2025 NBA Draft Discussion Part 9

[earthtone]

Thanks everyone for your responses. So my other question is, would they be getting another pick if they were to move down to 12 for example? Does the team at 12 have multiple picks? Also do you guys really think Masai would want 2-3 more rookies to bring to this team when we are trying to win next season and rookies usually are net negatives when they play? But the report says they are willing to move down so I guess they do. Idk. I doubt we actually end up moving down, but what do I know

Only trade down where we’d end up with multiple picks in this first round would probably be Chicago who has #13 & #22. Brooklyn could be another option, but there’s definitely a tier gap between 9-19 that may not exist between 9-13.

Reading between the tea leaves, I’d say the team has been working the phones and knows the price of every pick from 10-30 if they’re looking to trade down or trade back in to get another pick.

I’d guess we don’t leave the draft with 9 & 39, I think a lot of this smoke has been Masai trying to acquire another pick in the first

[Pointgod]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41662748/2025-nba-draft-big-board-rankings-top-100-prospects-players

Givony top 100 big board

I trust Givony more than almost any draft analyst or pundit. Interesting that he has this to say about Ace Bailey.

Strengths: Bailey is a dynamic shotmaker with great size. He can score from all over the floor, and he puts points on the board in bunches when he finds an offensive rhythm. He also brings a high level of intensity defensively while making an impact in transition with his strong physical tools.

I think people are overthinking Ace and the discourse has gone too far negative.

Yeah, like Givony said, Ace has solid positional size, has the tools to be a fine shooter and has the length to be a decent enough defender. It's a battle of expectation as he had a lot of hype coming into the year as this T-Mac level guy and he's probably not gonna be that sort of lead player envisioned, so It's all about if he can be agreeable to playing within a secondary scoring role/team structure and will presumably not be a complete backhole when playing with much better players alongside him.

That, of course, is all mindset/mentality and isn't something you can just enter into a database or equation and find a concrete answer. Now he's young but seems like an good kid, so maybe he'll end up finding the right balance to things as he matures. But who you are off-the-court and what your mentality is on-the-court isn't completely correlated, so really who the hell knows there. I suppose this is where team environment and having the right vets does play a part in things.

Some of the criticism seems a bit similar thing to Tre Johnson where he's knocked for his offense/shot selection in College when that's probably not gonna be his role or shot diet at the next level and with the nitpicking, it misses that at the end of the day, he's gonna be an absolute elite 3 pt shooter at the next level with his high/quick release.

Anyway, Ace is probably not gonna drop below the Wiz at six so he'll end up okay, though his management may have cost him some money with the way they handled the whole Philly situation.

Everything I’ve heard about Ace is that he’s a hard worker, has the right attitude, yeah he took tough shots because his teammates other than Dylan Harper stink. I think with Ace a lot of his development will depend on what team he lands on and their ability to develop his game and put him in the situation to succeed.

Agreed with you about Tre as well. Another guy who’s a crazy hard worker and his game is truly made for the modern NBA.

[Godaddycurse]

Thanks everyone for your responses. So my other question is, would they be getting another pick if they were to move down to 12 for example? Does the team at 12 have multiple picks? Also do you guys really think Masai would want 2-3 more rookies to bring to this team when we are trying to win next season and rookies usually are net negatives when they play? But the report says they are willing to move down so I guess they do. Idk. I doubt we actually end up moving down, but what do I know

Only trade down where we’d end up with multiple picks in this first round would probably be Chicago who has #13 & #22. Brooklyn could be another option, but there’s definitely a tier gap between 9-19 that may not exist between 9-13.

Reading between the tea leaves, I’d say the team has been working the phones and knows the price of every pick from 10-30 if they’re looking to trade down or trade back in to get another pick.

I’d guess we don’t leave the draft with 9 & 39, I think a lot of this smoke has been Masai trying to acquire another pick in the first

Atlanta has 13 + 22
Chicago has 12 + POR 2026 LP 1st
OKC has 15+24+HOU 2026 top 4 protected 1st

[SpezNc]

Can someone please explain to me what the reason for trading down would be? Honest question. Why wouldn’t we just draft who we like most at 9. Like what’s the point of trading down to 12 for example to pick a guy who could have just picked at 9? Would the player’s salary be cheaper at 12 than 9 or something? And to me trading down is a big risk because what is the player you want is no longer there. Might as well just take the player you want at 9 bc there isn’t much difference is talent from 9-12 from everything I’ve read. But someone please explain what I’m missing.

The salary yes would be lower. Probably would not be the main reason to drop down but let’s say the Raptors likes a player that still would be available 3-4 spots lower. Why not trade down , gain some luxury tax flexibility and get extra assets.

But obviously if you REALLY like a player at #9 , the extra assets might not be worth it.

[WuTang_CMB]

stein

That section of the draft is so fluid as is, with numerous teams — starting with Toronto at No. 9 — seemingly open to fielding trade offers once they come on the clock. The word on the Grizzlies, at this juncture, is that it wouldn't be a surprise if they moved in either direction. They have been one of the more active teams in recent drafts in terms of trading up, down or out of the first round depending on circumstances.

[HumbleRen]

Fears got a better chance of going top 5 than dropping out of the top 10.

Utah has already worked him out twice.

[djsunyc]

another great thing about parity in the league is that we should see an uptick in transactions as more teams feel like they are in the hunt.

[tms]

Sorry if I'm late to the party but Adou Thiero's really grown on me. Just 6'6" but uses every inch of his 7'0" wingspan: shoots the gap, high-points like a wideout and plays with his head on a swivel (= deflections?). NBA strength, dunks like an animal and rarely gets pushed off his spot. He put up some of his best games against ranked competition too (16-4 @ #1 Auburn, 22-6-2 vs #3 Alabama, 24-6-2 vs #8 Baylor, 21-8 @ #12 Kentucky). Problem is he's not a shooter (28.4 3pt%, 71.1 FT%) but I pounce if he falls to 39 and help him with the rest of his game. None of these kids are finished products anyway, and Thiero's other skills already jump off the tape.

Watch on YouTube

[TakeYourHeart]

stein

That section of the draft is so fluid as is, with numerous teams — starting with Toronto at No. 9 — seemingly open to fielding trade offers once they come on the clock. The word on the Grizzlies, at this juncture, is that it wouldn't be a surprise if they moved in either direction. They have been one of the more active teams in recent drafts in terms of trading up, down or out of the first round depending on circumstances.

Somehow 9th specifically ended up being a very interesting spot to land in the draft.

[Thaddy]

I would trade Khaman to the Hawks and take their lotto pick plus a future first. Then use that future pick with RJ and IQ for Durant. Then take a PG like Jakucionis or Traore.

It sucks that the C position is still thin but we'd have a decent stable of prospects and good players. We could probably trade one of our wings for Fleming, maybe Agbaji? We probably can't afford to have Agbaji back the following year.

[deeps6x]

Thanks everyone for your responses. So my other question is, would they be getting another pick if they were to move down to 12 for example? Does the team at 12 have multiple picks? Also do you guys really think Masai would want 2-3 more rookies to bring to this team when we are trying to win next season and rookies usually are net negatives when they play? But the report says they are willing to move down so I guess they do. Idk. I doubt we actually end up moving down, but what do I know

Only trade down where we’d end up with multiple picks in this first round would probably be Chicago who has #13 & #22. Brooklyn could be another option, but there’s definitely a tier gap between 9-19 that may not exist between 9-13.

Reading between the tea leaves, I’d say the team has been working the phones and knows the price of every pick from 10-30 if they’re looking to trade down or trade back in to get another pick.

I’d guess we don’t leave the draft with 9 & 39, I think a lot of this smoke has been Masai trying to acquire another pick in the first

Atlanta has 13 + 22
Chicago has 12 + POR 2026 LP 1st
OKC has 15+24+HOU 2026 top 4 protected 1st

Unless someone falls who Masai really loves, I'd trade #9 for the two Atlanta or Chicago deals. Assuming the POR 2026 pick is still a 2027 FRP if it doesn't convey in 2026.

The three picks from OKC might work as well.
at #15, one of Newell, Coward, Queen or Sorber.
at #24 you are probably looking at Raynaud, Clayton Jr. or Flemming. And the Houston pick probably gets packaged in a consolidation trade next summer.

[Godaddycurse]

Only trade down where we’d end up with multiple picks in this first round would probably be Chicago who has #13 & #22. Brooklyn could be another option, but there’s definitely a tier gap between 9-19 that may not exist between 9-13.

Reading between the tea leaves, I’d say the team has been working the phones and knows the price of every pick from 10-30 if they’re looking to trade down or trade back in to get another pick.

I’d guess we don’t leave the draft with 9 & 39, I think a lot of this smoke has been Masai trying to acquire another pick in the first

Atlanta has 13 + 22
Chicago has 12 + POR 2026 LP 1st
OKC has 15+24+HOU 2026 top 4 protected 1st

Unless someone falls who Masai really loves, I'd trade #9 for the two Atlanta or Chicago deals. Assuming the POR 2026 pick is still a 2027 FRP if it doesn't convey in 2026.

The three picks from OKC might work as well.
at #15, one of Newell, Coward, Queen or Sorber.
at #24 you are probably looking at Raynaud, Clayton Jr. or Flemming. And the Houston pick probably gets packaged in a consolidation trade next summer.

POR 1st is lottery protected through 2028 (3 years) before it becomes a 2nd, so it may or may not convey

[Raptaurus]

I would trade Khaman to the Hawks and take their lotto pick plus a future first. Then use that future pick with RJ and IQ for Durant. Then take a PG like Jakucionis or Traore.

It sucks that the C position is still thin but we'd have a decent stable of prospects and good players. We could probably trade one of our wings for Fleming, maybe Agbaji? We probably can't afford to have Agbaji back the following year.

Just don’t think Phoenix see’s IQ and RJ as significantly positive assets. The negative of having them on the books offsets any positive from a likely protected first round pick IMO. They would likely just let Durant expire and have his money come off the books than take back that package….

[BoyzNTheHood]

Sorry if I'm late to the party but Adou Thiero's really grown on me. Just 6'6" but uses every inch of his 7'0" wingspan: shoots the gap, high-points like a wideout and plays with his head on a swivel (= deflections?). NBA strength, dunks like an animal and rarely gets pushed off his spot. He put up some of his best games against ranked competition too (16-4 @ #1 Auburn, 22-6-2 vs #3 Alabama, 24-6-2 vs #8 Baylor, 21-8 @ #12 Kentucky). Problem is he's not a shooter (28.4 3pt%, 71.1 FT%) but I pounce if he falls to 39 and help him with the rest of his game. None of these kids are finished products anyway, and Thiero's other skills already jump off the tape.

Watch on YouTube

He’s a really good player. Someone will snap him up in the first round. The fact that he’s been ranked as a second rounder all year is mind numbing.

[Dalek]

Sorry if I'm late to the party but Adou Thiero's really grown on me. Just 6'6" but uses every inch of his 7'0" wingspan: shoots the gap, high-points like a wideout and plays with his head on a swivel (= deflections?). NBA strength, dunks like an animal and rarely gets pushed off his spot. He put up some of his best games against ranked competition too (16-4 @ #1 Auburn, 22-6-2 vs #3 Alabama, 24-6-2 vs #8 Baylor, 21-8 @ #12 Kentucky). Problem is he's not a shooter (28.4 3pt%, 71.1 FT%) but I pounce if he falls to 39 and help him with the rest of his game. None of these kids are finished products anyway, and Thiero's other skills already jump off the tape.

Watch on YouTube

He is the best athlete for sure in the class. Makes sense for Toronto because he thrives in transition and generates tons of turnovers and rebounds like a friend. Really depends on who is left at 39 because we have shooting and big man needs, but I think he gets picked early 30s if not sooner.

While his shooting is why he isn't as high, he can really pass and play off a ball screen. He is a positive with his passing, cutting and freethrow drawing. He reminds me a lot of Kuminga.

[Jim Todd Jr.]

Sorry if I'm late to the party but Adou Thiero's really grown on me. Just 6'6" but uses every inch of his 7'0" wingspan: shoots the gap, high-points like a wideout and plays with his head on a swivel (= deflections?). NBA strength, dunks like an animal and rarely gets pushed off his spot. He put up some of his best games against ranked competition too (16-4 @ #1 Auburn, 22-6-2 vs #3 Alabama, 24-6-2 vs #8 Baylor, 21-8 @ #12 Kentucky). Problem is he's not a shooter (28.4 3pt%, 71.1 FT%) but I pounce if he falls to 39 and help him with the rest of his game. None of these kids are finished products anyway, and Thiero's other skills already jump off the tape.

Watch on YouTube

Would LOVE Thiero at 39 but unlikely

[WuTang_CMB]

Read on Twitter

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[mihaic]

All this discussion here, and they might just trade the pick:)

[BoyzNTheHood]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=0YpMScWXY2zRUqR8fH-usg

This means he’s probably on the board at 9.

[WuTang_CMB]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=0YpMScWXY2zRUqR8fH-usg

This means he’s probably on the board at 9.

I think we pass