2025 NBA Draft Thread, Part 2 – Capture the Flagg

[Gant]

‪KeithSmithNBA‬

Talked to a team that summed up the NBA switching to a two-day draft fairly well:

"We got to get a decent amount of sleep. We can reset the board. More time to figure out trades. And this year we are at night, so that's even more time to figure it out. The change is a major win."

I like the two day draft.

* It allows teams to reset and think about trades. The Celtics 32 pick value is probably pretty high, but they'll likely keep it as they need cost controlled players. If they want to, Charlotte is in a great position to make a deal with picks 33 and 34.

* There's an undrafted free agent scramble immediately afterwards. With the two day draft, this doesn't have to be done ridiculously late after a very long day.


The Celtics are in a good position to grab a young big man. Brad n' Zarren could confound everyone, but it'll probably be a tall person.

ESPN/Givony's 2nd round mock has them taking Raynaud, with Kalkbrenner going the very next pick. ESPN's early round two mockees: Fleming, Raynaud, Kalkbrenner, Penda, Proctor, Thiero, Lanier- in that order.

Some post draft free agent signings might be announced in real time tonight. Start filling in the summer league roster: Davison, Scheierman, Walsh, Gonzalez hopefully, Norris, Peterson, 2nd rounder, and on from there. One or two of those guys could theoretically be gone by then though.


Hugo was picked about where he was supposed to be. I have no opinion on Gonzalez as I haven't seen him play. He fills a need; not a position of need, but a style. The vet Cs had a tendency to methodically slow down and get outworked sometimes. What Gonzalez brings is what they used to have with Marcus Smart, an energy injector, and by all reports a high octane one.


Go Celtics!

[Half-Full]

Curious to see tonight's pick. A big like Kalkbrenner, Reynaud, or Broome seems the obvious choice, and I'd be good with any one of them. If Brad and Co. decide to pass over those guys, who might they go for instead? Penda? Thiero? Lanier? Trade down and go for Sion James? Markovic? We will know soon enough. Drafting Hugo was a good start.

[Fierce1]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

[165bows]

Curious to see tonight's pick. A big like Kalkbrenner, Reynaud, or Broome seems the obvious choice, and I'd be good with any one of them. If Brad and Co. decide to pass over those guys, who might they go for instead? Penda? Thiero? Lanier? Trade down and go for Sion James? Markovic? We will know soon enough. Drafting Hugo was a good start.

Could def see the trade down angle.

[Hal14]

Agree with Broome.

Broome gives the Cs that energy guy the Cs were lacking this season.

Brad specifically mentioned toughness when talking about the Hugo pick.

Broome has tons of that..wouldn't be surprised if we took him at 32.

Broome just feels like he doesn't have a ton of upside to me though. He's tough, he's experienced, he'll do the dirty work but I struggle to see him top out as more than just a roleplayer at the next level. That still has a ton of value but at #32 I hope we take a bigger swing on upside.

Getting a good role player this late in the draft would be a huge win IMO.

This late in the draft, typically the "bigger swings on upside" are guys who fail in the league. They might have a higher ceiling but those types of guys typically have a lower floor as well and lower hit rate.

[Hal14]

Curious to see tonight's pick. A big like Kalkbrenner, Reynaud, or Broome seems the obvious choice, and I'd be good with any one of them. If Brad and Co. decide to pass over those guys, who might they go for instead? Penda? Thiero? Lanier? Trade down and go for Sion James? Markovic? We will know soon enough. Drafting Hugo was a good start.

I want either Markovic, Raynaud, Broome or Fleming. I'd also accept Penda.

Would prefer not Kalkbrenner but I guess I would accept that one as well.

Some good options this late in the draft.

[themoneyteam2]

With tatum that team is in the play in range, without...miss playoffs entirely.

With Tatum that's a top 3 team in the East. Without, they're looking at likely the 7 seed.

And contrary to your belief, the offseason isn't yet over. Shocking, I know...

That is not a top 3 team. Take off the homer glasses.

Jesus.

In case you missed it, Porzingis played 40 games last year and was unplayable in the playoffs.

With Tatum, how are they not top 3?

Indy is done without Hali. Same with Bucks without Dame. So you're looking at Knicks, Magic, and Cavs. So ok #4 team in the East at worst if Tatum were healthy.

[cl2117]

Brad specifically mentioned toughness when talking about the Hugo pick.

Broome has tons of that..wouldn't be surprised if we took him at 32.

Broome just feels like he doesn't have a ton of upside to me though. He's tough, he's experienced, he'll do the dirty work but I struggle to see him top out as more than just a roleplayer at the next level. That still has a ton of value but at #32 I hope we take a bigger swing on upside.

Getting a good role player this late in the draft would be a huge win IMO.

This late in the draft, typically the "bigger swings on upside" are guys who fail in the league. They might have a higher ceiling but those types of guys typically have a lower floor as well and lower hit rate.

I just don't like the idea of investing in guys whose ceiling is "good role player". At least not at #32.

Literally every player taken this late in the draft are scratch tickets anyway, most will fail. Given that we've just had a talent train I'm all for taking multiple big hacks and hoping we can get lucky with one of them. Guys like Broome can help cement our floor but we need some ceiling raisers on this team now.

[cl2117]

Curious to see tonight's pick. A big like Kalkbrenner, Reynaud, or Broome seems the obvious choice, and I'd be good with any one of them. If Brad and Co. decide to pass over those guys, who might they go for instead? Penda? Thiero? Lanier? Trade down and go for Sion James? Markovic? We will know soon enough. Drafting Hugo was a good start.

I want either Markovic, Raynaud, Broome or Fleming. I'd also accept Penda.

Would prefer not Kalkbrenner but I guess I would accept that one as well.

Some good options this late in the draft.

How about the big Aussie Rocco? He's lumbering and awkward but I love the energy he has.

Saw him play once last year but it was a bit of a man against boys situation and hard to gauge him really but was fun to see him bang around out there.

[themoneyteam2]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

[Fierce1]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

It's more on the impact than the style of play.

[Hal14]

Curious to see tonight's pick. A big like Kalkbrenner, Reynaud, or Broome seems the obvious choice, and I'd be good with any one of them. If Brad and Co. decide to pass over those guys, who might they go for instead? Penda? Thiero? Lanier? Trade down and go for Sion James? Markovic? We will know soon enough. Drafting Hugo was a good start.

I want either Markovic, Raynaud, Broome or Fleming. I'd also accept Penda.

Would prefer not Kalkbrenner but I guess I would accept that one as well.

Some good options this late in the draft.

How about the big Aussie Rocco? He's lumbering and awkward but I love the energy he has.

Saw him play once last year but it was a bit of a man against boys situation and hard to gauge him really but was fun to see him bang around out there.

Eh, I guess he fits the upside thing you're looking for. But he is a project, raw...maybe like 2 years away from 2 years away kind of thing. I see him more as a late 2nd round, maybe mid 2nd round pick..think 32 is a reach for him..

[Hal14]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

It's more on the impact than the style of play.

Did you mean HUgo instead of Broome?

That I could maybe see.

I mentioned yesterday that if Hugo hits, he could be similar to like a Josh Hart type of player..but Obi Toppin is another one.

Josh Hart, Obi Toppin, Christian Braun. Or even kind of like Tari Eason..a player kind of like that is what you're looking at if he really hits, or even kind of like Dyson Daniels.

[Kalela]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

I think they are polar opposites, too. One is uber athletic and has poor BBIQ. The other moves like he is stuck in mud, but is smart as hell and reads the game well.

[cl2117]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

I've seen him compared to Jaylin Williams and Al Horford a lot. Also Daniel Theis funnily enough.

I'd see him as a cheap version of Wendell Carter Jr.

[Hal14]

I see some Obi Toppin in Broome.

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

I've seen him compared to Jaylin Williams and Al Horford a lot. Also Daniel Theis funnily enough.

I'd see him as a cheap version of Wendell Carter Jr.

Yeah, some Brandon Clarke vibes in Broome too.

If we add Hugo and Broome, we're definitely adding some toughness to the roster..guys who are tough, gritty, competitive.

[Larry_Russell]

With Tatum that's a top 3 team in the East. Without, they're looking at likely the 7 seed.

And contrary to your belief, the offseason isn't yet over. Shocking, I know...

That is not a top 3 team. Take off the homer glasses.

Jesus.

In case you missed it, Porzingis played 40 games last year and was unplayable in the playoffs.

With Tatum, how are they not top 3?

Indy is done without Hali. Same with Bucks without Dame. So you're looking at Knicks, Magic, and Cavs. So ok #4 team in the East at worst if Tatum were healthy.

If tatum is healthy then you have to assume Philly is healthy.

And a healthy Philly is better

So thats a 5th.

Then when Tatum is back so is Hali which arguably propells them into or ahead.

Atlanta made some great moves, they can be ahead or at least equal.

And Milwaukee still has the best player in the east.

[Fierce1]

They quite literally play NOTHING alike

It's more on the impact than the style of play.

Did you mean HUgo instead of Broome?

That I could maybe see.

I mentioned yesterday that if Hugo hits, he could be similar to like a Josh Hart type of player..but Obi Toppin is another one.

Josh Hart, Obi Toppin, Christian Braun. Or even kind of like Tari Eason..a player kind of like that is what you're looking at if he really hits, or even kind of like Dyson Daniels.

When I see Obi with the Pacers, I see a lot of running, jumping, dunking, and offensive rebounding.

That's what I think Broome can provide the Cs when he comes off the bench.

[Hal14]

Read on Twitter

[SLCceltic]

With Tatum that's a top 3 team in the East. Without, they're looking at likely the 7 seed.

And contrary to your belief, the offseason isn't yet over. Shocking, I know...

That is not a top 3 team. Take off the homer glasses.

Jesus.

In case you missed it, Porzingis played 40 games last year and was unplayable in the playoffs.

With Tatum, how are they not top 3?

Indy is done without Hali. Same with Bucks without Dame. So you're looking at Knicks, Magic, and Cavs. So ok #4 team in the East at worst if Tatum were healthy.

We are a 61 win team (minus JT for a while) who replaced KP and Jrue with Niang and Simons ....significant drop off on D with more durability and scoring

I would rather have KP and Jrue, but GN and AS plus ability to sign ring chasers is mostly still a 60 win team with healthy JT