2025 NBA Draft Thread

[superjohn]

#2 and a player for Jaylen Brown? Celtics use Harper to replace Jrue. White becomes the SG.

The results of Tatum's MRI will show what the Celtics do going forward. If it's an injury he can come back from and be ready for next season you run it back, if it's a ruptured Achilles you trade Holiday, Porzingis, Horford. I would only trade Jaylen Brown and White if something great came along which would be really difficult in Brown's case because of his monstrous salary.

Tatum and Brown are pretty young but the rest of the team is pretty old now. If Tatum has the dreaded injury many are fearing they forget about next season and try and build a younger team around for when Tatum comes back the following year.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

There's enough ball with Giannis? 429 said if they trade picks it's for a wing. Brown can play 2-3, can be a good defender, rebounds,
can shoot. He was just finals MVP even if bad last night.

Lots of players will be moving this off-season. It's going to be pretty wild.

Well Steph will be traded if Giannis comes, unfortunately that seems to just be a fact.

JB can shoot but for like 3 seasons he has been a bad shooter, and Steph will likely be a bad shooter at least another 2 seasons realistically.

 

[bjc42]

The results of Tatum's MRI will show what the Celtics do going forward. If it's an injury he can come back from and be ready for next season you run it back, if it's a ruptured Achilles you trade Holiday, Porzingis, Holiday. I would only trade Jaylen Brown and White if something great came along which would be really difficult in Brown's case because of his monstrous salary.

Tatum and Brown are pretty young but the rest of the team is pretty old now. If Tatum has the dreaded injury many are fearing they forget about next season and try and build a younger team around for when Tatum comes back the following year.

Holiday needs to be gone so bad that you want to trade him twice

 

[Drame]

Spurs can get a cheap big in the draft and they can all grow together. Queen, Sorber, Maluach

 

[superjohn]

Holiday needs to be gone so bad that you want to trade him twice

Haha, I just noticed that.

I like him a lot. Amazing defender, good shooter, and winning player but he's getting old and slowing down. I meant Horford who is really old. He can still hit the open three but he's really slowed down.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Holiday needs to be gone so bad that you want to trade him twice

Jrue is a nice player. The Celtics have a much better record when he asserts himself and scores more than a dozen points. I feel like in high stress situations they stop looking for him and he stops being assertive. He's definitely not a "problem" aside from what they get for that salary on a team that also has White and Pritchard.

KP, when healthy and playing well is great. But he's not really what they need or ever needed. They need a guy more like Bam Adebayo. A guy who plays D, rebounds, runs the floor and can score at the rim when the D inevitably comes out on all the Boston shooters. I don't want the Celtics 5 standing outside, it leads to horrific rebounding results like we saw last night. In recent years Al was good enough on the defense and rebounding side to be that guy, but he isn't anymore.

 

[bjc42]

Jrue is a nice player. The Celtics have a much better record when he asserts himself and scores more than a dozen points. I feel like in high stress situations they stop looking for him and he stops being assertive. He's definitely not a "problem" aside from what they get for that salary on a team that also has White and Pritchard.

KP, when healthy and playing well is great. But he's not really what they need or ever needed. They need a guy more like Bam Adebayo. A guy who plays D, rebounds, runs the floor and can score at the rim when the D inevitably comes out on all the Boston shooters. I don't want the Celtics 5 standing outside, it leads to horrific rebounding results like we saw last night. In recent years Al was good enough on the defense and rebounding side to be that guy, but he isn't anymore.

Yeah I like Jrue, and I think he is good in clutch situations but it feels like he never gets those chances/shots late in the game. I honestly think that they will trade Kristaps, but beyond that I'm not sure.

 

[gsmooth]

I don't think Giannis is the fit in San Antonio. I do think they'd consider moving the #2 pick. Lots of teams are getting blown up this off season, including Boston. There should be a lot of trade activity, not just for Giannis. Think outside the box, including multi-team trades.

That's what makes NBA team trades and transactions uniquely interesting, IMO. I know the pro soccer leagues offer players on loan, and that's unique, but the NBA is the only league that prominently has multiple teams in a trade scenario. With other sports it's only 2 teams involved in a trade, but with the NBA you can see 3 teams and sometimes 4 teams in a trade with some frequency, if I am not mistaken.

With NBA GMs and front offices it's not just office operations and analytical data crunching that need to be great, but creativity in constructing these multi-team trades.

 

[gtcam]

Flagg is not "slipping".

Now - could the spurs offer a treasure chest to move up and pick Flagg? It'd have to include Castle, who apparently is untouchable according to this board

Some GM could make a crazy arse deal with Dallas to pick someone else #1 instead of Flagg - I understand almost 99% not going to happen but in the business of pro athletics you just never know

 

[HuskyHawk]

Some GM could make a crazy arse deal with Dallas to pick someone else #1 instead of Flagg - I understand almost 99% not going to happen but in the business of pro athletics you just never know

Flagg being a near perfect fit for what Dallas needs really suggests otherwise. Luka with 80% of the offense and 150% of the defense.

 

[navery12]

That's what makes NBA team trades and transactions uniquely interesting, IMO. I know the pro soccer leagues offer players on loan, and that's unique, but the NBA is the only league that prominently has multiple teams in a trade scenario. With other sports it's only 2 teams involved in a trade, but with the NBA you can see 3 teams and sometimes 4 teams in a trade with some frequency, if I am not mistaken.

With NBA GMs and front offices it's not just office operations and analytical data crunching that need to be great, but creativity in constructing these multi-team trades.

It happens a lot with NHL trades as well recently. Since teams can only retain 50% of a salary a lot of the contenders will turn deals into 3 team trades with both teams retaining 50% so they can get good players at 25% of their full salary

 

[HuskyHawk]

As we expected. Celtics blow-up coming soon.

 

[superjohn]

As we expected. Celtics blow-up coming soon.

That stinks. Already underwent surgery? Did they perform the surgery the second the MRI revealed the injury?

 

[aceboon]

surgery in a less than 24 hr turnaround, damn that was fast

 

[Matrim55]

As we expected. Celtics blow-up coming soon.

Send Jrue home to the Clippers. They still can't tank and he fits what they need. Celtics should be able to get a flipppable expiring and maybe a couple of second-rounders back.

Trade Kristaps to the Magic. They badly need anyone who can shoot, and if he's healthy, he's perfect for them. Given he's on an expiring and the East is relatively open, that's a worthwhile risk for them.

Hauser to the Spurs into cap space? Makes a lot of sense for a team that'll need shooters (especially if Vassell is part of the Giannis trade).

And then the big ones... do they trade White or Brown? I mostly doubt it, but wouldn't rule it out entirely.

 

[UconnU]

Objectively, I would draft VJ Edgecomb before I drafted either of the Rutgers kids.

 

[Beowulf]

Some GM could make a crazy arse deal with Dallas to pick someone else #1 instead of Flagg - I understand almost 99% not going to happen but in the business of pro athletics you just never know

Uhhh I don’t think anyone would offer a crazy deal to move to #1 just to draft a guy who is not cooper flagg. Wouldn’t they just offer less to move to 2 to get their guy? I think the only team that could even DREAM about trading up to 1 would be the spurs from 2

Again - I’m not advocating trading Castle. If they want to keep 2 and pick Harper, more power to them. If they want to trade down and pick up someone like Lauri or Cam Johnson in the process and keep Castle, that’s terrific as well. Very hard to mess up having a generational 7’4 center, an established all star PG, a burgeoning young star in Castle, the #2 pick in a two player draft, cap flexibility, and movable enticing contracts

 

[aceboon]

Duke has plenty of wing talent with their freshmen that are returning so it won't really hurt them but I see Coward staying in the draft, he even had Zach Lowe talking about him on his podcast

 

[HuskyHawk]

That stinks. Already underwent surgery? Did they perform the surgery the second the MRI revealed the injury?

surgery in a less than 24 hr turnaround, damn that was fast

Lots of good hospitals and surgeons in Boston or New York. He’s a hyper competitive guy, rarely misses games. I’m sure he wanted to get back as soon as possible so wanted the surgery as soon as possible.

 

[UconnU]

Uhhh I don’t think anyone would offer a crazy deal to move to #1 just to draft a guy who is not cooper flagg. Wouldn’t they just offer less to move to 2 to get their guy? I think the only team that could even DREAM about trading up to 1 would be the spurs from 2

Again - I’m not advocating trading Castle. If they want to keep 2 and pick Harper, more power to them. If they want to trade down and pick up someone like Lauri or Cam Johnson in the process and keep Castle, that’s terrific as well. Very hard to mess up having a generational 7’4 center, an established all star PG, a burgeoning young star in Castle, the #2 pick in a two player draft, cap flexibility, and movable enticing contracts

I think it’s entirely plausible they sell high and package Castle, #2, and a bunch of future picks for Giannis. If Bucks are going into rebuild mode they’re going to want a younger star and the picks they traded for Dame back. Harper isn’t enough of a consultation prize to stick w it.

Not a bad situation for Castle because he gets to continue being showcased. The way he was used last year was circumstantial.

 

[bjc42]

Send Jrue home to the Clippers. They still can't tank and he fits what they need. Celtics should be able to get a flipppable expiring and maybe a couple of second-rounders back.

Trade Kristaps to the Magic. They badly need anyone who can shoot, and if he's healthy, he's perfect for them. Given he's on an expiring and the East is relatively open, that's a worthwhile risk for them.

Hauser to the Spurs into cap space? Makes a lot of sense for a team that'll need shooters (especially if Vassell is part of the Giannis trade).

And then the big ones... do they trade White or Brown? I mostly doubt it, but wouldn't rule it out entirely.

Who would they get back for each of those dudes? destinations make sense but the trade values have to as well.

 

[imno1]

The Spurs may not need a guard but a future backcourt with the size and skills of Castle and Harper would be scary

 

[Huskyforlife]

Duke has plenty of wing talent with their freshmen that are returning so it won't really hurt them but I see Coward staying in the draft, he even had Zach Lowe talking about him on his podcast

I wanted us to target this dude during the Alex debacle. Duke must be sick with how much press he's been getting, same for Kentucky and Oweh.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

They dont need Giannis. All their best guys are super young. Ages 19, 20, 21 and 27. Giannis is on the down slope and gonna get in the way of Wemby. And Giannis is gonna cost 60 mil a year. Better to build a deep young team. What do the Lakers, Phili, Clippers, Phoenix, and Milwaukee all have in common, aging superstars and MVPs who are not in the playoffs anymore.

Luka is 26.

Thats crazy. He's not the spacer. They dont want him hanging out on the perimeter. When youre that tall and athletic you make things happen around the basket

you obviously did not see him play this year!

 

[Matrim55]

Who would they get back for each of those dudes? destinations make sense but the trade values have to as well.

The value they'd be looking for is getting under the apron, and under the tax entirely if possible. So we're not gonna see a ton of picks in return unless they ship out Brown and/or White.

So for Jrue it would be something like Powell's expiring and Jordan Miller's non-guaranteed deal to make the numbers work (they'd then work to try to flip Powell to a team that needs a bench sniper and has cap space), and hopefully a couple of second-rounders.

For Porzingis they could make the numbers work in exchange for Wendell Carter, provided Orlando don't pick up the options on Harris and Howard (which is extremely likely). I doubt picks would change hands with that one.

Add the Hauser move on top of it and they'll have shaved about $42m off their cap hit, which gets them under the first apron. If they find a taker for Powell – at best they'd get a late first for him – then they're all the way under the tax.