NBA Draft 2025 Open Thread

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938405839087538633

BEST AVAILABLE

NGL...This guy was at the top of my list for potential 2nd round picks for the Kings if he ended up falling, which I never expected. As a Stanford fan myself, I am stoked that we were able to grab him with our 2nd round pick. He had as good of a college career as you could've asked him to have. I am hopeful that his game is able to translate over into the NBA.

 

[Caccia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938428530037010801

Are their basketball players as good as their football players?

 

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

I'd consider it a pipe dream to see Raynaud fall to us at 42, but I honestly think he goes early tonight. I'd be shocked to see him fall into the 40s.

Wowzers!!! I now begin to wonder what those teams picking before us saw in him that they didn't like, or didn't see in him that they wanted to see.

 

[TheMobb]

Another interesting fact about Raynaud. Givony said he’s only been playing basketball for 4 years. Excited to see what this kid can be with a player development staff.

 

[The_Jamal]

Wowzers!!! I now begin to wonder what those teams picking before us saw in him that they didn't like, or didn't see in him that they wanted to see.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938431397074768119

As we've expected here on the forum, the 2nd round seemingly has just been another "FA" in a sense where guys dictate where they want to go. And seemingly everyone stays out of each other's way so that a team doesn't step on their toes for the guy they agreed on a deal with.

 

[kingdivac]

Wowzers!!! I now begin to wonder what those teams picking before us saw in him that they didn't like, or didn't see in him that they wanted to see.

You answered yourself -> the call of the wild!

 

[MizzouKing]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938421935425400838

Bénévoles, not Hostages...

 

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938428910741655663

Oof

Damn...Great move.

He was pretty high on my list of 2nd round picks, to be honest with you. Loved his game at the collegiate level. Don't see why it wouldn't translate over into the NBA.

 

[kingdivac]

On Lakers pick - made me laugh ->

Thiero is powerful and fearless, and there is an undeniable physicality driving most everything he does. He finishes with ferocity, ruthlessly attacks the boards and drops jaws in transition.
He doesn't shoot, though—like, at all. He attempted just 74 threes over three collegiate campaigns and misfired on all but 21 of them. His 71.1 career free-throw percentage leaves little hope for development in this department.
But on a team with as much on-ball creation as the Lakers, you’d think NBA-ready shooting may have been more of a priority. Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves can all generate open looks for supporting players, and those are more dangerous when they are threes than they are when an inexperienced wing is hoping to attack a closeout.
Grade: C

 

[TaxMan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938431397074768119

As we've expected here on the forum, the 2nd round seemingly has just been another "FA" in a sense where guys dictate where they want to go. And seemingly everyone stays out of each other's way so that a team doesn't step on their toes for the guy they agreed on a deal with.

I don’t really understand why this happens in the second round. What am I not understanding about how second round contracts work that teams can’t just take whoever they want. Is it a threat of playing overseas?

 

[sactowndog]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938438985644462315

The French kid has impactful defense? I did not read that anywhere. From the limited amount I have seen and read I do think he can potentially be taught better defensive fundamentals and play a stretch 4 like Markannan. His lane agility numbers are very good and he appears quick on offense.

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

Are their basketball players as good as their football players?

They’re one of best teams in Europe. So not as good, but still good lol.

 

[NewArena]

Wonder if this frees us up to move Jonas in a trade now?

Maybe, but i think we keep developing the young guy first, and if he’s blossoming faster than expected - i think that’s when you look to make such a move. Jonas was so reliable and made an impact almost every time he touched the floor so I’m not so ready to send him out of town just yet, depending on how this roster takes shape.

 

[The_Jamal]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938568821893435461

Some of these kids are truly so stupid. Put your head down, work your ass off for a few years and you earn generational wealth for your family. Especially a guy like Ace Bailey, who has the talent to be a 200+ million player in the NBA.

 

[ESP47]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938568821893435461

Some of these kids are truly so stupid. Put your head down, work your ass off for a few years and you earn generational wealth for your family. Especially a guy like Ace Bailey, who has the talent to be a 200+ million player in the NBA.

You mix low IQ with entitlement and people telling you how great you are your whole life and you sometimes get idiots like this. Would be nice to see the Jazz just straight up punish him for this but no team is ever going to bite the bullet and teach these guys a lesson because they'd be losing too much value. Kind of like the Steve Francis situation. They normally get their way in the end unfortunately.

 

[coolhandluke]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938568821893435461

Some of these kids are truly so stupid. Put your head down, work your ass off for a few years and you earn generational wealth for your family. Especially a guy like Ace Bailey, who has the talent to be a 200+ million player in the NBA.

He is what 18 years old? Being young goes with being stupid. You think you're invincible and have all the time in the world. Poor kid is being misguided by those around him.

 

[iowamcnabb]

I’m not understanding why he doesn’t want to be in Utah? He will start right away and have the chance to be the second star right out the gate. Great fan base and a front office that values standing reach.

 

[Padrino]

I’m not understanding why he doesn’t want to be in Utah? He will start right away and have the chance to be the second star right out the gate. Great fan base and a front office that values standing reach.

Likely because he's a young black American and Salt Lake City, Utah is not a particularly diverse NBA city. Less than 3% of its population is black.

 

[AaronPDX]

Personally, I wouldn't have any interest in living in Utah either, but even a couple/few million a year would quickly change that!

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Likely because he's a young black American and Salt Lake City, Utah is not a particularly diverse NBA city. Less than 3% of its population is black.

I am sure that's a factor but apparently he had a list of 3 teams he found acceptable (whatever that even means). I believe they were DC, NOP, and Brooklyn.

He refused to work out for Philly which is a diverse city and had the third pick?

 

[iowamcnabb]

Personally, I wouldn't have any interest in living in Utah either, but even a couple/few million a year would quickly change that!

Salt Lake has a pretty great reputation though. Picturesque, plenty to do, good job opportunities. If you lean left it’s a liberal city, if you lean right, the rest of the State does too so you can find your people either way. Pretty decent weather.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Likely because he's a young black American and Salt Lake City, Utah is not a particularly diverse NBA city. Less than 3% of its population is black.

That’s understandable, I prefer living in diverse cities myself. Seems like a pretty good situation for him there although the Nets and Wiz have potential to be good teams in the next few years as well.

 

[Tetsujin]

Likely because he's a young black American and Salt Lake City, Utah is not a particularly diverse NBA city. Less than 3% of its population is black.

Donovan Mitchell rather famously pointed to that very issue on his way out the door

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Likely because he's a young black American and Salt Lake City, Utah is not a particularly diverse NBA city. Less than 3% of its population is black.

Have you seen the white girls from Utah as a black men myself we call that heaven on earth

 

[AaronPDX]

That’s understandable, I prefer living in diverse cities myself. Seems like a pretty good situation for him there although the Nets and Wiz have potential to be good teams in the next few years as well.

I've been there a few times, couldn't wait to leave. Not for me, but to each their own. Their beer SUCKS, too. LOL

 

[sactowndog]

Have you seen the white girls from Utah as a black men myself we call that heaven on earth

Haha. Guessing it’s a good thing you are black. If you were white you would be fired
;-)

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Haha. Guessing it’s a good thing you are black. If you were white you would be fired
;-)

You’re not lying here haha

 

[NewArena]

You mix low IQ with entitlement and people telling you how great you are your whole life and you sometimes get idiots like this. Would be nice to see the Jazz just straight up punish him for this but no team is ever going to bite the bullet and teach these guys a lesson because they'd be losing too much value. Kind of like the Steve Francis situation. They normally get their way in the end unfortunately.

Where do the low IQ allegations come from?

 

[twslam07]

So I admittedly didn’t watch much college basketball this season and didn’t do much draft prep (considering we didn’t have a 1st round draft pick), but after looking into some of the players post draft, can someone explain to me why we didn’t draft Rasheer Fleming?

The ideal PF complement to our all star C is someone who…

- has excellent size, length, & athleticism
- is an excellent, versatile defender
- can help protect the rim
- can space the floor

That’s a rare combination to find yet it looks like Fleming checks literally all of these boxes…

- 6’8.75” w/o shoes
- 7’5.25” wingspan
- 9’1” standing reach
- 232.4 lbs
- 10.95 sec lane agility
- 2.72 sec shuttle run
- 3.24 sec 3/4 sprint
- 27” standing vert
- 32.5” max vert
- 5.2 3PA per 36 min
- .390 3P%
- .743 FT%
- .638 TS%
- 9.8 REB per 36 min
- 1.6 STL per 36 min
- 1.8 BLK per 36 min
- 2.9 PF per 36 min

Obviously, if you have a different type of C who can anchor a defense, maybe you look to draft someone else at #24 as there are other value picks to take at that spot (Clifford included). However, when you have Sabonis as your C and you’re gifted the opportunity to draft that very rare ideal/near ideal complement at PF and you don’t take it…well…that makes me scratch my head.

And this is not a shot at either of the guys we drafted. I like both of them in a vacuum and think they are both good value picks. I’m just trying to understand how a team with Sabonis would pass on a guy like Fleming.

Any folks out there that are more familiar with this draft class that can weigh in and help explain or justify the reasoning of passing on him?

 

[chief bromden]

So I admittedly didn’t watch much college basketball this season and didn’t do much draft prep (considering we didn’t have a 1st round draft pick), but after looking into some of the players post draft, can someone explain to me why we didn’t draft Rasheer Fleming?

The ideal PF complement to our all star C is someone who…

- has excellent size, length, & athleticism
- is an excellent, versatile defender
- can help protect the rim
- can space the floor

That’s a rare combination to find yet it looks like Fleming checks literally all of these boxes…

- 6’8.75” w/o shoes
- 7’5.25” wingspan
- 9’1” standing reach
- 232.4 lbs
- 10.95 sec lane agility
- 2.72 sec shuttle run
- 3.24 sec 3/4 sprint
- 27” standing vert
- 32.5” max vert
- 5.2 3PA per 36 min
- .390 3P%
- .743 FT%
- .638 TS%
- 9.8 REB per 36 min
- 1.6 STL per 36 min
- 1.8 BLK per 36 min
- 2.9 PF per 36 min

Obviously, if you have a different type of C who can anchor a defense, maybe you look to draft someone else at #24 as there are other value picks to take at that spot (Clifford included). However, when you have Sabonis as your C and you’re gifted the opportunity to draft an ideal/near ideal complement at PF and you don’t take it…well…that makes me scratch my head.

And this is not a shot at either of the guys we drafted. I like both of them in a vacuum and think they are both good value picks. I’m just trying to understand how a team with Sabonis would pass on a guy like Fleming.

Any folks out there that are more familiar with this draft class that can weigh in and help explain or justify the reasoning of passing on him?

I think the biggest concern is that the uptick in his shooting this past college season could just be a blip and not indicative of sustainable improvement that will translate. Also, his handle is pretty bad.