2025 draft thread

[Chicagojk]

Naz Reid 2.0?

https://x.com/DraftExpress/status/1866543653688377773

https://streamable.com/y3x1ea

[SleepingHero]

Naz Reid 2.0?

https://x.com/DraftExpress/status/1866543653688377773

https://streamable.com/y3x1ea

Just based on how he moves, he actually reminds me if Kevon Looney had Julius Randle's skillset.

Interesting measurables. He's currently slated to go anywhere from 11 to 23 from a quick glance at some mock drafts. He might be just out of reach.

Then again, I can't see OKC hanging on to 4 draft picks this year and they may sell off a couple of those.

[F Gump]

Then again, I can't see OKC hanging on to 4 draft picks this year and they may sell off a couple of those.

OKC gets lots of acclaim for gathering extra picks, but roster limits do kill the value of that stash (trading a pick for a player doesn't solve anything, and it's not like they can sell them all for cash either). Right now they would have picks 7, 16, 28, 44 (and 7 is Philly's which is top 6 protected, with a chance Philly tries hard to tank and keep their pick, or gets healthy and turns the pick into the mid-teens by getting to the playoffs in a weak LEastern Conference).

This outcome of the current OKC squad will be interesting. Next summer they have 13 players under contract plus UFA Caruso who they would want to keep. (BTW it's stunning that CHI didn't get any pick for Caruso, given the excess OKC has. What awful negotiating.) And besides the lack of roster spots, are there even any minutes for rookies?

Presti has been here before with a slew of talent, and the result was just a huge fizzle out. This time they again have a lot of nice pieces, but badly need a 2nd star and 3rd star to lift the ceiling, and not sure they really have that player on their roster.

[KillerLeft]

BTW it's stunning that CHI didn't get any pick for Caruso, given the excess OKC has. What awful negotiating.

Presti has been here before with a slew of talent, and the result was just a huge fizzle out.

Both above statements are so, so true! Presti gets so much praise from every direction, but to me, he's still just the guy who had a young Durant, Harden and Westbrook together as a trio and couldn't get it across the finish line. Even Cuban and Donnie were able to fix enough of their mistakes to get Dirk the one ring.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

If the Mavs stand pat this TDL (and retain their late first and early second), I can see them moving up in the draft using a package of those two picks + Hardy. Maybe they include Maxi in there too or maybe Omax. For a team built for a deep playoff run, one rookie from the draft is enough, then fill-up the youngster squad with 2-ways.

For the pick, BPA available still applies, but ideally, the Mavs should take a forward (not a C/PF type like Maxi), but a tall forward who can play both forward spots -- those guys tend to be more mobile and would be closer to a Maxi type of player because of that mobility and shooting. Maxi is just the 6'10" anomaly who can play PF and C and still guard the perimeter and protect the rim in equal measure.

[F Gump]

.... ideally, the Mavs should take a forward (not a C/PF type like Maxi), but a tall forward who can play both forward spots -- those guys tend to be more mobile and would be closer to a Maxi type of player because of that mobility and shooting. Maxi is just the 6'10" anomaly who can play PF and C and still guard the perimeter and protect the rim in equal measure.

So what you want them to get is a younger healthier Maxi? I think we all agree ... and I also think that's why the Mavs give plenty of latitude to Maxi, since they already have that guy IF they can get him healthy and playing up to his ability. It's a surer path to work to have a player do it again, than to try to find the guy who has never done it and hope he someday can become that guy.

[Chicagojk]

Thomas Sorber

https://youtu.be/dTyvsMTWFxg?si=6E63jleMXGB4WeVt

At first glance he looks like a limited athlete and a dinosaur center. Although while MLE
He doesn’t jump off the screen athletically
He does move pretty well. Nice touch, good hands,
Good steal and block numbers. Could be something there for this freshman.

[Chicagojk]

7 foot, skilled not a great athlete player Danny Wolf.

Doesn't he look like a guy who goes in the second round, bounces around for a bit and eventually lands on a good team and finds a role on the bench type of player?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eZUm5t8Oco

[Chicagojk]

Johni Broome. Older prospect. Probably late first/early second guy. Key for him is can he keep up on the perimeter. Great college player though.


https://x.com/greenlightbball/status/187...9738618074

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Thomas Sorber

https://youtu.be/dTyvsMTWFxg?si=6E63jleMXGB4WeVt

At first glance he looks like a limited athlete and a dinosaur center.  Although while MLE
He doesn’t jump off the screen athletically
He does move pretty well. Nice touch, good hands,
Good steal and block numbers.  Could be something there for this freshman.

He's smooth

[david75090]

Was watching Alabama play, for a little bit the other night, and I saw this guy Nelson, who got some pub a couple of years back, for something or other. 6'11", from North Dakota, a senior. Looks like he can play a little bit. Looked at some draft sites, nothing. Might be an under-radar type.

[Chicagojk]

mock drafts are useless now. The athletic Sam Vecenie had a mock draft and had dallas drafting UCONN Alex Karaban in the first round and freshman Donnie Freeman with the Sixers second round pick.

Interesting he had Duke Center Khaman Malauch right after Karaban. Most sites have him in the late lottery. Centers are not envogue with the draft. Vecenie is not a huge fan because he is raw but he has a clear prototype of a shot blocker and rim runner. Would be an intersting pick. You could let Gafford expire while adding a 7'2 backup center with a cheap contract and then look for a veteran five who can stretch the floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tMZszzL7j0&t=109s

[Mavs2021]

So decided to do a highlight "deep" dive into the tankathon mock draft, so take it with a grain of salt. Ranked whether I think that player is properly ranked and which players in a realistic range, I´d be interested in.

Top 5
Cooper Flagg YES

Dylan Harper NO - just cause it feels like a safe pick, and if that is an all-time draft there has to be better.

Ace Bailey YES - looks like a wide range of outcomes, probably a very high ceiling.

Egor Demin OH HELL YES - easily my #2 pick.

V.J. Edgecombe OH YES - maybe Demin not so easy #2 pick, watched his FIBA highlights with Ayton. Huge green flags, never looks to pass to Ayton, plays with huge motor and energy even down 20 and has skills. His 18 year old commanding FIBA highlights reminded me of Jamal Murray bossing the Canadian national team at age 18 out of high school.

My ranking

Flagg

Demin/Edgecombe

Harper/Bailey

Ranked 6-10 (EDIT oops that were 11)

Kasparas Jakucionis - NO - almost wrote this with Denim, do we see a new generation of Euro players taking the college route, cause they are more advanced in their fundamentals? He fits that description imho. Very solid and smart player, but does not look like a standout prospect, mediocre athlete.

Nolan Traore - YES - watching the most recent highlights I started to have doubts, not about his ceiling, but that his floor might be lower. The longer the highlights went the more comfortable I felt again. He ain´t no Killian Hayes.

Tre Johnson - NO - will probably be a 6th man type SG, handles like Hardy. If you want a versatile player you look elsewhere.

Kon Knueppel - HELL NO - who does he know at Tankathon to be ranked that highly? I tried my hardest not to fall into the stereotype traps, but I kept watching the highlights and thought: Yeah very underwhelming athletically, nothing inside 3pt line will work in NBA, must be a killer 3pt shooter. 35.7% and less than 3 APG, too. LOL. I´m out.

Asa Newell  NO - in the sense, I´d make no effort to move into this range for him. First thing he did was flex like PJ Washington and then his highlights looked a little like him, too. Advanced stats seem to love him, too. That´s another a guy, your fanbase will hate, if you are a rebuilding franchise and love, if you are a contender.

Collin Murray-Boyles NO -  I´d feel a lot more comfortable, if you told me he has a 7 ft wingspan. He uses his skillset well, but it also feels like all the defenders in his highlights could also play in a local Sunday park game. Isaiah Stewart at best?

My ranking 6-11

For an all-time draft that was a very sad watch. Nothing really popped here. Traore is kilometres ahead of these other guys. i´ll just type it, cause if I do the actual gap with spaces, this would look idiotic.

Traore

Johnson/Jakucionis/Newell

Murray Bowles

Knueppel

Ranked 12-14

Khaman Maluach HELL NO - worst case he´s Hasheem Thabeet. Not even sure what his best case is. Another case of does not move properly at that size to be a factor in NBA today. Somebody stupid will talk themselves into him being the next Lively.

Ben Saraf  NO - Ulm is to the NBA draft, what Indian call centers are to Microsoft. It´s a scam just hang up the phone. Okay that´s harsh on Ulm, since they had a Mavs-esque title run 2-3 years ago behind their strategy, though powered by Brazilian power couple Yago and Bruno, but the prospects (*cough* Killian Hayes) are highly suspect. Saraf isn´t even the best Ulm player in this draft.

Derik Queen  NO - At least Queen has a Looney type ceiling. The only ceiling Maluach will ever touch is of the coffin of his NBA career. Jonas Grunloh is rated #41 (#5 at center) in their mock draft and I´d take him over these two lottery suggestions without even blinking. This is Hartenstein (43rd pick) vs. Justin Patton (#15) levels of stupid.

Lottery summary

Flagg, Demin, Edgecombe, Traore, Harper, Bailey seem a pretty easily identifyable top 6 from the lottery options provided. I think there is a gap like the Grand Canyon between top 6 and the others. I´d be highly disappointed, if the next batch doesn´t have some better prospects.

TO BE CONTINUED

Liam McNeeley
Hugo González
Noa Essengue
Jeremiah Fears
Boogie Fland
Adou Thiero
Labaron Philon
Will Riley
Kam Jones
Jase Richardson
Drake Powell
Ian Jackson
Rocco Zikarsky
JT Toppin
Johni Broome
Alex Karaban

[GATA]

Man, I agree with most of that but I love Knueppel. Incredibly strong player. Has Luka strength and size in the post. Great shooter

[Chicagojk]

Man, I agree with most of that but I love Knueppel.  Incredibly strong player.  Has Luka strength and size in the post.  Great shooter

I like him too.  I am not sure I like him how high I see him being mocked and I haven’t watched him a lot.  I love his demeanor on the court.  Really steady.  Real nice feel too.  Big body and he moves well.  I have liked what I have seen.

[Mavs2021]

Since you all going off the Tankation profile of Grunloh in the Discord. That thing is proper garbage.

He´s leading the league in blocked shots, which somehow does not make it into the strength at all. He´s a good rim protector and rebounder. He only started to take more 3pt shots this year, cause sadly that´s what will get you drafted as a big. It actually hurt the rest of his overall game compared to his "rookie" season. He´s not a good 3pt shooter yet, unless you consider 43% on 60 total 3pt attempts a significant enough sample size.

I´m genuinely curious whether there is some team that has told him to keep a low profile. The guy has the online presence of a draft prospect with an FBI most wanted page.

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/bjpf_/status/1879423554200240238

[Chicagojk]

Kam Jones. Generally considered a late first/early second pick. Senior. I really don't know much about him. He has been a scorer, but his play making has really improved this yea. 6'5 and thickly built. Not sure if he is a good defender. If he is, he could be an interesting play now guy.

https://x.com/NBADraftWass/status/1879213290703786249

[Mavs2021]

Seems Tankathon has a new mock, but I´ll keep going by the old one and do the 1st round additions at the end.

Ranked 15-20

Liam McNeeley  - Yes - like looking at Klay Thompson. I think #15 is too high, but at the Mavs projected draft position (19-25ish) I would not mind getting a sharp-shooting SF even with a limited ceiling. Low chance he´s a bust.

Hugo González - Yes - you want Derni Avdija. Here he is. NBA ready body. Debuted for Madrid at 16.  I´d tell DSJ and him to work on their two-man game at Real Madrid for next season.

Noa Essengue - No - I´m scared he´s French Josh Green. He could be something special, but he´s very lanky skinny. I´m afraid NBA bodies can make him hesitant and he´s a good enough passer to defer.

Jeremiah Fears - No - Not sure why. I think his shooting motion concerns me. I like how physical he is on his drives, but his release is very low. Seems he´s one of the youngest guys.

Boogie Fland - Yes - everything he does with the ball looks smooth. He was 6´4, he´d probably be in the top 5.

Adou Thiero - Yes - at his age and shooting ability to be this high in the draft says a lot about the rest of his game. Positionally and defensively he´s everything we need, but another non-shooting SF/PF. Difficult. 

My Rankings

Fland
Gonzalez
Thiero/McNeeley
Fears/Essengue

Ranked 21-25

Labaron Philon - No - does not seem like a great athlete, shooting feels very suspect even on highlights and does not look like he´ll handle contact well.

Will Riley - No - those debut highlights were something else. You´d think you are watching KD. Then they showed his next "highlights" and yikes. His shooting and touch looked horrible. He sure ain´t shy about shooting that´s for sure. Not surprised he has dropped ten spots in the new mock.

Kam Jones - No - His age shows. Very developed physically and game-wise, but I just don´t feel like this would translate well in the NBA. Gives me physical O-Max vibes.

Jase Richardson - No - shooting numbers look great, but feels a bit like a 6´3 version of Malik Monk.

Drake Powell - No - like watching a young MJ at NC. Just kidding. His shot release is slow and on a few drives he seemed to intentionally make the finish more difficult than it had to be. Nice to get some background that he comes from a public school. I have a gut feeling there is some hidden upside, that he could be a late bloomer.

My Rankings 

Philon/Riley/Jones/Richardson/Powell

Not even sure who´d I take with a gun to my head. Really don´t want any of them. Not surprised most of them have dropped with the newest update. Feels like this draft has a lot of talent gaps. 15-20 pool felt a lot stronger than 21-25.

To Be continued

Ian Jackson
Rocco Zikarsky
JT Toppin
Johni Broome
Alex Karaban

[Chicagojk]

I am not crazy about a 6'3 guard, but Jase Richardson is the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson. Sam Vecenie is pretty high on him despite him coming off the bench and averaging just under 10 points a game. He played High school ball with the Boozer brothers so he knows how to play with stars. Veceinie says he is the type of guy who always does the right thing and is in the right spot.