2025 NBA Draft Thread: Detroit Pick Edition

[younggunsmn]

With Connelly's propensity to target "fallers" who were highly touted in high school (thinking of Porter, Minott, Miller, Moore, Dillingham, among others), I don't want to completely gloss over Liam McNeeley. I think it's important to remember that after Ant, our next 5 volume shooters from this past season have questions of varying levels about their longterm status on the team. I don't love the idea, but I don't think we should dismiss the idea.

McNeeley sucks at shooting.

.381/.317

Yikes.

Why is this guy a first round prospect?
He's unathletic, has short arms, sucks at shooting and pretty much everything else.

[Klomp]

I should be more excited by Niederhauser, but I am haunted by the Ghost of Justin Patton. That's the prototype that has always fooled me.

Fair point but that was during the Thibadork era. We have an infrastructure that has been much better for development.

In my head, I absolutely know you're right. But it just scares me away....

[Klomp]

With Connelly's propensity to target "fallers" who were highly touted in high school (thinking of Porter, Minott, Miller, Moore, Dillingham, among others), I don't want to completely gloss over Liam McNeeley. I think it's important to remember that after Ant, our next 5 volume shooters from this past season have questions of varying levels about their longterm status on the team. I don't love the idea, but I don't think we should dismiss the idea.

McNeeley sucks at shooting.

.381/.317

Yikes.

Why is this guy a first round prospect?
He's unathletic, has short arms, sucks at shooting and pretty much everything else.

His 3-point shooting was regularly around 45% before college. Bad freshman year, but also played a role he wasn't really suited for.

[Guidus88]

Indication they want to keep Gobert.

And with Durant, you don’t need Randle.

I'm not sure on that one.

They've spoken about and made moves to become a faster team. Someone like Newell, especially if you envision him as a small ball 5, would further push the team down that path. And it's a team concept that Rudy doesn't fit into.

Fleming, Newell and Niederhauser would fit as smallball C. Although Niederhauser is a legit bigman

I see Newell more as a Jonathan Isaac. Still very raw but If he develops a reliable 3pt shot he is a NBA starter.

[younggunsmn]

There are so many good legit 5 prospects in this draft, I think it's super important we come out of the draft with a future rotation piece at center.

Kalkbrenner and Reynaud are my favorite picks at 31, but Yang, Niederhauser, and even Amari Williams (trade down or pick up another 2nd in a trade down from 17) have a shot at being rotation pieces.

[younggunsmn]

I'm not sure on that one.

They've spoken about and made moves to become a faster team. Someone like Newell, especially if you envision him as a small ball 5, would further push the team down that path. And it's a team concept that Rudy doesn't fit into.

Fleming, Newell and Niederhauser would fit as smallball C. Although Niederhauser is a legit bigman

I see Newell more as a Jonathan Isaac. Still very raw but If he develops a reliable 3pt shot he is a NBA starter.

No he has a sub 9 foot reach. Isaac is super long. Also looks soft and slow to me on tape.
Don't want to draft him.

[Guidus88]

Fleming, Newell and Niederhauser would fit as smallball C. Although Niederhauser is a legit bigman

I see Newell more as a Jonathan Isaac. Still very raw but If he develops a reliable 3pt shot he is a NBA starter.

No he has a sub 9 foot reach. Isaac is super long. Also looks soft and slow to me on tape.
Don't want to draft him.

I checked and Isaac had 9foot reach, higher but not that higher. But I get your point and respect your opinion of not wanting drafting him.


In any case, no prospects are intriguing in this draft

[younggunsmn]

I see Newell more as a Jonathan Isaac. Still very raw but If he develops a reliable 3pt shot he is a NBA starter.

No he has a sub 9 foot reach. Isaac is super long. Also looks soft and slow to me on tape.
Don't want to draft him.

I checked and Isaac had 9foot reach, higher but not that higher. But I get your point and respect your opinion of not wanting drafting him.


In any case, no prospects are intriguing in this draft

I think Demin and Fleming have a lot of potential, but also carry a lot of bust risk.

If you are looking for an above average starter or 3rd best player this is a very poor draft.
If you are looking for a long term quality rotation player I think this is actually a really good draft all the way up to 35/40, if you avoid the young flaky boom or bust prospects who havent shown much but athletic traits yet.

[shangrila]

I should be more excited by Niederhauser, but I am haunted by the Ghost of Justin Patton. That's the prototype that has always fooled me.

Patton was a lot more skilled and less athletic. I'm not sure there's a player in this draft that's similar to Patton honestly.

Niederhauser is more in the mold of a Javale McGee or, for a blast from the past, Chris Johnson.

[KGdaBom]

With Connelly's propensity to target "fallers" who were highly touted in high school (thinking of Porter, Minott, Miller, Moore, Dillingham, among others), I don't want to completely gloss over Liam McNeeley. I think it's important to remember that after Ant, our next 5 volume shooters from this past season have questions of varying levels about their longterm status on the team. I don't love the idea, but I don't think we should dismiss the idea.

McNeeley sucks at shooting.

.381/.317

Yikes.

Why is this guy a first round prospect?
He's unathletic, has short arms, sucks at shooting and pretty much everything else.

For what it's worth neither Ant or LaMelo Ball could shoot coming into the league.

[minimus]

Interestingly enough, Jase Richardson says that he models his game after Mike Conley, but he's more-so a secondary playmaker.

IMO Conley's current role is exactly where Richardson fits right from day one:

- elite shotmaker (remember last season he was the best in NBA in 3pt pull shots, including stepbacks and sidebacks)
- secondary playmaker

P.S. 2.3 AST:TO ratio!

[jpatrick]

Interestingly enough, Jase Richardson says that he models his game after Mike Conley, but he's more-so a secondary playmaker.

IMO Conley's current role is exactly where Richardson fits right from day one:

- elite shotmaker (remember last season he was the best in NBA in 3pt pull shots, including stepbacks and sidebacks)
- secondary playmaker

P.S. 2.3 AST:TO ratio!

I mean, maybe. But he never played PG this year. MSU had multiple good PGs and always had one on the floor with Richardson. And that 1.9 assists per game, despite him having the ball in his hands a fair amount, doesn’t scream PG.

[KGdaBom]

Interestingly enough, Jase Richardson says that he models his game after Mike Conley, but he's more-so a secondary playmaker.

IMO Conley's current role is exactly where Richardson fits right from day one:

- elite shotmaker (remember last season he was the best in NBA in 3pt pull shots, including stepbacks and sidebacks)
- secondary playmaker

P.S. 2.3 AST:TO ratio!

I mean, maybe. But he never played PG this year. MSU had multiple good PGs and always had one on the floor with Richardson. And that 1.9 assists per game, despite him having the ball in his hands a fair amount, doesn’t scream PG.

Good point. Minimus said he saw Terrell Brandon. I said IF IF IF he's Brandon give up both picks for him.

[moss_is_1]

Looking at the draft trying to determine who will be there at 17 and 31. Flagg, Harper, Bailey, Tre Johnson, Edgecombe, Knueppel, Maluach, Essengue, Carter Bryant, Fears are the 10 I think are for sure gonna be gone. Jakucionis, Queen, Coward, Denim, Beringer, Sorber, CMB, Traore, Clifford, Newell, Walter Clayton are probably all guys we can consider here. I think the 1st 5 of the 2nd group will be gone before 17 also.

Sorber - CMB - Traore - Clifford - Newell - Clayton who would you guys like there? Of those I like Sorber and Traore. Sorber has a higher floor with solid upside, and if he can develop his shot more could be a really nice starting center. I worry about his injury, as well as his lack of athleticism if we are trying to be a more uptempo team. I like his passing, length, defense and rebounding a lot though. I think he has a high IQ and feel for the game. Traore is high upside, pretty good athlete and passer but not a good shooter, has a solid floater and measure well where if we keep him and Rob they can share the floor a bit in small lineups.

31 I think unless someone like Clayton drops we just go BPA(or a center if we take a PG early). Danny Wolf, Raynaud, Kalkbrenner, Adou Thiero, Drake Powell, Niederhauser, Yang, even some like Koby Brea.

[moss_is_1]

With Connelly's propensity to target "fallers" who were highly touted in high school (thinking of Porter, Minott, Miller, Moore, Dillingham, among others), I don't want to completely gloss over Liam McNeeley. I think it's important to remember that after Ant, our next 5 volume shooters from this past season have questions of varying levels about their longterm status on the team. I don't love the idea, but I don't think we should dismiss the idea.

Drake Powell fits the bill as well. Could be a nice wing to target.

Yeah, I've been wondering about Powell lately as well, especially when you add in the franchise's defensive identity...

You could add Tyrese Proctor as well. He's a junior, but was a 5 star recruit who has adapted his game at Duke.

[shrink]

If one of you is interested, some of the posters at RealGM are doing a Mock Draft, Saturday at 9 AM.

You can pick a team to represent, and MIN is still open,

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=118950786#p118950786

[moss_is_1]

I know we don't really need a wing, but Nique Clifford looks like he's going to have a really high floor and could be a great pick at #17.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1jeqndo/nique_clifford_my_draft_comp/

found this deeper dive into him on reddit as well. Interesting read.

[KGdaBom]

I know we don't really need a wing, but Nique Clifford looks like he's going to have a really high floor and could be a great pick at #17.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1jeqndo/nique_clifford_my_draft_comp/

found this deeper dive into him on reddit as well. Interesting read.

If that's the case you can hope that Tankathon has the pick right.
OOPS. Tankathon just switched to us taking McNeeley.

[GopherIt!]

I know we don't really need a wing, but Nique Clifford looks like he's going to have a really high floor and could be a great pick at #17.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1jeqndo/nique_clifford_my_draft_comp/

found this deeper dive into him on reddit as well. Interesting read.

If he can become Derrick White 2.0, then he should be our guy at 17, if there. How accurate that comp is idk. His bbiq, defense & hustle make his floor safer than WCJ who I really like. If other teams agree w that comp he likely won’t make it to 17 though. In fact, I could see Memphis using their newly acquired #16 pick from Orlando to grab him just ahead of us (if they don’t begin a total sell off and tank.)

[minimus]

I know we don't really need a wing, but Nique Clifford looks like he's going to have a really high floor and could be a great pick at #17.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1jeqndo/nique_clifford_my_draft_comp/

found this deeper dive into him on reddit as well. Interesting read.

If he can become Derrick White 2.0, then he should be our guy at 17, if there. How accurate that comp is idk. His bbiq, defense & hustle make his floor safer than WCJ who I really like. If other teams agree w that comp he likely won’t make it to 17 though. In fact, I could see Memphis using their newly acquired #16 pick from Orlando to grab him just ahead of us (if they don’t begin a total sell off and tank.)

It looks like he is in MIN

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