Event 2025 NBA DRAFT LOTTERY, COMBINE, AND DRAFT

Essengue very raw.

 

Are we better off trading the pick for someone proven?

 

It depends on what you mean by proven. I don't think the 11th pick by itself gets you a guy who is a proven starting level player in the NBA and I don't think we're close to good enough yet to stop swinging for the fences. Now if it's Ant, pick 11 and a future FRP for a guy like Jaren Jackson Jr (would have just typed JJJ but people have been using that one lately for Jaime Jaquez Jr.) then hell yeah trade that pick, another one and one of our guys for someone proven on that level.

I don't think we can afford to go for any bunt singles right now. We can't try for a liner down third that could be a single, double or tripple. I think we have to still be trying to hit that home run and if we're not it will be discouraging. Guys that could be available at 11 from Demin, to Essengue, to Bryant, to Newell, to Jakucionis and several more all have all star upside, so if you trade out it better be for a guy who is either an all star or still has a conceivable path to that level of play, not a proven role player with no more upside.

 

Plus, whoever we would trade 11 for would need to start; otherwise, what's the point?
It seems like most fans on the board want to see Scoot, Sharpe, Deni, Camara, and Clingan start and get experience. Personally, I don't care if they start as long as they get their minutes, but I would prefer not to have to listen to all the whining for another year if they don't.

So yeah, if we can trade 11 for someone better than those 5, go for it.

 

They'd need to be better either by a considerable margin or still have as much room for improvement that all 5 of those guys have.

I will say the thing that troubles me a lot more than making the wrong pick or trading it for the wrong guy is the fact that as it stands I can definitely see three out of the five guys you listed coming off the bench behind Ant, Jerami and Ayton. None of that sit well with me but Ayton is the one I could most easily stomach.

If Ant is still taking minutes, usage and in Shaedon's case confidence away from our young guards I'm going to be pissed. I guess Jerami could fit into a three forward lineup with Tou and Deni but I doubt I'll be happy with him on our roster but maybe he'll shock me.

I think there is zero chance that Ant's role changes... and I think there is close to the same chance that Jerami's does if they're here, which means ball stopping and half assing. Those two have got to go. It's partly on them but more so on Chauncey for allowing those two to be the exceptions to his rules about ball and player movement on offense and in Ant's case an emphasis on D.

 

I agree with you on Ayton. I think he needs to start if the other 4 I listed also start. We would need his offense in that scenario.

Regarding keeping #11, I do wonder if their decision on who to draft will be based on what they are hearing in their trade talks with other teams involving Grant. For example, if they have tried to move him and have not had success because of his contract, then maybe they lean towards a guard? If they feel pretty confident that they can move him, then they can choose any prospect they like best.

I know everyone says "BPA", but it seems clear that no one thinks there is a clear favorite at 11. (unless someone surprisingly slips)

 

It's funny because I think the same way about Ant as you do about Jerami. I think the only reason we might pass on getting one of those big PGs Jakucionis or Demin is because we'll already have a logjam at our guard spots.

It's just really frustrating that we haven't moved either one of those two when it should be both of them gone. Regardless of who we draft or trade for until Ant and/or Jerami are gone I'm no longer getting my hopes up. Regardless of if it's Olshey or Cronin our GMs haven't been able to get the shit done that needs to get done for a long time now.

 

Around the league fanatics consider Grant a horrible contract; one of the worst 10 in the league. Hard to believe rival GMs are going to bite on him. Ant is tradable. Ayton doubtful. Maybe at the deadline a team would need DA or JG?

 

There doesn't need to be a consensus. Just pick whoever Schmidt thinks has the best chance to have the best NBA career.

 

Actually, I was going to include Ant in my previous post, but then changed it to only include Grant for the simple reason that Ant is on an ending contract, and much easier to move......... if they choose to.

 

Sure, but this is not Jordan vs Bowie or Durant vs Oden. If we can't get rid of Grant, then are you going to be happy not giving the rookie forward minutes next year? I would have no problem letting the rook sit, but many on this board would go ballistic.

 

We kind of screwed up our tanking chances this season. Probably have to try to win. So if Grant is better than the rookie you start Grant.

Grant will probably start anyway.

 

Last year’s draft was the time to trade Grant.

Zero value — assets would have to be attached now.

 

All I was saying was that if you have Grant and Deni, and Tou long term, it might affect their decision on who to draft. Not saying it should, just wonder if it might. And only they really know because they are the ones who have talked to other teams about Grant.

Of course, if they like Coward, who can play either guard or forward, then it is a moot point.

 

Probably.

 

DING DING DING

 

On the Bill Simmons' podcast, they made a long segment on contracts and Jeremi Grant was used as a baseline for good/bad contract. Zach Lowe seemed to think that he could have a little bit of value.

 

No one would have traded for him last year either for the same reason they won't today... hell, the awful contract had another year on it. The mistake was signing him to the contract initially end of story. It still makes me smhl that some posters were so far gone into their pretend time fantasies that they thought the reason Grant wasn't being dealt was that management was holding out for multiple FRPs.

STOMP

 

No, I don't think so. There will be somebody very good available at #11, you just have to get it right. Whereas if you trade for somebody proven, the price is much steeper (see Bane - Nique Clifford might be as good as him and then the Griz have, what, 4 more draft picks after that?)