2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 9

[Mark_83]

those are huge hands

Strangely his hand length (8.97) is about average if not slightly below for his position. Which is more important for palming the basketball?

Not necessarily. The thumb and the pinky play a big part in palming. You really need that middle finger too though. I wonder if he can palm or if he struggles with it.

Why are you saying not really? I was asking a question. I didn't make any claim one way or the other.

[ForeverTFC]

Such a relief that we didn't waste our pick on KD.

Now hopefully the FO can stay focused on getting an extra lottery pick instead, that will be waaaay more fun than a crappy rental.

Every reported package of ours is better than what they got. Tells you none of it was true to begin with.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Strangely his hand length (8.97) is about average if not slightly below for his position. Which is more important for palming the basketball?

Not necessarily. The thumb and the pinky play a big part in palming. You really need that middle finger too though. I wonder if he can palm or if he struggles with it.

Why are you saying not really? I was asking a question. I didn't make any claim one way or the other.

Misread. My bad. Unbunch the knickers.

[PhilBlackson]

Such a relief that we didn't waste our pick on KD.

Now hopefully the FO can stay focused on getting an extra lottery pick instead, that will be waaaay more fun than a crappy rental.

Every reported package of ours is better than what they got. Tells you none of it was true to begin with.

I wouldn't go that far to say "none" of it was but it does tell you that they didn't know the details of each offer.

Shams (especially) and Windhorst would not just blatantly lie about our involvement/interest, either way thank God that's over with.

[Brinbe]

lol what the hell would derik queen do for the suns? he needs the ball in his hands to have some value and he's not gonna get that on that team. tankathon on crack with that take.

[TimeForChange]

Suns now will be drafting right after us. They need a big badly. Wouldn't be surprised if they're high on Queen.

Perfect ammo for Toronto to use to trade down with Atlanta.

Everyone knows the Hawks and Suns are both looking for a big

[ciueli]

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Toronto Raptors
2022 draft: SF Ochai Agbaji
2023 draft: SG Gradey Dick
2024 draft: SG Ja’Kobe Walter, C Jonathan Mogbo, PG Jamal Shead, C Ulrich Chomche (2W)
Undrafted since 2022: C Colin Castleton, SF Jamison Battle

Analysis: Dick got to be a starter at shooting guard, but he wasn’t efficient (41 percent field goals), and he’s likely headed to the bench with Toronto adding Brandon Ingram to a roster that already has Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Agbaji is more efficient, athletic, longer and stronger than Dick, but he is less likely to be a shot creator. Mogbo had two double-digit assist games in April, including a triple-double, though he is short for a big and not a reliable scorer. Walter can shoot, but he struggled to score efficiently as well (40.5 percent field goals) and might be in a rough spot with the logjam on the wing. Shead played more total minutes than Walter or Mogbo, but he struggled to put the ball in the basket, too, shooting 40.5 percent from the field. Only Dick and Barrett made more 3s than Battle, who was the most accurate shooter on the roster while making 40.5 percent from downtown after starting the season on a two-way contract. Castleton showed a little bit of everything down the stretch, especially on the offensive glass.

2025 draft picks: ninth, 39th

Draft need: Mogbo might be a better fit as a power forward, Chomche is a multi-year project, and Jakob Poeltl has a player option in 2026. Plus, there’s a glut of perimeter talent already. Toronto should be drafting a big, likely a center, with its lottery pick.

Imagine actually using FG% as a stat to evaluate players in 2025, everyone uses True Shooting % for a reason, it factors in 3pt shooting vs. 2 point shooting along with free throws.

[PhilBlackson]

Suns now will be drafting right after us. They need a big badly. Wouldn't be surprised if they're high on Queen.

Perfect ammo for Toronto to use to trade down with Atlanta.

Everyone knows the Hawks and Suns are both looking for a big

I think CHI is also looking for a future C and to move on from Vuc next season.

[TimeForChange]

Suns now will be drafting right after us. They need a big badly. Wouldn't be surprised if they're high on Queen.

Perfect ammo for Toronto to use to trade down with Atlanta.

Everyone knows the Hawks and Suns are both looking for a big

I think CHI is also looking for a future C and to move on from Vuc next season.

time to start creating some smoke

[Clutch0z24]

Such a relief that we didn't waste our pick on KD.

Now hopefully the FO can stay focused on getting an extra lottery pick instead, that will be waaaay more fun than a crappy rental.

Every reported package of ours is better than what they got. Tells you none of it was true to begin with.

Also possible that Suns sent KD to one of the teams he wanted to go too as well....If it was a legit trade with KD not caring where he ends up he would be a Timberwolve right now....

Thing is in 2025 the trend in the last few years has been that when a star level player is on the trade market it basically becomes free agency....Where these stars make a list of destinations they want and it seems like basically everytime the player ends up on a team that they desired to go too....

Which hurts the Raptors as well from a trade perspective .....Ingram wanted Toronto btw and he became a Raptor....Which we need to hope is the case more often but i doubt it will be that much...

Superstar trades have replaced free agency basically....Players who ask out will go to a team for half the price they desire....Thats just how it has been for a while now...

[Ell Curry]

lol what the hell would derik queen do for the suns? he needs the ball in his hands to have some value and he's not gonna get that on that team. tankathon on crack with that take.

Could still work. Trade Jalen Green and Grayson Allen for a passable starting PF and a passable starting PG and you've got a vaguely coherent team.

Queen-Richards
PF-#29
Brooks-Dunn
Booker-Beal
PG-(Booker/minimum free agent)

type of thing. Definitely a team that looks better in the East than the West, though. Even if the Suns can only deal one of the SGs and they start Brooks-Beal-Booker that's not so much usage offensively that Queen can't be useful, and the lack of a real PG means you'd want your 5 to do some DHOs and playmaking, though that's a ton to ask of a rookie for sure.

[Brinbe]

lol what the hell would derik queen do for the suns? he needs the ball in his hands to have some value and he's not gonna get that on that team. tankathon on crack with that take.

Could still work. Trade Jalen Green and Grayson Allen for a passable starting PF and a passable starting PG and you've got a vaguely coherent team.

Queen-Richards
PF-#29
Brooks-Dunn
Booker-Beal
PG-(Booker/minimum free agent)

type of thing. Definitely a team that looks better in the East than the West, though. Even if the Suns can only deal one of the SGs and they start Brooks-Beal-Booker that's not so much usage offensively that Queen can't be useful, and the lack of a real PG means you'd want your 5 to do some DHOs and playmaking, though that's a ton to ask of a rookie for sure.

suns have already sent word that said they're not trading green.

think their best bet is taking carter bryant as a 3+D PF. he's already used to low usage anyway and he'd be a good defensive match with Dunn. They should target a Raynaud with that later 1st

[PhilBlackson]

Now I'm really praying this has started a bidding war b/w ATL, PHX & CHI to nab Queen.

BUT we really NEED an extra 1st this year too to grab Yang then draft who they please with whichever of those trade down picks we ended up with.

[PhilBlackson]

lol what the hell would derik queen do for the suns? he needs the ball in his hands to have some value and he's not gonna get that on that team. tankathon on crack with that take.

Could still work. Trade Jalen Green and Grayson Allen for a passable starting PF and a passable starting PG and you've got a vaguely coherent team.

Queen-Richards
PF-#29
Brooks-Dunn
Booker-Beal
PG-(Booker/minimum free agent)

type of thing. Definitely a team that looks better in the East than the West, though. Even if the Suns can only deal one of the SGs and they start Brooks-Beal-Booker that's not so much usage offensively that Queen can't be useful, and the lack of a real PG means you'd want your 5 to do some DHOs and playmaking, though that's a ton to ask of a rookie for sure.

suns have already sent word that said they're not trading green.

think their best bet is taking carter bryant as a 3+D PF. he's already used to low usage anyway and he'd be a good defensive match with Dunn. They should target a Raynaud with that later 1st

Carter isn't a PF, if they're looking to add size Fleming would make a lot more sense but they'd likely take Bryant since he prob presents more long term upside. Although I actually think for their particular situation that Rasheer would be a better decision since they have to avoid bottoming out & add their much needed size to the roster.

I also think Yang (although he's my top target to trade back in for so I hope it doesn't happen) would be a much better target for them with the later pick since they lack a ball distributor which is only gonna become more of a necessity with Green chucking up shots.

[Basketball_Jones]

Man they can have Queen. We already have a crappy shooting PF but he at least can play some defense and hopefully catches on offensively someday.

[Brinbe]

Could still work. Trade Jalen Green and Grayson Allen for a passable starting PF and a passable starting PG and you've got a vaguely coherent team.

Queen-Richards
PF-#29
Brooks-Dunn
Booker-Beal
PG-(Booker/minimum free agent)

type of thing. Definitely a team that looks better in the East than the West, though. Even if the Suns can only deal one of the SGs and they start Brooks-Beal-Booker that's not so much usage offensively that Queen can't be useful, and the lack of a real PG means you'd want your 5 to do some DHOs and playmaking, though that's a ton to ask of a rookie for sure.

suns have already sent word that said they're not trading green.

think their best bet is taking carter bryant as a 3+D PF. he's already used to low usage anyway and he'd be a good defensive match with Dunn. They should target a Raynaud with that later 1st

Carter isn't a PF, if they're looking to add size Fleming would make a lot more sense but they'd likely take Bryant since he prob presents more long term upside. Although I actually think for their particular situation that Rasheer would be a better decision since they have to avoid bottoming out & add their much needed size to the roster.

I also think Yang (although he's my top target to trade back in for so I hope it doesn't happen) would be a much better target for them with the later pick since they lack a ball distributor which is only gonna become more of a necessity with Green chucking up shots.

Carter is indeed a 4, he can guard bigger forwards no problem. for the billionith time, positional notation is a defensive label. and I think the idea of fleming is a lot more enticing than the reality, especially when it comes to basketball IQ.

[PhilBlackson]

suns have already sent word that said they're not trading green.

think their best bet is taking carter bryant as a 3+D PF. he's already used to low usage anyway and he'd be a good defensive match with Dunn. They should target a Raynaud with that later 1st

Carter isn't a PF, if they're looking to add size Fleming would make a lot more sense but they'd likely take Bryant since he prob presents more long term upside. Although I actually think for their particular situation that Rasheer would be a better decision since they have to avoid bottoming out & add their much needed size to the roster.

I also think Yang (although he's my top target to trade back in for so I hope it doesn't happen) would be a much better target for them with the later pick since they lack a ball distributor which is only gonna become more of a necessity with Green chucking up shots.

Carter is indeed a 4, he can guard bigger forwards no problem. for the billionith time, positional notation is a defensive label. and I think the idea of fleming is a lot more enticing than the reality, especially when it comes to basketball IQ.

It's not just a defensive label and no he certainly is not a PF, just because you say it doesn't make it true. Heck if he were drafted here, he would be more likely to be used as a SG than a PF. But there are a lot of 4s Bryant will not be able to handle despite being a great defender for his size. Forget the massive ones like Giannis, AD, Mobley who would annihilate him and completely snuff him out defensively. Even guys like Randle, Paolo, Siakam, Sengun, Sabonis, LeBron, Gordon, Zion etc will absolutely body him in the post. You're only kidding yourself if you think he can handle guys that big and I say this as someone who loves Bryant as a prospect and has advocated that we take him with the 9th pick (under the assumption Maluach is gone).

And maybe you're right about Fleming, in which case then maybe they should just draft CMB since he's physically stronger and has even longer arms than CB but Bryant himself is not a PF and would struggle a helluva lot more than you think to guard the position full time, if he switches in a pinch I'm sure he can do an ok job -- but not full time.

[TimeForChange]

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I know someone here is really high on this kid. Gonna be a steal in the late lotto.

[JShuttlesworth]

Queen to PHX makes a lot of sense all of a sudden

[Dalek]

Does Cedric Coward remind anyone of Khris Middleton? Kind of similar how they aren't elite athletes but they get to their spots and can score. Both have those crazy wingspans that allow them to guard up spots.