here.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25203841-2025-nba-mock-draft-full-2-round-predictions-player-comps

I think I’m buying into Queen more, assuming Maluach isn’t there at 9. I think he’s big enough to play some center and he seems like a pretty good fit as a guy they can develop behind Poeltl, who I think will be here for a while. His defensive flaws are overstated and at some point, you just have to pick talent. His offensive game is super intriguing and he probably has about as much upside as anyone at 9. I’m on board.

Go look at his defensive footage. He is beyond bad..he’d be the Gradey Dick of big men.

[Clutch0z24]

For our team if you look at our rotation i think we have too many Shooting Guards/Forwards already Walter/Dick/Ochai/Barrett/Barnes/Ingram/Mogbo/Battle that we still need to develop....Thats 8 of our roster spots on SG/SF/PF Positions....So for me give me any of Maluach/Queen If not them give me a PG like Jase Richardson/Fears/Kasp to develop....Just not enough room for a SG/SF/PF spot cause we have so many guys already in them spots....If Kon Falls to us you might have to just take him and make a trade though.

[SpezNc]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

[MEDIC]

I always enjoy the Hoopshype redrafts….puts things in perspective. This one from 2020 is wild:

https://hoopshype.com/lists/2020-nba-re-draft-the-way-it-should-have-been/

I think this draft is going to be pretty messed up as well. We'll find out later that someone like.Walter Clayton Jr should have gone top 10.

Sometimes the talent is right in front of your eyes, but maybe that talent is older or just not sexy enough.

[BoyzNTheHood]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

Defensively he fits. Offensively we would be an absolute joke.

[Yallbecrazy]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

He was ridiculously productive in college without a system or spacing and while his roster fit may not be ideal I think his playing style fit with Darko's system is ideal. He is a smart player who directs his teammates, and can make quick decisions on offense which is what Darko needs, but unfortunately we don't have a lot of those guys on our team.

So roster fit with starters is bad, but style fit is really good. I think his roster fit on a bench or hybrid bench/starter unit is really good.

Don't love Vecenie's draft knowledge though ever since he put Jalen Hood Schifino 30 spots ahead of Podziemski on his big board.

[littlerock2277]

Masai should just take best player avalible. Dont know who that would be but his draft record has been as good as any GM in the league.

[Tripod]

vecenie

And it's not wrong to not want to have build your team around a #9 pick if you are the Raps.

[Clutch0z24]

I always enjoy the Hoopshype redrafts….puts things in perspective. This one from 2020 is wild:

https://hoopshype.com/lists/2020-nba-re-draft-the-way-it-should-have-been/

I think this draft is going to be pretty messed up as well. We'll find out later that someone like.Walter Clayton Jr should have gone top 10.

Sometimes the talent is right in front of your eyes, but maybe that talent is older or just not sexy enough.

Yep i think Walter Clayton & Jase Richardson will be the 2 guys that go late in this draft that should have went higher...Maybe even top 10....I think both of their games will translate perfect to the NBA.

[pharring]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

Defensively he fits. Offensively we would be an absolute joke.

On his own, yeah.

But if you created a chart of Raptors players in order of who you want taking most of the available shots, you are going to go fairly deep down that list (Ingram, Barnes, Barrett, Quickley, Walter, Dick, Battle, Agbaji, Mogbo, Poeltl) before you'd reach CMB. And I think that's what Vencenie is thinking when he contemplates "fit".

I do think on the existing roster, there is some overlap with Mogbo. But frankly I'm not upset by a bench full of Mogbo/CMB's as long as there is also some firepower when a spark is needed.

If CMB is the BPA at #9, go get him. His defensive compilations on Youtube are awesome. Seems to have Kawhi's ability to anticipate where the ball is going to be and gets there to meet/take it. I'm still in the Carter Bryant camp but I'd be just as excited to get CMB.

[pharring]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

Defensively he fits. Offensively we would be an absolute joke.

On his own, yeah.

But if you created a chart of Raptors players in order of who you want taking most of the available shots, you are going to go fairly deep down that list (Ingram, Barnes, Barrett, Quickley, Walter, Dick, Battle, Agbaji, Mogbo, Poeltl) before you'd reach CMB. And I think that's what Vencenie is thinking when he contemplates "fit".

I do think on the existing roster, there is some overlap with Mogbo. But frankly I'm not upset by a bench full of Mogbo/CMB's as long as there is also some firepower when a spark is needed.

If CMB is the BPA at #9, go get him. His defensive compilations on Youtube are awesome. Seems to have Kawhi's ability to anticipate where the ball is going to be and gets there to meet/take it. I'm still in the Carter Bryant camp but I'd be just as excited to get CMB.

[Tripod]

I always enjoy the Hoopshype redrafts….puts things in perspective. This one from 2020 is wild:

https://hoopshype.com/lists/2020-nba-re-draft-the-way-it-should-have-been/

I think this draft is going to be pretty messed up as well. We'll find out later that someone like.Walter Clayton Jr should have gone top 10.

Sometimes the talent is right in front of your eyes, but maybe that talent is older or just not sexy enough.

Yep i think Walter Clayton & Jase Richardson will be the 2 guys that go late in this draft that should have went higher...Maybe even top 10....I think both of their games will translate perfect to the NBA.

I am on team Jase! I believe.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

Defensively he fits. Offensively we would be an absolute joke.

On his own, yeah.

But if you created a chart of Raptors players in order of who you want taking most of the available shots, you are going to go fairly deep down that list (Ingram, Barnes, Barrett, Quickley, Walter, Dick, Battle, Agbaji, Mogbo, Poeltl) before you'd reach CMB. And I think that's what Vencenie is thinking when he contemplates "fit".

I do think on the existing roster, there is some overlap with Mogbo. But frankly I'm not upset by a bench full of Mogbo/CMB's as long as there is also some firepower when a spark is needed.

If CMB is the BPA at #9, go get him. His defensive compilations on Youtube are awesome. Seems to have Kawhi's ability to anticipate where the ball is going to be and gets there to meet/take it. I'm still in the Carter Bryant camp but I'd be just as excited to get CMB.

I can easily see him being the pick, and I wouldn’t mind it, but he wouldn’t be my first option.

[S ID]

Any one of these players, in no order:

Kon
CMB
Bryant
Kasp

[WuTang_CMB]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

Not contradicting. He’s just saying the team needs to understand who he is as a player and grow him properly. If a team drafts him and just expects him to produce no matter what then thats where u can get im trouble with a player like this.

I think ultimately our team is still in transition. If they truly believe CMB is bpa then take him

[mtcan]

vecenie

Vecenie said yesterday that CMB would be a fit for Toronto.

Here he is saying that he likes him but finding a good fit could be a challenge and he need to fall in the right organization to develop him

Does that means that Vecenie truly think that Toronto is a good fit and he trust our development system or he is contradicting himself ?

They talked about the organization failing Scottie by not putting the right complementary players around him that can shoot and defend....and then go on to say that CMB would be a good fit in Toronto. The guy can't shoot to be a wing and at 6'7 wouldn't be a marked improvement over Jonathan Mogbo as is as a small ball 5. Vecenie lost me there.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Read on Twitter

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[Yallbecrazy]

Read on Twitter

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Barlowe is one of the worst draft evaluators I've seen in my opinion. I regularly disagree with all his takes.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Read on Twitter

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Barlowe is one of the worst draft evaluators I've seen in my opinion. I regularly disagree with all his takes.

Yeah, this one is bad. Even if Jase isn’t great I don’t see 35 year old Lou.

[Dalek]

I was looking more at Queen's average size, mediocre athleticism, and overall scoring skillset, and assuming Queen makes a shooting leap to hit at least corner threes, in some ways I see some parallel with Kyle Filipowski.

Both around 20 YO at the draft.

Queen 16.5 ppg 9 reb 1.9 ast 1.1 blk 1.1 stl
Flip 16.4 ppg 8.3 reb 2.8 ast 1.5 blk 1.1 stl

Flip has decent athleticism and mediocre length which is similar to Queen who is not a leaper by any stretch but is more of fluid but ground bound athlete.

Both have above average passing and a handle for a big.

Both have very similar BPM with positive DBPMs in college.

Flip just finished his first NBA season:
72 games 27 starts
9 ppg 6reb 2 ast
-1.0 BPM
.594 TS%
14 AST%
35% three
50% from the field

Decent for a second rounder, but is Queen going to be as impactful in our context? Also assuming Queen makes a huge leap on shooting from outside which I am not confident about.