The Official 2025 NBA Draft Prospects Thread

[Catchall]

These are my top draft pick choices, although I have vacillated quite a bit on the #3-#5 players.

1. Flagg- All NBA likely outcome

2. Harper- All Star/All NBA potential. I view him as Cade Cunningham who can get to and score at the rim. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Spurs are going to trade this pick.

3. VJ Edgecomb- All Star/All NBA potential. I think that he is a top 5% athlete in the NBA and that his ball handling and shooting improve so that he becomes a two way force. If the Jazz agree, I would trade up to #3 or #4 to get him, if realistically possible.

4. Ace Bailey- All Star/All NBA potential. Ace might have the highest upside in the class. He also has the biggest bust potential of the top 4. Since the Jazz need a franchise player, I would swing for the fences and select him if he falls to #5. I'm conflicted on whether I would trade up for him given the pre-draft drama and his downside.

5. Tre Johnson- starter to borderline All Star/All Star potential. If he hits and plays D, he could be Devin Booker-like. I don't see him not being at least as good as Herro, though.

6. Kon Knueppel- should be a solid starter, perhaps borderline All Star. Safe pick who could surpass some of the above as his floor is decently high (I can't get Chris Mullin as a comp out of my head, perhaps because they look so similar). Biggest concern is if he has enough athleticism to play D. But, he at least plays D and has a solid O game that is more advanced than most of the above players and at a minimum should be an effective shooter, both on the move, catch and shoot and probably pull up.

7. Maluach- If the Jazz could get another top 10 pick without giving up #5, then I would consider resetting the timeline and not paying Kessler and instead trading him for assets with the hope that Maluach gives you a rim protector who can also stretch the floor. Drafting Ryan K instead to do this is an interesting option. I love how Kessler impacts the paint, but he does limit you in the modern NBA that loves spacing and switching.

I'm not in at all on Fears.

I'm not seeing the bust potential with Ace Bailey. I think his role and usage can be optimized to be efficient enough, and his length and athleticism make him a potential team defender with some coaching. He's not Cam Reddish. He's more like Trey Murphy entering the league, imo.

[WinterSoldier]

https://scoopb.com/2025/06/who-is-ace-bailey-inside-the-life-loyalty-and-nba-future-of-rutgers-rising-star/

Apparently, Ace would want to play in Utah. The media narratives change so quickly it's hard to take anything serious during draft season.

[Inigo Montoya]

https://scoopb.com/2025/06/who-is-ace-bailey-inside-the-life-loyalty-and-nba-future-of-rutgers-rising-star/

Apparently, Ace would want to play in Utah. The media narratives change so quickly it's hard to take anything serious during draft season.

This reads like a puff piece his agent ordered or even wrote himself. Can't take it too seriously.

[WinterSoldier]

https://scoopb.com/2025/06/who-is-ace-bailey-inside-the-life-loyalty-and-nba-future-of-rutgers-rising-star/

Apparently, Ace would want to play in Utah. The media narratives change so quickly it's hard to take anything serious during draft season.

This reads like a puff piece his agent ordered or even wrote himself. Can't take it too seriously.

I read the other reports and they were all conjecture and speculation by the writers themselves. This at least adds a quote from a supposed insider.

[Inigo Montoya]

https://scoopb.com/2025/06/who-is-ace-bailey-inside-the-life-loyalty-and-nba-future-of-rutgers-rising-star/

Apparently, Ace would want to play in Utah. The media narratives change so quickly it's hard to take anything serious during draft season.

This reads like a puff piece his agent ordered or even wrote himself. Can't take it too seriously.

I read the other reports and they were all conjecture and speculation by the writers themselves. This at least adds a quote from a supposed insider.

"a source with knowledge of Bailey’s mindset" actually does sound like his agent... Hard to take these kinds of sources seriously.

[babyjax13]

The trade board had a mock draft for the first round. I selected Tre Johnson and Nolan Traore, but there were a lot of interesting players at 21. I think we will get a nice prospect there.

[babyjax13]

Jazz apparently having a second workout with Fears.

Read on Twitter

[DukeLecker]

As a wiz fan, that Ser Troy Halliburton is a volume tweeter with very few accurate predictions. I wouldn’t take a single thing he tweets as “insider knowledge.”

[Catchall]

I think the Jazz's interest in Fears is a bit overstated. I think the Jazz will take Tre, Ace or Edgecombe, whomever gets to #5. Fears might be a trade-back option otherwise. Jazz have likely been getting calls from teams who want to move up.

The simplest trade is for Utah to swap with Charlotte. Both teams get their guy at a fair market price, no trading around each other.

[red4hf]

I think the Jazz's interest in Fears is a bit overstated. I think the Jazz will take Tre, Ace or Edgecombe, whomever gets to #5. Fears might be a trade-back option otherwise. Jazz have likely been getting calls from teams who want to move up.

The simplest trade is for Utah to swap with Charlotte. Both teams get their guy at a fair market price, no trading around each other.

How does making a deal with Charlotte make any sense? If the teams want different players, they just draft them......

[Catchall]

I think the Jazz's interest in Fears is a bit overstated. I think the Jazz will take Tre, Ace or Edgecombe, whomever gets to #5. Fears might be a trade-back option otherwise. Jazz have likely been getting calls from teams who want to move up.

The simplest trade is for Utah to swap with Charlotte. Both teams get their guy at a fair market price, no trading around each other.

How does making a deal with Charlotte make any sense? If the teams want different players, they just draft them......

The Jazz would trade up one spot with Charlotte to prevent Charlotte from trading back with someone else. For example, Washington or New Orleans could trade up to #4 and take someone the Jazz want.

[Inigo Montoya]

I think the Jazz's interest in Fears is a bit overstated. I think the Jazz will take Tre, Ace or Edgecombe, whomever gets to #5. Fears might be a trade-back option otherwise. Jazz have likely been getting calls from teams who want to move up.

The simplest trade is for Utah to swap with Charlotte. Both teams get their guy at a fair market price, no trading around each other.

How does making a deal with Charlotte make any sense? If the teams want different players, they just draft them......

The Jazz would trade up one spot with Charlotte to prevent Charlotte from trading back with someone else. For example, Washington or New Orleans could trade up to #4 and take someone the Jazz want.

One of VJ, Bailey and Johnson will still be there at #5 no matter what. No reason to trade up one spot, I'd rather them to just stay at #5 and draft whomever is left. The only scenario in which the Jazz trade up that I'd like to see is if they manage to trade up to #1 or #2. Otherwise I hope they stay at #5.

[red4hf]

I think the Jazz's interest in Fears is a bit overstated. I think the Jazz will take Tre, Ace or Edgecombe, whomever gets to #5. Fears might be a trade-back option otherwise. Jazz have likely been getting calls from teams who want to move up.

The simplest trade is for Utah to swap with Charlotte. Both teams get their guy at a fair market price, no trading around each other.

How does making a deal with Charlotte make any sense? If the teams want different players, they just draft them......

The Jazz would trade up one spot with Charlotte to prevent Charlotte from trading back with someone else. For example, Washington or New Orleans could trade up to #4 and take someone the Jazz want.

I guess that makes sense, but you have to factor in what the Jazz would have to give up to make that happen.....

[Catchall]

How does making a deal with Charlotte make any sense? If the teams want different players, they just draft them......

The Jazz would trade up one spot with Charlotte to prevent Charlotte from trading back with someone else. For example, Washington or New Orleans could trade up to #4 and take someone the Jazz want.

One of VJ, Bailey and Johnson will still be there at #5 no matter what. No reason to trade up one spot, I'd rather them to just stay at #5 and draft whomever is left. The only scenario in which the Jazz trade up that I'd like to see is if they manage to trade up to #1 or #2. Otherwise I hope they stay at #5.

If Philly takes VJ at 3, Charlotte becomes more willing to trade back. If the Jazz have a preference between Ace and Tre, then the Jazz could flip a couple 2RPs, move up a spot and secure the guy they prefer. It's more proactive than sitting at 5 and letting other teams decide who the Jazz get.

[Inigo Montoya]

The Jazz would trade up one spot with Charlotte to prevent Charlotte from trading back with someone else. For example, Washington or New Orleans could trade up to #4 and take someone the Jazz want.

One of VJ, Bailey and Johnson will still be there at #5 no matter what. No reason to trade up one spot, I'd rather them to just stay at #5 and draft whomever is left. The only scenario in which the Jazz trade up that I'd like to see is if they manage to trade up to #1 or #2. Otherwise I hope they stay at #5.

If Philly takes VJ at 3, Charlotte becomes more willing to trade back. If the Jazz have a preference between Ace and Tre, then the Jazz could flip a couple 2RPs, move up a spot and secure the guy they prefer. It's more proactive than sitting at 5 and letting other teams decide who the Jazz get.

If all it takes to move up is a few second round picks then I don't have a problem with it.

[Catchall]

One of VJ, Bailey and Johnson will still be there at #5 no matter what. No reason to trade up one spot, I'd rather them to just stay at #5 and draft whomever is left. The only scenario in which the Jazz trade up that I'd like to see is if they manage to trade up to #1 or #2. Otherwise I hope they stay at #5.

If Philly takes VJ at 3, Charlotte becomes more willing to trade back. If the Jazz have a preference between Ace and Tre, then the Jazz could flip a couple 2RPs, move up a spot and secure the guy they prefer. It's more proactive than sitting at 5 and letting other teams decide who the Jazz get.

If all it takes to move up is a few second round picks then I don't have a problem with it.

It's the same move Washington made with Indiana to secure Coulibaly when other teams were after him.

[bkohler]

Seeing lots of fears buzz; if he’s really their target we should move down to 8 and grab one of those extra FRP from BRK and try to package it together with 21 to move up to the back end of the lottery. Fears is most likely still going to be there at 8 plus you’d get another swing. Honestly I’d just prefer we take whoever’s left of vj/ace/tre/Kon over fears.

[Inigo Montoya]

Seeing lots of fears buzz; if he’s really their target we should move down to 8 and grab one of those extra FRP from BRK and try to package it together with 21 to move up to the back end of the lottery. Fears is most likely still going to be there at 8 plus you’d get another swing. Honestly I’d just prefer we take whoever’s left of vj/ace/tre/Kon over fears.

Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of Fears to Jazz talk and I don't like it. I agree with staying at #5 and trade whomever is left, but I wouldn't include Kon on that list.

This latest ESPN Givony mock draft has the Jazz taking Fears at 5, with Bailey falling to #6 and Johnson falling to #8. I would hate it if things unfold like this.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45559441/2025-nba-mock-draft-latest-first-second-round-predictions-all-59-picks

[bkohler]

Seeing lots of fears buzz; if he’s really their target we should move down to 8 and grab one of those extra FRP from BRK and try to package it together with 21 to move up to the back end of the lottery. Fears is most likely still going to be there at 8 plus you’d get another swing. Honestly I’d just prefer we take whoever’s left of vj/ace/tre/Kon over fears.

Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of Fears to Jazz talk and I don't like it. I agree with staying at #5 and trade whomever is left, but I wouldn't include Kon on that list.

This latest ESPN Givony mock draft has the Jazz taking Fears at 5, with Bailey falling to #6 and Johnson falling to #8. I would hate it if things unfold like this.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45559441/2025-nba-mock-draft-latest-first-second-round-predictions-all-59-picks

Not a Kon fan eh? Honestly, if we like fears moving down to 8 makes a lot of sense. I just don’t like fears.

[Inigo Montoya]

Seeing lots of fears buzz; if he’s really their target we should move down to 8 and grab one of those extra FRP from BRK and try to package it together with 21 to move up to the back end of the lottery. Fears is most likely still going to be there at 8 plus you’d get another swing. Honestly I’d just prefer we take whoever’s left of vj/ace/tre/Kon over fears.

Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of Fears to Jazz talk and I don't like it. I agree with staying at #5 and trade whomever is left, but I wouldn't include Kon on that list.

This latest ESPN Givony mock draft has the Jazz taking Fears at 5, with Bailey falling to #6 and Johnson falling to #8. I would hate it if things unfold like this.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45559441/2025-nba-mock-draft-latest-first-second-round-predictions-all-59-picks

Not a Kon fan eh? Honestly, if we like fears moving down to 8 makes a lot of sense. I just don’t like fears.

I'm not a fan of his at #5. I think he'll be a nice player but the Jazz didn't tank this season to draft another role player. They need to swing for the fences to find a star and not settle for another 'nice' player that won't change the trajectory of the team.

As for Fears, I also don't like him at #5. The PG position proved to be difficult to win a championship with if that player is the best on your team. The league is built around big wings and top tier centers. I can see the allure with Fears but he's so small and he'll need to be CP3-level to make a really big difference and I just don't see it.