2025 NBA Draft Thread 2.0

[thelead]

I think people aren't expanding their view of Penda. Its likely he'll be a PF/C if he improves his body. I think if he becomes good enough he might be in consideration to be the starting Center in the future, which could expand that offense even more.

that's one hell of a take

I think his body could go either direction depending on what the organization envisions for him long-term.

He's already basically 245 at 20 years old. If he continues to get bigger, I could see him settle into more of a Draymond Green kind of role where he plays PF, but then downshifts into a small ball 5.

But if he loses weight, he could go the other way and he's a PF who upshifts to the 3 when the opportunity presents itself.

Guys like Looney, Bogut, ZaZa, etc are always forgotten And let's not also forget that Draymond works because he plays with the best shooter of all time. It makes sense to have a playmaking (illegal-screen-setting) big alongside that type of talent. I guess we can recreate the splash brothers and Draymond with Penda, Bane, and Suggs...

[magicfan217]

I didn't love Weltman's drafts when we we star hunting in the lottery....but I thought the TDS pick was solid (and he had a good enough rookie year!) and I like both Jase and Penda. He's clearly looking for connector/role pieces now and it seems like he's been able to identify those types of players. Time will tell but it feels like we added two guys who can be in the rotation (eventually) of an NBA playoff team.

[thelead]

I think people aren't expanding their view of Penda. Its likely he'll be a PF/C if he improves his body. I think if he becomes good enough he might be in consideration to be the starting Center in the future, which could expand that offense even more.

that's one hell of a take

Teams play like Dort/Caruso/Hart as center now in spot minutes, Magic fans just have jumbo lineup brain I think haha

let me know when you see creativity out of Mosley

[magicfan217]

I didn't love Weltman's drafts when we we star hunting in the lottery....but I thought the TDS pick was solid (and he had a good enough rookie year!) and I like both Jase and Penda. He's clearly looking for connector/role pieces now and it seems like he's been able to identify those types of players. Time will tell but it feels like we added two guys who can be in the rotation (eventually) of an NBA playoff team.

In before someone says Paolo/Franz....he absolutely nailed the Paolo #1 pick when it wasn't OBVIOUS (so he gets major credit for that). And he did a good job with Franz too...so a mixed bag for sure....but you can tell there's been a major shift these last two drafts in the type of player he's taking swings on.

[RookieStar]

I think people aren't expanding their view of Penda. Its likely he'll be a PF/C if he improves his body. I think if he becomes good enough he might be in consideration to be the starting Center in the future, which could expand that offense even more.

What the.... a C? In this day of behemoth Cs?

He's 6'7/6'8 and 250 with a nearly 7 foot wingspan... solid base. It's POSSIBLE. I'm not saying definitive.

Also, how many large/strong big men are in the league currently? Only a handful...

Next season... not just strong but long who will shoot over you... im thinking of Jokic Embiid Vic Zubac Kat KP Mobley etc etc

[Idiosyncratic]

I think people aren't expanding their view of Penda. Its likely he'll be a PF/C if he improves his body. I think if he becomes good enough he might be in consideration to be the starting Center in the future, which could expand that offense even more.

that's one hell of a take

Teams play like Dort/Caruso/Hart as center now in spot minutes, Magic fans just have jumbo lineup brain I think haha

Yup, Thunder even had some great lineups with Jdub at center throughout the year. Toppin was having success in the finals at the 5. There are going to be times to go big and times to go small and times to play traditionally. We should have a lot of ways to mix and match in theory.

[KillMonger]

What do you like most about penda?

Winning basketball traits.

-Passing
-Unselfishness
-Versatility Defensively
-Effort and Hustle
-Quick Decision Making

Basically how much or how little his jumper develops over the next couple of years will ultimately determine if he's becomes 25+ MPG player or if he's more of a 10-15 MPG player.

in your opinion what's the path to play if any?

[tooler]

Someone might've already made this point, but I wonder if Penda was always going to be the choice at 25 if we had kept 16. Maybe Weltman will say that (whether you believe him or not is up to you).

[JF5]

that's one hell of a take

I think his body could go either direction depending on what the organization envisions for him long-term.

He's already basically 245 at 20 years old. If he continues to get bigger, I could see him settle into more of a Draymond Green kind of role where he plays PF, but then downshifts into a small ball 5.

But if he loses weight, he could go the other way and he's a PF who upshifts to the 3 when the opportunity presents itself.

Guys like Looney, Bogut, ZaZa, etc are always forgotten And let's not also forget that Draymond works because he plays with the best shooter of all time. It makes sense to have a playmaking (illegal-screen-setting) big alongside that type of talent. I guess we can recreate the splash brothers and Draymond with Penda, Bane, and Suggs...

I think the view you're having is a bit limited. His passing to cutting players/drive and kick ability adds another dimension to player movement offball in general and easier shots in totality.

[basketballRob]

I'm not sure that I agree with everything the announcer was saying, but I like Penda's handle.

Read on Twitter

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[jonbob17]

Love the pick. Are we sure he's going to be in Orlando this year, and not going to play in France another year?

[VFX]

If the argument is that Penda is an all-defense dual F in time, then I can buy that..

But that means the da Silva pick was a waste at #18 considering he's older and on a rookie deal which is important.

He's not going to displace any of the larger contract players and he's duplicative of the rookie scale deal we just drafted positionally.

[Knightro]

Guys I would be interested in on two-way contracts...

Vladislav Goldin - EDIT SIGNED WITH MIAMI
RJ Luis
Ryan Nembhard
Brice Williams

[Idiosyncratic]

Goldin to Miami. Boooo

[JF5]

What the.... a C? In this day of behemoth Cs?

He's 6'7/6'8 and 250 with a nearly 7 foot wingspan... solid base. It's POSSIBLE. I'm not saying definitive.

Also, how many large/strong big men are in the league currently? Only a handful...

Next season... not just strong but long who will shoot over you... im thinking of Jokic Embiid Vic Zubac Kat KP Mobley etc etc

There is realistically only one guy who is going to kill you in that list and that's Jokic. Everyone else are 3rd tier stars at max and have their own flaws.

[Cammo101]

Ryan Nembhard should be the guy we called immediately about a 2 way deal.

[RookieStar]

What do you like most about penda?

Winning basketball traits.

-Passing
-Unselfishness
-Versatility Defensively
-Effort and Hustle
-Quick Decision Making

Basically how much or how little his jumper develops over the next couple of years will ultimately determine if he's becomes 25+ MPG player or if he's more of a 10-15 MPG player.

in your opinion what's the path to play if any?

Injuries....

[Knightro]

Read on Twitter

[RookieStar]

He's 6'7/6'8 and 250 with a nearly 7 foot wingspan... solid base. It's POSSIBLE. I'm not saying definitive.

Also, how many large/strong big men are in the league currently? Only a handful...

Next season... not just strong but long who will shoot over you... im thinking of Jokic Embiid Vic Zubac Kat KP Mobley etc etc

There is realistically only one guy who is going to kill you in that list and that's Jokic. Everyone else are 3rd tier stars at max and have their own flaws.

Embiid kills us all the time.

Zubac demolishes and grabs infinite offensive rebounds evry time i saw them play.

KAT also scores at will but we negate it because we also score at will against him.

KP always seemed unstoppable against us.

[RookieStar]

Love the pick. Are we sure he's going to be in Orlando this year, and not going to play in France another year?

Its being said that he is comig down and wont be a stash player