2025 Draft Thread

[Profound23]

Ryan Nembhard anyone? There are a couple of international players I would consider over him but it wouldn't be bad to have a guy with a motor on this team.

Then again we have a couple of guys with a motor but Doc refuses to play them. If Andre Jackson were on Indy we would all be talking about how he helps them get stops in crunch time and we need a player like him.

[Ron Swanson]

Nembhard is just too small. Being sub-6'0 without shoes in this era is basically a non-starter for me. Doesn't help that he's not even a good enough athlete to make up for it.

[emunney]

Ryan Nembhard anyone? There are a couple of international players I would consider over him but it wouldn't be bad to have a guy with a motor on this team.

Then again we have a couple of guys with a motor but Doc refuses to play them. If Andre Jackson were on Indy we would all be talking about how he helps them get stops in crunch time and we need a player like him.

I feel like Nembhard is a day 1 spot minutes guy. We could throw him out there and survive. He's really small, which materially limits his outlook in a way that most guys aren't limited. I don't think it's disqualifying but it's tough to overcome. But he's also hands down the best pure point coming over from college this year.

[machu46]

Tonje
Brea
Amari Williams
Dink Pate
Hansen Yang
Hunter Sallis
Tyrese Proctor

I'm good with any of those guys. Too many of the wings in the 40-60 range (you can include Tonje and Brea TBF) just don't pop off the page for me and are gonna be too overly reliant on guile/intangibles going up against NBA athletes. RJ Luis, Brice Williams, Micah Peavy, Jamir Watkins, etc. These guys are all pretty interchangeable IMO.

Of the guys I've seen mentioned for us, I think I lean towards Sallis and Peavy but I don't really feel strongly about anyone in our range.

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[emunney]

I'd be curious to see if Tamar Bates is a better pro than college player. He's got a cleanly translatable scoring skillset and physical profile. Reminds me of Barbosa.

Which reminds me, wth happened to South American hoops? Why didn't all that success in Brazil and Argentina beget more success? Argentina's program completely evaporated.

[Ron Swanson]

Probably more of a UDFA target but I wouldn't hate taking a flier on Omier (apparently we worked him out?).

Watch on YouTube

Severely undersized for a PF/C but he's an absolute elite offensive rebounder, strong/switchable defender, and maybe there's some potential to expand his shooting range still (75% career from the line).

[Profound23]

I'll definitely listen to you guys over my own players. Haven't followed much NCAA basketball since we aren't a lotto team anymore. I'm not as good at scouting basketball players as I am at football players. Personally whenever we have a second round pick I just hope we take an international player in hopes that he hits like Joker, Ginobili, etc.

[Bernman]

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/mock-drafts-big-boards/2025-nba-mock-draft-two-round-projections-10-days-out

Woof, SI mock has us taking Johni Broome. I get that he was insanely productive but I don't think you could construct a less "NBA translatable skills" prospect even if you tried. Big time Drew Timme vibes. Absolutely nothing about him makes me say "yeah, this will work against NBA athletes".

My problem is that he can't shoot. For us, that makes him a non-starter. One season shooting 35% on low volume isn't enough to convince me that he has much potential there, either. Worse FT shooter than Giannis.

He's going to look good against young/undisciplined teams because his game is 90% capitalizing on mistakes (like Timme, who hung some pretty decent lines against late-season developmental lineups and got himself a contract out of it). If he could shoot, I think that could play here, with our offense (hopefully) putting defenses in a bind and potentially making them take their eyes off guys who aren't Giannis or 40% high volume 3pt shooters. But he can't shoot.

I was going to add that, but I'm not super sold that he won't be able to shoot either. The standard's much lower for a big. Like you said, he shot 35% his second to last yr. The ft shooting is sub-par. But Horford had worse indicators. They're similar smart, competitive, strong players. Some guys you're betting on to adapt enough.

But no, it's not the ideal fit for us because of lack of proof of concept. I'd be ambivalent from our perspective, even at 47. I want to move up. We may need to re-stock a big in the draft of at least his ilk/fit. None check all the boxes. Kockbrenner, you have to worry about if his shot's real, footspeed, rebounding. Raynaud if he's too soft & can guard switches. Niederhauser if he can shoot, board. We're drafting in the mid 2nd rd ATM.

[BigO]

Ryan Nembhard anyone? There are a couple of international players I would consider over him but it wouldn't be bad to have a guy with a motor on this team.

Then again we have a couple of guys with a motor but Doc refuses to play them. If Andre Jackson were on Indy we would all be talking about how he helps them get stops in crunch time and we need a player like him.

I feel like Nembhard is a day 1 spot minutes guy. We could throw him out there and survive. He's really small, which materially limits his outlook in a way that most guys aren't limited. I don't think it's disqualifying but it's tough to overcome. But he's also hands down the best pure point coming over from college this year.

Nembhard has all the tools Vecenie (and me) define as quality draftable picks, except the one attribute out of his control, which is size.

I still can't figure out how a guy like McConnell has made it. He can't shoot, yet shoots over 51%.He can't hit threes. Yet he has stuck and played well.

Nembhard is worth a flyer after mid way in the second round.

[ShootingtheJ]

Ryan Nembhard anyone? There are a couple of international players I would consider over him but it wouldn't be bad to have a guy with a motor on this team.

Then again we have a couple of guys with a motor but Doc refuses to play them. If Andre Jackson were on Indy we would all be talking about how he helps them get stops in crunch time and we need a player like him.

I feel like Nembhard is a day 1 spot minutes guy. We could throw him out there and survive. He's really small, which materially limits his outlook in a way that most guys aren't limited. I don't think it's disqualifying but it's tough to overcome. But he's also hands down the best pure point coming over from college this year.

Nembhard has all the tools Vecenie (and me) define as quality draftable picks, except the one attribute out of his control, which is size.

I still can't figure out how a guy like McConnell has made it. He can't shoot, yet shoots over 51%.He can't hit threes. Yet he has stuck and played well.

Nembhard is worth a flyer after mid way in the second round.

There's a lot to like about this Nembhard, he's a better playmaker than Andrew. Like you said, the size is an issue. For the first time ever, we look like we might build a team full a switchables, and he doesn't fit that.

[ShootingtheJ]

Tonje
Brea
Amari Williams
Dink Pate
Hansen Yang
Hunter Sallis
Tyrese Proctor

I'm good with any of those guys. Too many of the wings in the 40-60 range (you can include Tonje and Brea TBF) just don't pop off the page for me and are gonna be too overly reliant on guile/intangibles going up against NBA athletes. RJ Luis, Brice Williams, Micah Peavy, Jamir Watkins, etc. These guys are all pretty interchangeable IMO.

Of the guys I've seen mentioned for us, I think I lean towards Sallis and Peavy but I don't really feel strongly about anyone in our range.

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Peavey for me. Versatile late blooming SF. Sallis did nothing in the combine scrimmages against a weak field.

[Badgerlander]

Still like Brice Williams.

Watch on YouTube

One draft Xer called him a 6’6” Cassell

[Badgerlander]

Gimmie all your Jalen Williams, Siakam, Obi Toppin sized guys, with mitts, hops, and serviceable handles

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

[Badgerlander]

Wonder if Orlando moves #25

[Ron Swanson]

What's the highest pick we need to acquire to have a shot at Coward? If he's there at 15, do you send OKC our 2026 secondary swap rights for him?

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Probably more of a UDFA target but I wouldn't hate taking a flier on Omier (apparently we worked him out?).

Watch on YouTube

Severely undersized for a PF/C but he's an absolute elite offensive rebounder, strong/switchable defender, and maybe there's some potential to expand his shooting range still (75% career from the line).

I hope we go highest upside with any second rounder. (For S&G, draft Yang Hansen, China owes us after Yi). It is highly unlikely a high-floor/low ceiling guy will be playing rotational minutes this year and rather give those minutes to a vet min as mentioned in another thread. We need above-replacement level players whether it now or 2 years from now, but you aren't getting one now in the second round.

[German Athens]

What's the highest pick we need to acquire to have a shot at Coward? If he's there at 15, do you send OKC our 2026 secondary swap rights for him?

I think the ‘26 swap would get us their other pick, not 15.

Our ‘31 1st would get more than 15, though.

[Ron Swanson]

What's the highest pick we need to acquire to have a shot at Coward? If he's there at 15, do you send OKC our 2026 secondary swap rights for him?

I think the ‘26 swap would get us their other pick, not 15.

Our ‘31 1st would get more than 15, though.

It certainly would net us 24 but that's way too good a deal for OKC. You're all but guaranteeing our pick next year is no higher than 28th-29th while they might get a legit shot at a lottery pick. I'd be engaging other teams though (Brooklyn, San Antonio, Memphis, Miami) to see if they'd wanna gamble on us being worse than them for a mid-late 1st.

[Ron Swanson]

Drafting Knueppel at #4 is such a Charlotte move and I fully expect it to happen at this point. If there's a scouting department worse than ours, it's them.