2025 draft thread

bajaden

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#31
#31
To be honest, I'm having a hard time getting inspired this year. First, we may not have a draft pick, 1st or 2nd! Or, we just might. Second, this team doesn't inspire me. It's poorly put together, and the ability to fix that this year, is no longer available. A starting lineup and closing lineup with Lavine, DeRozen, and Monk, is going to lose you more games than you win. I literally hate isolation basketball, and that's what DeMar is going to bring every night.

Last nights game is a perfect example of what to expect on a regular basis, unless Christie has the courage to defy the norm, and march to the tune of his own drummer! Murray and Ellis need to be on the floor 30 plus minutes a night and expecially when the game is on the line. You can't give up 140 pt's a night and expect to win many game.

That aside, this is a very good draft and yes, I have been doing my due dilligence. I suspect that when the smoke clears, we will have missed the playoffs and will have our draft pick. It's also possible that we'll acquire one from the Thunder who have every first round pick going forward into infinity...

This team is not a good team and never will be with the current make up. It's been plagued by bad decisions, and trying to take shortcuts. I have no faith that it's going to change. Sorry!
 
QWERTYLICIOUS

QWERTYLICIOUS

Starter
#33
#33
bajaden said:
To be honest, I'm having a hard time getting inspired this year. First, we may not have a draft pick, 1st or 2nd! Or, we just might. Second, this team doesn't inspire me. It's poorly put together, and the ability to fix that this year, is no longer available. A starting lineup and closing lineup with Lavine, DeRozen, and Monk, is going to lose you more games than you win. I literally hate isolation basketball, and that's what DeMar is going to bring every night.

Last nights game is a perfect example of what to expect on a regular basis, unless Christie has the courage to defy the norm, and march to the tune of his own drummer! Murray and Ellis need to be on the floor 30 plus minutes a night and expecially when the game is on the line. You can't give up 140 pt's a night and expect to win many game.

That aside, this is a very good draft and yes, I have been doing my due dilligence. I suspect that when the smoke clears, we will have missed the playoffs and will have our draft pick. It's also possible that we'll acquire one from the Thunder who have every first round pick going forward into infinity...

This team is not a good team and never will be with the current make up. It's been plagued by bad decisions, and trying to take shortcuts. I have no faith that it's going to change. Sorry!
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I totally understand this feeling. I try to remain on the positive side of the spectrum at all times, and live my sports-related life with the belief that, eventually, things will turn around and start looking up for us. Unfortunately, we just have to be patient throughout the process.
 
iowamcnabb

iowamcnabb

Hall of Famer
#36
#36
I’m starting to lock in on some prospects now that we have that Chicago second (and maybe our first). Josh Dix is a local kid I’ve been watching and he is starting to catch the attention of draft Gurus including Sam Vecenie. He is listed at 6’6, is a junior and has shot 40 percent from 3 all three years. Mostly low volume although this year he has taken 5 a game (44 percent). Right now he is probably a two way candidate/undrafted but could work his way into the second round depending how his season ends. Not a guarantee he stays in the draft either but I like him in an AJ Green role

 
iowamcnabb

iowamcnabb

Hall of Famer
#37
#37
Ok this guy REALLY intrigues me. Mocks have him all over the place but mostly in the second round. 6’8 with a 6’11 wing span (allegedly) 9 foot standing reach (allegedly). 21 at the time of the draft. Drives hard. Nice shooting form. Plays aggressive. Already plays for the Kings (Sydney) (was recruited to play for Gonzaga) He seems like a Monte pick. Going to watch more but he might have moved to the top of my realistic second rounders because of the aggressive style of play that this team needs

 
Tetsujin

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#38
#38
iowamcnabb said:
I’m starting to lock in on some prospects now that we have that Chicago second (and maybe our first). Josh Dix is a local kid I’ve been watching and he is starting to catch the attention of draft Gurus including Sam Vecenie. He is listed at 6’6, is a junior and has shot 40 percent from 3 all three years. Mostly low volume although this year he has taken 5 a game (44 percent). Right now he is probably a two way candidate/undrafted but could work his way into the second round depending how his season ends. Not a guarantee he stays in the draft either but I like him in an AJ Green role

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In addition to the Chicago second, I think we’re getting the Charlotte second this season unless something truly unprecedented happens and they wheel off twenty five wins in a row or something.

EDIT: Never mind, just saw it’s the 2026 and 2027 picks (which are still probably going to be high-ish seconds)
 
iowamcnabb

iowamcnabb

Hall of Famer
#39
#39
If I was a betting man I’d put money on us finishing 13th in the lottery. I think we make the play-in but are not likely to win two to get into the playoffs. For some that will be a disappointment in regards to the draft but I’m ok conveying the ‘25 first to Atlanta. The ‘26 draft is stacked with big wing players and I’d rather have a pick that year. There are some intriguing players that could be available with that Chicago second and I think we could also find a gem in the free agent pool. We will have 3-4 roster spots to fill going into next season
 
M

midtowner

Starter
#40
#40
iowamcnabb said:
If I was a betting man I’d put money on us finishing 13th in the lottery. I think we make the play-in but are not likely to win two to get into the playoffs. For some that will be a disappointment in regards to the draft but I’m ok conveying the ‘25 first to Atlanta. The ‘26 draft is stacked with big wing players and I’d rather have a pick that year. There are some intriguing players that could be available with that Chicago second and I think we could also find a gem in the free agent pool. We will have 3-4 roster spots to fill going into next season
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I agree that it looks like the pick will convey this year. But I’d be OK with losing in the play-in and having our pick jump into the top 4.
 
hrdboild

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#43
#43
I think there's going to be good value in the late lottery. Derik Queen, Egor Demin, Jeremiah Fears, Thomas Sorber, Rasheer Fleming, Danny Wolf. Like last year there might not be an abundance of potential stars here but there are solid rotation players. Conveying that pick to Atlanta could mean losing a player like Kal'el Ware, Yves Missi, or Jared McCain (all projected in the second half of the first round last year). That's not nothing. And next year's pick really only matters if you think we'll be even worse in the 2025-2026 season in which case it should be time to blow things up and commit to a rebuild. (I already think that but we'll see if the results bear that out).
 
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pdxKingsFan

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#44
#44
hrdboild said:
I think there's going to be good value in the late lottery. Derik Queen, Egor Demin, Jeremiah Fears, Thomas Sorber, Rasheer Fleming, Danny Wolf. Like last year there might not be an abundance of potential stars here but there are solid rotation players. Conveying that pick to Atlanta could mean losing a player like Kal'el Ware, Yves Missi, or Jared McCain (all projected in the second half of the first round last year). That's not nothing. And next year's pick really only matters if you think we'll be even worse in the 2025-2026 season in which case it should be time to blow things up and commit to a rebuild. (I already think that but we'll see if the results bear that out).
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I think it is 50-50 we will be worse next year unless this team just takes off from here at which point it is also moot, which is why I'd rather have that pick once we are in a rebuild (or at least ascertained what direction we are really going).

But I also think we can buy a mid-teens if we really want one, it's just we've never really seemed to value those type of deals going all the way back to Petrie. Weird given the draft is the only way we can really reliably get talent in this market. When Pritchard was managing Portland when I got here he was always the sort to buy a pick with a draft day trade. I don't remember it it was LMA or Roy but one of those was a draft day buy a pick type deal iirc.

STK is right though, bigtime NIL has made its way to college bb and some players may happily take an extra year if they can get 7 figures of NIL and increase the odds of their second NBA contract being fruitful.
 
hrdboild

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#46
#46
iowamcnabb said:
The pick is top ten protected next year so I think the argument is if the kings are 11-16 next year I’d rather have the ‘26 pick in that range over the thirteenth this year
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My argument would be if this team looks like they're on track to pick in the 11-16 range next year at the trade deadline we should probably just tank and get into the top 10 range instead. At that point Atlanta is getting 2 second round picks from us and the draft obligation comes off the books. As we scrape and claw for a play-in spot it becomes harder and harder to say that we're one big trade away from contending. Freeing up our future picks for that hypothetical big trade no longer matters while acquiring young talent does.
 
iowamcnabb

iowamcnabb

Hall of Famer
#47
#47
hrdboild said:
My argument would be if this team looks like they're on track to pick in the 11-16 range next year at the trade deadline we should probably just tank and get into the top 10 range instead. At that point Atlanta is getting 2 second round picks from us and the draft obligation comes off the books. As we scrape and claw for a play-in spot it becomes harder and harder to say that we're one big trade away from contending. Freeing up our future picks for that hypothetical big trade no longer matters while acquiring young talent does.
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Yeh that’s a possibility. For next season I’d figure the Hornets, Jazz, Wizards, Nets and Bulls as near locks for the lottery that year. Then you have to reserve a space or two for a team decimated by injuries (Grizz last year, Pels/ Sixers this year) Then you have big question marks: Blazers- next years Rockets or still stink? Suns- Durant is gone and Beal/Book don’t stay healthy. Do they get win now pieces like McDaniels/Randle + picks or do they get young players from Houston. Atlanta- does Trae get moved and they try to soft rebuild for a year? Philly- do they finally trade Embiid? Toronto- How far does a BI/Barnes pairing take them? Spurs- could take a big leap but might not.


This was a very long winded way of saying 5 spots are already likely locked up. That only leaves 5 more for a ton of teams that have uncertainty and the inevitable injury riddled squad. Tanking for top ten might actually be harder than one thinks next season, especially if that process starts mid season.
 
hrdboild

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#48
#48
iowamcnabb said:
Yeh that’s a possibility. For next season I’d figure the Hornets, Jazz, Wizards, Nets and Bulls as near locks for the lottery that year. Then you have to reserve a space or two for a team decimated by injuries (Grizz last year, Pels/ Sixers this year) Then you have big question marks: Blazers- next years Rockets or still stink? Suns- Durant is gone and Beal/Book don’t stay healthy. Do they get win now pieces like McDaniels/Randle + picks or do they get young players from Houston. Atlanta- does Trae get moved and they try to soft rebuild for a year? Philly- do they finally trade Embiid? Toronto- How far does a BI/Barnes pairing take them? Spurs- could take a big leap but might not.


This was a very long winded way of saying 5 spots are already likely locked up. That only leaves 5 more for a ton of teams that have uncertainty and the inevitable injury riddled squad. Tanking for top ten might actually be harder than one thinks next season, especially if that process starts mid season.
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I figure the 5 East teams that miss the play-in are virtual locks for the top 10. You could make a case for all 5 of the Western Conference teams who are currently below us in the standings getting better next season though. Utah and New Orleans still have a lot of talent if they can stay healthy and find a rhythm. Portland and San Antonio have both had stretches this season where they looked like they were turning a corner into being competitive. Phoenix was a 49 win team last season and while it seems like Durant is as good as gone, they'll get something for him. More importantly, is there anyone currently in a 1-9 spot that you can see getting worse? Maybe Dallas considering AD's injury history.

Which means we're probably headed for the same 11-16 drafting range next season that we find ourselves in now without roster changes but I can't see why Monte wouldn't just sell the vets and commit to playing the young guys if we're sitting in the 9 or the 10 seed next February. At that point we've got one partially guaranteed year left of DeRozan and LaVine has an opt-out.
 
iowamcnabb

iowamcnabb

Hall of Famer
#49
#49
hrdboild said:
I figure the 5 East teams that miss the play-in are virtual locks for the top 10. You could make a case for all 5 of the Western Conference teams who are currently below us in the standings getting better next season though. Utah and New Orleans still have a lot of talent if they can stay healthy and find a rhythm. Portland and San Antonio have both had stretches this season where they looked like they were turning a corner into being competitive. Phoenix was a 49 win team last season and while it seems like Durant is as good as gone, they'll get something for him. More importantly, is there anyone currently in a 1-9 spot that you can see getting worse? Maybe Dallas considering AD's injury history.

Which means we're probably headed for the same 11-16 drafting range next season that we find ourselves in now without roster changes but I can't see why Monte wouldn't just sell the vets and commit to playing the young guys if we're sitting in the 9 or the 10 seed next February. At that point we've got one partially guaranteed year left of DeRozan and LaVine has an opt-out.
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Yeh 11-16 is the most likely outcome next year for us without a big change. If it was up to me I’d probably move Deebo. He has the best combo of salary/ short contract and production to net us something useful. I proposed a Deebo to Miami for Jaimie Jaquez and filler trade in another thread. He can score, defend and is cost controlled for 2 plus years. I know you don’t like Lavine but I like him if the one, two and four can guard around him. We are 2/3s of the way there with Keegan/Ellis. Find a point guard that can play defense and you might be in business. This is a theoretical but let’s say you move Deebo for Jaime and Devin comes in hot after a big summer.

Devin Fultz
Keon Monk
Lavine Jaquez
Keegan Laravia
Sabonis Jonas

Developmental pieces like IJ, Crawford, the player we select with the Chicago pick and an undrafted free agent signing.

4-5 shooters in the starting lineup, 3 plus defenders, 3 plus rebounders, plenty of scoring off the bench between Monk, Jaime and Jonas.

That team isn’t hanging any banners but it’s a decent mix of players. Play out one season with that group. If it doesn’t pan out, you have a high draft pick in ‘26, Lavine on an expiring (after that season) and a ton of draft picks to make a big splash with if you so choose.
 
hrdboild

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#50
#50
iowamcnabb said:
Yeh 11-16 is the most likely outcome next year for us without a big change. If it was up to me I’d probably move Deebo. He has the best combo of salary/ short contract and production to net us something useful. I proposed a Deebo to Miami for Jaimie Jaquez and filler trade in another thread. He can score, defend and is cost controlled for 2 plus years. I know you don’t like Lavine but I like him if the one, two and four can guard around him. We are 2/3s of the way there with Keegan/Ellis. Find a point guard that can play defense and you might be in business. This is a theoretical but let’s say you move Deebo for Jaime and Devin comes in hot after a big summer.

Devin Fultz
Keon Monk
Lavine Jaquez
Keegan Laravia
Sabonis Jonas

Developmental pieces like IJ, Crawford, the player we select with the Chicago pick and an undrafted free agent signing.

4-5 shooters in the starting lineup, 3 plus defenders, 3 plus rebounders, plenty of scoring off the bench between Monk, Jaime and Jonas.

That team isn’t hanging any banners but it’s a decent mix of players. Play out one season with that group. If it doesn’t pan out, you have a high draft pick in ‘26, Lavine on an expiring (after that season) and a ton of draft picks to make a big splash with if you so choose.
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The main reason I don't like LaVine on this team is that I feel like Keon Ellis is one of our three best players in terms of overall impact on the game and LaVine is now standing in his way of starting for us. And basically I just think that players like Zach LaVine are fool's gold. He's like the bad (pre and post Mike Brown) version of De'Aaron Fox who puts a lot of points on the board when he's hot but doesn't care enough about defense for those points to matter. And as it happens, we do have a point guard who can play defense on the roster in Markelle Fultz but Malik Monk is blocking him from starting.

I'm also starting to lose faith that there even is a window here to win with Sabonis, especially if Monte drags his feet on moving off the Monk, LaVine, DeRozan patchwork lineup. At the very least I think we need to move him to the PF position. His remarkable transformation into a very good outside shooter makes that possible and while a twin towers lineup is very far from the current NBA meta, there's just no way we can continue to survive with Keegan Murray as the tallest plus defender in our starting and closing lineup. He needs to move back to the SF position and Monte needs to find us a PF/C who can defend the paint. Maybe even in this year's draft if we keep the pick. It's not a great draft for wings but as I mentioned before, there are some intriguing big men who could still be on the board in the late lottery.
 
kingsboi

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#51
#51
hrdboild said:
The main reason I don't like LaVine on this team is that I feel like Keon Ellis is one of our three best players in terms of overall impact on the game and LaVine is now standing in his way of starting for us. And basically I just think that players like Zach LaVine are fool's gold. He's like the bad (pre and post Mike Brown) version of De'Aaron Fox who puts a lot of points on the board when he's hot but doesn't care enough about defense for those points to matter. And as it happens, we do have a point guard who can play defense on the roster in Markelle Fultz but Malik Monk is blocking him from starting.

I'm also starting to lose faith that there even is a window here to win with Sabonis, especially if Monte drags his feet on moving off the Monk, LaVine, DeRozan patchwork lineup. At the very least I think we need to move him to the PF position. His remarkable transformation into a very good outside shooter makes that possible and while a twin towers lineup is very far from the current NBA meta, there's just no way we can continue to survive with Keegan Murray as the tallest plus defender in our starting and closing lineup. He needs to move back to the SF position and Monte needs to find us a PF/C who can defend the paint. Maybe even in this year's draft if we keep the pick. It's not a great draft for wings but as I mentioned before, there are some intriguing big men who could still be on the board in the late lottery.
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I believe Monte and the front office are making a huge mistake by continuing to try to build a winner around Sabonis. It's not going to happen, too many variables need to be in play to even make it a consistent winning product. Trading him sooner rather than later when the value is less than it is today can put the Kings in a great position to start over and build the proper way but again this goes back to Vivek when it's all said and done so it's just my personal wish list that will not come to fruition.
 
iowamcnabb

iowamcnabb

Hall of Famer
#53
#53
I was reading up on some more prospects and wingspan came up. I said to myself, you know, I don’t even know my own wingspan. I assumed I had T- Rex arms but turns out I’m a zero wingspan, exactly 5’8. Any plus wingspans on the forum?
 
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