2025 NBA Draft Thread

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[BIG LEEMELONE]

Vic took home every award possible. MVP DPOY ROY Shot blocking Scoring champ and 1st team. 19 years old

 

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Spoiler

Hollinger’s NBA Draft Combine rumblings: What will Hornets do at No. 2? Will Blazers trade No. 3?

We have one month until the draft, everyone is here for an event geared to prepare for the draft … and nobody is talking about the draft.

Now that Victor Wembanyama’s fate has been determined, the eyes of execs, staffers and coaches here for the NBA Draft Combine are already fast-forwarding to a long, interesting offseason.

Among the hot topics:

• Five — count ’em, five — coach openings, and desirable ones at that: Milwaukee, Phoenix and Philadelphia all offer the prospect of immediate contention; Toronto has money and isn’t tanking; and, um, Detroit. The Pistons might have been able to fish in the elite Nick Nurse/Monty Williams/Mike Budenholzer waters if they won the Wembanyama lottery; landing fifth likely puts them in first-time coach territory. Will the other plum jobs be musical chairs among those three names?
• Whether the Clippers’ Tyronn Lue will extend that list of coach openings to six or come to terms on a rich extension with LA. Lue only has one guaranteed year left on his deal but has most of the leverage here, as he is quite popular in rival front offices. The smart money seems to be on him staying.
• Washington’s slow-motion GM search, with news leaking so slowly that even the term “leak” implies far too much velocity; this is, at best, an “ooze.” Will the Wizards have a GM by the draft? By free agency? By November?
• The Ja Morant situation and how that might impact what other decisions the Grizzlies make. If the league suspends him, what justification will it use, and how long will he be sidelined? If it’s a big chunk of the season, how does that impact the Grizzlies’ other offseason decisions?
• And, not least of all, the potential for a wild offseason of wheeling and dealing after so many teams pushed their chips in only to fall miles short of expectations in 2022-23. This comes just as the league’s free spenders are greeted with a new CBA that includes fairly draconian penalties for profligacy.

Relative to the draft, that last bullet point is perhaps the most relevant. Several disappointed lottery teams are now in position to potentially trade their pick, but a vexing question remains: Trade it for what? Which teams are looking to throttle down and convert a star-caliber veteran into a draft pick? Even teams that might get hammered by the new luxury-tax rules, such as the Clippers and Warriors, don’t seem to be of a mind to just start shedding talent.

One can argue there are teams that should be doing this, mind you, but sorry: There does not appear to be any willpower for this type of step back in places like, say, Chicago or Portland or Washington. Zach LaVine, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal aren’t walking through that door. Toronto seems like the only team that might — might — entertain dealing elite wings for draft capital. As we’ll see in a minute, this state of affairs puts one lottery team in particular in a quandary.

Actual NBA Draft, and trade, talk

Speaking of which: Before we stick our heads too far into July, however, let’s shift gears back to June 22. We can speculate all we want about various maybes in free agency and trades, but I guarantee you there will be a draft on June 22 and that 58 players will be selected. Since the draft happens before free agency, some of the plentiful thorny issues waiting on draft night could have considerable domino effects on other teams’ summers.

Only one thing is in no doubt at all: The Spurs are taking Wembanyama with the top pick. You can go ahead and tell the engraver to get started on that one.

After that, things quickly get interesting. Among the scuttlebutt this week:

• The draft starts with Charlotte and the second pick, where the Hornets are likely choosing between point guard Scoot Henderson of G League Ignite and small forward Brandon Miller of Alabama. While Henderson is in my judgment the superior talent, playing him and LaMelo Ball in the same backcourt could give the Hornets pause. Charlotte isn’t tipping its hand, nor should it; a trade down to No. 3 is another possibility, but only sellable if the team at No. 3 isn’t sure which player the Hornets want.
• Note that I said “the team at No. 3” because of widespread speculation the Trail Blazers, who currently own the pick, will seek to trade out of the third position rather than select another young player. With Portland in “win it for Dame” mode and the Blazers desperate for playable wings (even presuming they re-sign Jerami Grant), speculation is already widespread that a package of the third pick and Anfernee Simons might be used to snag an elite small forward.
• My favorite fake trade, however, kills two birds with one stone by resolving the Magic’s backcourt issue. Orlando holds pick Nos. 6 and 11 and would likely be tempted to trade up and take Henderson if the Hornets select Miller at No. 2. Could some combination of the sixth and 11th picks and another asset allow the Magic to move up to No. 3?

The other half of this trade is that it would allow the Blazers to hedge their bets by splitting their lottery pick in two. Imagine, for instance, a scenario where the Blazers do this trade with Orlando, then deal the sixth pick for immediate wing help but hang on to No. 11 and use it on Duke big man Dereck Lively II. Of course, this still requires such a player to actually be available, and parlaying the sixth pick into that player in particular could prove problematic given that Houston and Detroit may want to do the same thing at No. 4 and No. 5.
• Complicating the logic for Portland at No. 3 is that Houston at No. 4 is likely pursuing the same alternative. In fact, the Rockets are arguably even more in “win-now” mode than the Blazers, despite a young roster coming off a 22-win season. This is because the Rockets owe a top-four protected first-round pick to the Thunder as a result of the Chris Paul–Russell Westbrook trade and thus have little incentive to take their lumps for another season: It’s time to win. (Houston also owes a top-four protected first from this deal in 2026, as well as a top-20 protected pick swap in 2025. Yikes.)

The fourth pick (not to mention their other pick at No. 20) is unlikely to advance that objective on a roster that already has seven first-round picks still on their rookie contracts, plus a 23-year-old Kevin Porter Jr. and a 22-year-old Kenyon Martin Jr. It would seem there isn’t room on the roster to add two more young players if the Rockets are serious about taking a step forward. Houston’s dreams of repatriating James Harden are well-chronicled, and the Rockets will want the rest of their $60 million in cap room and room exception to sign some veteran help.

Of all the teams in the high lottery, Houston is the one that seemingly needs to make a deal most urgently. The Rockets’ quandary, as noted above, is whether there’s a player available who would justify such a high price, and if so, whether the Blazers’ pick at No. 3 would trump them.

• Picking fifth, Detroit is hoping to make a move up this season, but is that realistic? The Pistons might be better off trying to add another piece to the Jaden Ivey–Cade Cunningham–Jalen Duren core and seeing what they have after a 17-win season a year ago. This isn’t a great season to tank it, per se, with a blah 2024 class waiting, but it’s not clear how Detroit would move up even if it went all-in on the idea. The Pistons’ core players need to get better before that’s a realistic strategy.

Yes, Detroit could theoretically trade its pick at No. 5, but look at the landscape. News flash: The picks at No. 3 and No. 4 are more desirable than the one at No. 5. With Portland and Houston likely looking to deal, it means the Pistons will be third at the trough when it comes to lottery-pick-for-star type trades; it’s tough to come up with one star player who could fit the bill for a trade like this right now, let alone three. The Pistons’ best move is likely another year of quiet building, and perhaps hearing teams out on deals for Alec Burks and Bogdan Bogdanović.

• On a related front, I have some terrible news for fans generating fake Mikal Bridges trades: The Nets don’t seem to have much incentive to play ball here. Brooklyn owes unprotected picks to Houston in 2024 and 2026 and unprotected swaps in 2025 and 2027. Thus, Brooklyn trading its good players and tanking would do a lot more for the Rockets than the Nets. Brooklyn’s likely best path forward is to muddle along with a Bridges-centric team, especially since he’s signed through 2026 to one of the league’s best contracts.

• Two other picks insiders expect to be in play: Dallas’ selection at No. 10 — likely paired with either or both of Dāvis Bertāns and JaVale McGee to bring in more immediate help — and the Thunder’s pick at No. 12. In Oklahoma City’s case, it’s still a long-term play, but the idea is that the Thunder would use their surfeit of future picks to move up in this lottery; they somehow have only one pick this year but are likely to have four firsts in 2024 and still have four future firsts from other teams in 2025 and beyond.

 

[ballinsam23]

I'm sure every playoff team inquired about Mikal Bridges. Nets treating him like a superstar.

 

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[Vincent Van Goat]

Assuming Mavs have nothing for a bridges, maxey, bane or lauri:

Masai need to let go of OG (or maybe siakam?) for 10 and whatever else you want

 

[Arthur Shelby]

 

[pmatic]

 

[N41D]

Assuming Mavs have nothing for a bridges, maxey, bane or lauri:

Masai need to let go of OG (or maybe siakam?) for 10 and whatever else you want

They're the team I'm most curious to see what they do.

I don't get why Brooklyn is deadset on keeping Bridges. Bridges is 26, not a star, and will be 30 by the team you're ready to even flirt with competing again. You're a full blown rebuild roster that's about to get rocked by CBA restrictions while not being any good. Act like it and start hoarding assets.

 

[BennyIll22]

Skimming through this thread is the epitome of mistakes that bad teams make year after year.

Prioritizing hoopers over NBA basketball players.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

They putting a lot on this kid

 

[los2187]

No way Toronto makes a move for the 10th pick

 

[earldagoat]

I feel like Toronto is more inclined to go after the 3rd pick

 

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Spoiler: Hollinger: Which prospects at NBA Draft Combine helped themselves the most?

Which prospects at NBA Draft Combine helped themselves the most?

The NBA Draft Combine ends to turn into a mini-convention of sorts for all other types of business about the league, diverting our attention to myriad different issues heading into transaction season. Shockingly, however, the gathering also manages to produce some useful information about the players who will be in the NBA Draft. Talent evaluators walked away with lots of new information to help inform their decisions on June 22.

The combine changed its format a bit this week, to reviews that were perhaps slightly more favorable. The heart of the party is Tuesday’s lottery and the three days that follow, packed with on-court scrimmages, prospect interviews and agent workouts (usually risk-free, 1-on-0 dog-and-pony shows for likely first-round picks). It’s efficient, but also grueling. “When am I supposed to eat?” groused one scout as a day of scrimmages rolled directly into an evening of agent workouts.

The scrimmages are always a highlight. This year’s were competitive and gave some added late information for scouts, especially for teams picking in the second round. Unfortunately, 37 domestic-based players opted not to play in them, including several players with iffy draft stocks who really could have used another positive impression.

NBA Draft Combine risers and fallers
Of those who did participate, a select few clearly helped themselves:

• Taking top honors was Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, a big wing who didn’t show a lot offensively this season. He scored a game-high 21 points in the first day’s scrimmage and, not shockingly, pulled out of the second day. Prosper also measured 6-6 and 3/4 in socks with a 7-1 wingspan, and uncorked a 35-inch standing vertical, the second-best leap at the event. Teams are likely to go back through his tape and ask questions – how somebody this athletic could have such low rates of blocks and steals, and whether his limited feel (just 1.3 assists per 100 possessions) will be a barrier. Nonetheless, he may have played himself into the back end of the first round.
• A rare European participant, Partizan big man Tristan Vukčević, played one scrimmage and showed his floor-spacing ability by raining 21 points on 10 shots. Despite being a bit player for most of the season on one of Europe’s better teams, the 6-11 20-year-old has been on draft radars for a couple of years now, and likely will have many fans as a stash pick in the 30s. Teams with extra picks like Charlotte (picks 34, 39, and 41) or Oklahoma City (every pick in humanity for the next decade, including 37 and 50 in this draft) would seem particularly strong possibilities.
• Belmont guard Ben Sheppard erupted for 25 points on the second day, but his overall floor game left just as strong an impression as his hot shooting. Teams had been eyeing Sheppard as a potential role player, but his middling athleticism and competition level in the Missouri Valley Conference led to some trepidation on that front. His week should ease a lot of those concerns. He not only belonged out there, he was one of the best players.
• Miami’s Jordan Miller will be 23 and a half on draft night, which might be enough to scare some teams away. (This isn’t just reactionary, either. The history of older prospects is … not great). That said, Miller’s analytics from this past season, when he helped Miami reach the Final Four, jump off the page, and he was again hugely productive in his two scrimmages with 28 points and 15 rebounds in 39 minutes. It’s not clear if that performance can vault him into the top 45, but it helped his odds of hearing his name called on June 22.
• UCLA guard Amari Bailey opened some eyes with his playmaking ability, handing out 14 assists in the two games. While questions persist about his shooting and finishing ability, Bailey played as much more of a distributor than in his off-ball role with the Bruins this year, and may have won over converts who now see him as a true point guard prospect rather than a small scoring guard (he measured 6-3 in socks and has a thin frame). Bailey is a likely early second-rounder if he doesn’t return to UCLA for his sophomore season.
• The second-round draft board overflows with shooting guard candidates: Sheppard, Creighton’s Trey Alexander, Santa Clara’s Brandin Podziemski, Miami’s Isaiah Wong, N.C. State’s Terquavion Smith and UConn’s Andre Jackson, Jr. all had their moments. However, we can add one more name to the list: Penn State’s Seth Lundy. He erupted as a sniper this year by shooting 40 percent from 3, and followed it by making eight of his 11 triples in the two scrimmages. He also measured with a 6-10 wingspan despite standing only 6-4 in socks, easing concerns about his ability to match up with NBA wings.

NBA Draft Combine Measurements
Away from the court, the Combine is an event to measure two things: the intangible (three days of speed-dating interview sessions) and the totally tangible (height, wingspan and athletic measurements).

Interview information is subjective and tends to leak out slowly, but the measurables are right there for everyone to see. Some notable ones for this week:

• Two players who didn’t play on the court – Tennessee’s Julian Phillips and UCLA’s Jaime Jacquez – likely helped themselves with surprising vertical leaps. Phillips’ 36-inch no-step vertical was the best of the week, while Jacquez’s 34.5 inch bound trailed only Phillips and Prosper.
• Purdue’s Zach Edey measured at an enormous 7-3 ¼ in socks, with a 7-10 ½ wingspan. However, he opted not to play in the scrimmages, where teams would have liked to see him defending in space.
• Houston’s likely lotto pick Jarace Walker measured only 6-6 ½ in socks – not great for a power forward. However, his eye-popping 7-2 ½ wingspan measurement quickly offset the disappointment.
• Likely lottery picks Amen and Ausar Thompson both measured 6-5 ¾ in socks, but with 7-0 wingspans that should allow them to play bigger than their height.
• Some wingspan measurement winners included Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner (7-5) Washington State power forward Mouhamed Gueye (7-3 ¼) , and French guard Rayan Rupert (a preposterous 7-2, offsetting pedestrian athletic testing numbers).
• This year’s Alligator Arms winner is TCU’s Mike Miles, who tested quite well athletically but had a wingspan of just 6-0 ½ while measuring 6-0 ¾ in socks. His was the only “negative” wingspan this year.
• North Dakota State’s Grant Nelson looked overmatched on the court, but the 6-10, 21-year-old junior raised eyebrows by posting the third-best shuttle time in the history of the event at 9.99 seconds – more than half a second faster than all but two other people in this year’s draft. I can’t say the shuttle has huge predictive value, but it likely put him high on watch lists for next year if he returns to Fargo.
• Mountain West Player of the Year Omari Moore had been whispered as a second-round sleeper, but the senior guard from San Jose State struggled mightily in the two scrimmages and only jumped 23 inches from a standstill, the lowest leap of the event.

 

[HOU$TON]

 

[earldagoat]

 

[pmatic]

 

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[HOU$TON]

Pick #4 + 2024 Brooklyn pick should be enough for Charlotte. We need scoot.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Pick #4 + 2024 Brooklyn pick should be enough for Charlotte. We need scoot.

I'm not doing it if I'm MJ. Hell nah

The 2024 draft isn't looking so good

Gonna need to add more pieces or picks

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Uh, wut?!!

"Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and two assistants were watching him in his first game Friday night and throughout the weekend. Duke is favored to land the 6-foot-9 versatile forward with rumors swirling over the weekend that Flagg could reclassify up to the 2024 high school class, making him eligible a year earlier for the 2025 NBA Draft."

 

[addict4sneakers]

Speaking of reclassifying, Elliot Cadeau is waiting for what?

 

[woody2626]

Uh, wut?!!

"Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and two assistants were watching him in his first game Friday night and throughout the weekend. Duke is favored to land the 6-foot-9 versatile forward with rumors swirling over the weekend that Flagg could reclassify up to the 2024 high school class, making him eligible a year earlier for the 2025 NBA Draft."

Yea he’s expected to reclass and spend his year of college in Durham

 

[HOU$TON]

I'm not doing it if I'm MJ. Hell nah

The 2024 draft isn't looking so good

Gonna need to add more pieces or picks

The going rate for trade ups has been the current pick plus a future lottery bound pick. The Trae young and Luka swap for example