Event 2025 NBA DRAFT LOTTERY, COMBINE, AND DRAFT

UGH! this stings. We were so close to getting Flagg!

The Dallas Mavericks winning draft lottery combination was 10-14-11-7. The Blazers had 10-14-11-6.

 

This tape looks BAD...

 

the 7'.5" wing span ain't bad either

 

The biggest riser post-combine — he could go lotto.

Royce White w/o the crazy.

 

Unless Kon is there at 11, I like the idea of trading down and taking a couple swings.

Atlanta, Brooklyn, Oklahoma City and Orlando all have multiple first round picks below us.

Some combination of Carter Bryant, Drake Powell, Joan Beringer or Cedric Coward would be pretty sweet.

I really like Jase Richardson too, but I think this FO is fully bought in on being a massive defensive oriented team and I'm here for it. I also think Jace has some star outcomes that I don't think he'd be able to realize in Portland.

First version of this post had Essengue as one of the guys I'd stick at 11 for but I'm more so intrigued by him rather than completely sold.

 

Some people really like Carter Bryant and I have no doubt he can be a good role player but it seems like an aim low pick at 11.

I heard a lot of good things about Coward. Would love to get the Magic pick and maybe get him there.

 

What I'm currently fantasizing about is this type of draft outcome:

If Portland can trade Simons to Orlando for #16 + salary:

16 goes to Brooklyn for #19 + 27 + 36 (they have a crap ton of picks this summer & will want to move up)
19 goes to Chicago for the future pick owed being returned.


At #11 - Noa (I'm sold on him being the best prospect in the late lotto)
At #27 - Powell or Thiero (Defensive athletic freak, with offensive upside potential)
At #36 - Yang or Zikarsky (Young developmental C on a 2-way contract)

 

Dallas isn’t trading 1 but because their was such a shake up I’m wondering if there’s a chance one of those teams might want a win now player and do we even have anything that would make sense for one of those teams. Team like Philly would benefit from player that could win now, trade this years, additional first rounder for this years 2nd pick and player.

Long shot but thinking outside the box

 

There's plenty of room for optimism. For reference, let's take a look at various previous drafts, starting from 17 years ago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_NBA_draft

Go ahead and click every year.

You'll find there is practically always an All-Star AND a borderline All-Star found from #7-14, which I define as a borderline star as a 17ppg starter or sixth man type (ex. OG, Aaron Gordon). Sometimes, you may even get two All-Stars in that range.

I think the borderline star is Noa Essengue but I'm not sure who an All-Star could be. Maybe Jaku? 85% FT means his 3pt should become steady in the NBA. I would've said Jase but it seems that he's quite short that I would be surprised if he could be an All-Star, at that height.

Portland should do Noa Essengue and trade Simons for Black+16+25 to target leftovers (ex. Jase, Demin) and high potential guys (ex. Yaxel, Avdalas, Rasheer).

 

Yeah he plays really strong in the paint too. I really think he'd be a great small ball 5 who depending on development could be a nice piece to have with Clingan.

Also no one has this dude close to our pick so we'd probably be able to trade back and get a second FRP or some other kind of value and still pick Fleming.

 

I really like the Demin kid from BYU. While shooting percentage wasn’t good he has great size for a pg. kind of guy I’d take a chance on if he’s around at 11

 

So I have 4 really good friends of mine at the combine right now.
I had heard a rumor and hollered at them if it was true or not.
A player during their height measurements got popped for having their shoe liners INSIDE their socks. What are those things called, you slide them in the shoes so they are more comfortable? This dude was trying to get an extra 2 inches in! Props for trying right?

 

He’s getting top-10 buzz.

I really don’t think he’ll be there at #11

 

Queen finished almost dead last in EVERY single athletic category! And did horribly in the shooting drills

 

Insoles

I'd move him up the draft board for being innovative!

 

That’s exactly why you don’t tank. In addition to it being a form of cheating, the results are not guaranteed.

 

On this episode of Kenobi!

 

Lifts are I believe the term. Insoles are just cushioning, I wear them in my sneakers for walking because my 70 year old feet need a bit of cushion for daily five mile walk. They don't make me look taller.