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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nets 2025 NBA draft big board 6.0: Best players at pick No. 8
The Brooklyn Nets came away from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with the eighth overall pick, something that the franchise was hoping wouldn't happen heading into the event. However, Brooklyn went into the Lottery knowing that they could have come away from the Lottery with a less-than-ideal pick and now, they have to move forward with different plans for who to use that pick on. The Nets had ideas of getting lucky enough to get the first overall pick, giving them the ability to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg, but that outcome did not come to fruition. Be that as it may, the 2025 class still has some players after Flagg that have the potential to become impact players at the next level and Brooklyn has to make sure that it does its homework. Advertisement This will be the first time since 2023 that the Nets will have multiple first-round picks in the same draft so they have a chance of adding multiple players that can fit into the framework of the team's current rebuild. Here are five players that would be a good fit for Brooklyn at the eighth overall pick, assuming that they are unable to trade the pick in an effort to move up: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke Mar 29, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) dunks the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Grant Nelson (4) during the second half in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Maluach, listed at 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, had a promising freshman season that rightfully made many around the NBA excited about what he could do at the next level thanks to his size and shot-blocking ability. Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71.2% from the field and 76.6% from the free-throw line, but he had the worst game of his first season at Duke at the worst time. Advertisement Maluach, who Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compares to Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, showed all of the weaknesses of his profile in the NCAA Semifinals against the Houston Cougars as he put up just six points and one block in 21 minutes played. Maluach disappeared against a physical, veteran Houston team and while Maluach showed plenty of promise that will not take him out of the top-10, the hope is that he wouldn't have lows like that in the NBA. Ben Couch writes: "Long, mobile and already a defensive deterrent. If the offense elevates beyond rim-rolling, opponents could be in trouble." Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Xavier guard Dailyn Swain (3) guards Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) during the second half of their first round NCAA men' s basketball tournament game at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jovanny Hernandez/USA Today Network via Imagn Images Jakucionis, listed at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, could be attractive to the Nets on the basis of being a bigger guard that is able to handle the ball and make things happen for himself and his teammates. During his freshman season at Illinois, Jakucionis displayed his ability to play through contact and use his size to his advantage, especially in terms of scoring and passing. Advertisement Jakucionis, who Wasserman compares to Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, will eventually have to prove that he can effectively run an offense as the point guard or show enough versatility to be a combo guard. If Jakucionis is able to continue bulking up to the point that allows him to finish through contact at the rim better, he could be a player that poses constant matchup issues for opposing teams. Couch writes: "Dimes will be dropped, with the accuracy of his 3-pointer ultimately determining how much space he'll have to operate." Derik Queen, C, Maryland Maryland Terrapins center Derik Queen (25) handles the ball during the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland on March 8, 2025. Queen, listed at 6-foot-10 and 246 pounds, showed plenty of promise towards the end of the NCAA regular season and boosted his stock significantly with what he did during conference tournament time and the NCAA Tournament. What would make a selection of Queen interesting is how the Nets foresee him fitting alongside starting center Nic Claxton, who will be entering the second year of his four-year, $97 million contract next season. Advertisement Queen, who Wasserman compares to Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, has plenty of tools in his arsenal when it comes to his ability to score, especially at the basket and through his face-up game in the post. However, it seems like Queen came away from the Combine with less regard for his skillset given the fact that his overall athleticism is worse in terms of numbers that it looks on tape. Couch writes: "Skilled and gifted with the ball in his hands, offense won't ever be the issue if he's given the reps to take the keys." Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina Mar 1, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) celebrates a play against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images Murray-Boyles, listed at 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds, is one of the more interesting prospects in the Draft given that his position in the NBA will most likely have to be as an undersized power forward that has some issues shooting the ball from deep. What Murray-Boyles brings to the table on Day 1 is his ability to get into the paint and score at the rim through contact thanks to his frame and strength. Advertisement Murray-Boyles, who Wasserman compares to Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, has a chance to be a really good NBA player if he is able to improve on his three-point shooting stroke enough to ensure that he can play next to a center that isn't a shooter. From the beginning, it seems like Murray-Boyles will be able to contribute through his face-up game in the post and his ability to drive to the rim and finish through contact. Couch writes: "A stout defender who will need the size to play up (and the shot to fall) for his full potential to be achieved." Carter Bryant, F, Arizona Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Carter Bryant (9) dribbles the ball against Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Bryant is an interesting prospect given that his profile is a guy with plenty of upside for what he can do at the next level while not being able to show much of that during his freshman season at Arizona. Bryant, listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, appears to have the typical size and athleticism for a player who can make a career in the NBA as a wing who shoots threes and plays solid defense. Advertisement Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.1% from three-point land in 37 games for the Wildcats. However, he started in just five of those games for Arizona and he played just 19.3 minutes per game, showing that while he has the profile to indicate he could be more in the NBA, he also didn't play much for a Wildcats team that made it to the Sweet 16 before losing to the Duke Blue Devils. Couch writes: "The defense is there, but low usage leaves many questions about his offensive profile." This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets 2025 NBA draft big board 6.0: Best players at pick No. 8
New York Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
What I'm hearing about the Wizards' strategy for the NBA Draft and their rebuild
WASHINGTON — In the immediate aftermath of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, several executives and scouts from front offices across the league expressed to me a profound empathy, rather than schadenfreude, for the Washington Wizards. The Wizards finished the regular season with the league's second-worst record, and the lottery netted them the worst possible outcome: the sixth pick in the draft. Never mind that being assigned the No. 6 pick was the second-most likely potential result for Washington, at 20 percent; if ever a franchise needed luck, it was the Wizards. In the words of one executive from a rival team, the Wizards' falling to sixth instead of getting the first or second pick 'set them back years.' Advertisement Now is an ideal time to re-evaluate where Washington's rebuild stands. The post-lottery emotions have mostly subsided, allowing a more clear-eyed, less melodramatic perspective. The draft looms next week, on June 25 and 26. Will Wizards officials change their roster-construction plan? How much longer will the team remain at, or near, the bottom of the NBA standings? And, perhaps most pressing of all, did the lottery result — so soul-crushing to many of the team's fans, so empathy-inducing to rival teams' employees — really set the Wizards back years? I think the most accurate conclusion to draw is that drafting sixth will prevent Washington from expediting what already had been a lengthy, deliberate timeline. If the evaluation of this draft class by The Athletic's NBA Draft analyst Sam Vecenie is accurate — that Cooper Flagg is a future All-NBA player, that Dylan Harper sits alone in second tier as a future All-Star or high-level starter and that the third tier of four or five players are merely high-leverage starters — then it will be difficult in this draft for Washington to add the star it covets. Not impossible, but difficult. To put it another way: drafting Flagg or Harper would have given the Wizards their clearest, cleanest opportunity so far in their rebuild to draft someone who will be a future star. Over the last two years, Washington has added, either through the draft or via trade, a large number of young prospects, led by Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George and AJ Johnson. Wizards officials value bites at the apple. The team has attempted to obtain as many promising young players and future draft picks as possible and will continue to do so. The goal is to develop those youngsters to their potential and give them opportunities to play early in their careers. Advertisement It would be a mistake to label the Wizards' plan as solely hoping for lottery luck. Optimizing the team's lottery odds is an important component, and will remain so at least through the 2025-26 season. But the team's brass has prioritized adding prospects it likes wherever those prospects land in the draft. The Wizards traded Deni Avdija last June primarily to add two first-round picks, one of whom was Carrington at No. 14. George went 24th. Johnson was drafted 23rd months before Washington acquired him from the Milwaukee Bucks and Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma. A danger always has been that, despite taking lots of bites at the apple, Washington could wind up with a group of merely good players, with none of them transcendent enough to truly drive winning. This is why it's so important for a rebuilding team to land an early pick in a draft that has difference-makers at the top. If evaluated properly, those most-prized prospects are the most likely players to become future stars. The Wizards' most encouraging news about Coulibaly, Sarr, Carrington and George is that none of them figure to be busts, and that's a sign that the team has improved its scouting since Michael Winger was hired as Monumental Basketball president, Will Dawkins was hired as the Wizards' general manager and Travis Schlenk joined the organization as its senior vice president for player personnel. For instance, even if Coulibaly does not pan out on offense as a shooter and playmaker, he at least has shown more than enough signs that he will become a high-level defender. (I've omitted Johnson as a non-bust only because he amassed 595 minutes of playing time since his trade from the Bucks to the Wizards, which I regard as too little time to make a definitive judgment.) So far, none of the Wizards' current young players have shown that they will become stars. But a lack of clarity is to be expected from this group of youngsters. They're still super early in their careers, and none of them entered their drafts as elite prospects in the way that Flagg or even Harper are regarded. Keep in mind that Coulibaly is only 20 and that he had compiled a minimal amount of experience before his 2023 draft. Sarr and Carrington are even younger than Coulibaly. Carrington and George each played only one year in college. It will take them time to develop. The Wizards' front office would counter that, after a few more years, even without a future star, it should be able to amass enough good young players to take a route similar to the Houston Rockets' recent roster-construction strategy. The Rockets, it can be argued, did not draft a superstar in their current iteration (although center Alperen Şengün, drafted in the middle of 2021's first round, finished 16th in the 2024-25 season's All-NBA voting, just barely missing out on the third team), but have a young core headlined by Şengün, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson. The Rockets took a step forward by hiring a top coach, Ime Udoka, and adding capable veterans such as Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Stephen Adams and Jeff Green to supplement the young core. Advertisement The Rockets made their own luck in part by maintaining enough cap flexibility to have the wherewithal to add those veterans. The Wizards' decision-makers intend to have enough flexibility and future draft picks a few years down the line to supplement their young nucleus, either through signings or trades. A challenge for the Wizards' front office and coaching staff in the years ahead will be to accurately evaluate their players — and do so before rival teams make accurate determinations and, if necessary, augment the core through trades. While fans may say that a team correctly evaluating its players should be easy, there are cautionary examples from recent years to suggest otherwise. Tyrese Haliburton and Dyson Daniels are examples of mid- to late-lottery picks who were traded early in their careers by the teams that drafted them and subsequently ascended to much higher levels. A team source told The Athletic that the front office plans to continue to evaluate its players through at least the end of the 2027-28 season, which would be the second season for Washington's 2026 first-round pick. Although team officials could alter their young nucleus before the 2028-29 season, the lengthy timeline is a sign that team officials intend to give young players time to develop and that team officials intend to evaluate those young players thoroughly. If the evaluation period continues through the 2028-29 season, that would give Wizards officials four full seasons from now to make progress on another aspect of their plan: enhancing the franchise's appeal to players in the league. As shown in The Athletic's 2025 NBA player poll, in which the Wizards ranked second among players' choices for the league's worst organization, the franchise still has a lot of work to do. But within four years, all renovations to Capital One Arena will be completed, and the team likely will have moved into a brand-new practice facility within Washington's city limits. Still, even though team officials are taking a long-term approach, there's no question that the upcoming draft is a key one. It would not be a surprise if Winger and Dawkins attempt to move up in the draft to select a prospect they like. Two years ago, the Wizards moved up one spot for Coulibaly. Last year, they traded Avdija to give them a chance to draft Carrington at 14. Also, last year, the Wizards traded up two spots to grab George at 24. In addition to this year's sixth pick, Washington holds the 18th and 40th picks. Advertisement A team source said the Wizards' draft board is similar to Vecenie's. In Vecenie's third tier of 'high-leverage starters,' he has identified four players: Duke wing Kon Knueppel, Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, Texas wing Tre Johnson and Rutgers wing Ace Bailey. In their third tier, the source said, the Wizards likely have six players, listed here in alphabetical order: Bailey, Edgecombe, Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears, Johnson, Knueppel and Duke big man Khaman Maluach. Another key, of course, will be the 2026 draft, which is said to be deeper at the top than this year's draft. The 2026 draft is the final year that the Wizards could convey a first-round pick as part of the 2020 trade that brought Russell Westbrook to Washington. The Wizards will keep that first-round pick next year if it lands in the top eight. To guarantee that Washington retains that pick, Washington would have to finish the 2025-26 regular season with one of the league's four worst records, because the fourth-worst team in any given season can fall in the lottery to no worse than the eighth pick. The fifth-worst team would have a 0.6 percent chance of falling to ninth. The sixth-worst team would have a 3.7 percent chance of dropping to ninth and a 0.15 percent chance of dropping to 10th. Given the importance to the Wizards of retaining their 2026 first-round pick, it's very difficult to imagine any scenario in which the team risks losing that pick. All indications will be that Washington's rebuild will remain a patient one. The team's plan has not changed. (Top photo of Bilal Coulibaly and Jerami Grant: Geoff Burke / Imagn Images)
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL Draft at risk as LA protests intensify with civil unrest looming, as both Peacock Theater and LA Live are both within the curfew boundary
Detailed view of the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery set at NHL Network Studio (Credit: Getty Image) With the NHL Draft just 16 days away, fans are expressing growing concern over its status as civil unrest in Los Angeles continues to escalate. The protests, sparked by political dissent and ongoing immigration policy backlash, have prompted citywide curfews, some of which fall over the exact zone where the NHL Draft is supposed to unfold. The Peacock Theater and LA Live, central venues for the event, lie directly within these restricted boundaries. Growing safety concerns leave draft in limbo The NHL has yet to formally cancel or move the Draft, but reports from insiders like Frank Seravalli confirm that the league is watching the situation closely. This year's event was supposed to be historic, the first decentralized NHL Draft outside of the pandemic format, with teams operating remotely from home markets. The top 100 prospects, however, are still scheduled to appear live in Los Angeles. The stakes are high for players and teams alike. Prospects have trained and waited for this moment, and fans have invested time and travel to witness the event. But with curfews in place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and major venues directly affected, the experience is already under threat. The atmosphere in LA is anything but celebratory, and safety is now the top concern. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No dark spots, 10 years younger! Just take this from Watsons URUHIME MOMOKO Learn More Undo NHL fans brace for possible last-minute pivot For many NHL fans, the Draft is a highlight of the off-season. With the New York Islanders holding the first overall pick after a dramatic lottery win, the excitement was palpable. The San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Utah Mammoth follow closely in the draft order, and the event promised to showcase the league's next generation of talent. Read more: NHL sexual assault trial takes turn as lawyers argue alleged victim lied under oath to get 3.5 million While the NHL remains silent for now, fans are calling for transparency. The longer the silence, the louder the unrest, not just in the streets of LA, but in the hearts of hockey fans everywhere.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: Nets may trade Cam Johnson and 19th pick to get Lottery pick
The Brooklyn Nets came away from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery hoping to get the first overall pick that would allow them to take Duke forward Cooper Flagg to begin their rebuild with a hot start. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, they came away from the Lottery with the eighth overall pick, but it looks like they are trying to take the Draft into their own hands. Per NetsDaily on Wednesday via X, the Nets "may want to move up from #19 to the lottery, offering CamJ and #19 to Raptors or Rockets for either Raps 9th or Rockets 10th plus a bad contract." Since the Lottery passed, there has been consistent reporting alluding to the possibility of Brooklyn trying to shake things up by either using their best pick to move up or by getting another Lottery pick. Advertisement "That would give Nets two picks in top 10 (presupposing neither team would need picks for Giannis trade.)," NetsDaily's post continued. Nets forward Cam Johnson has been consistently brought up in trade rumors ever since last offseason when the Nets began their rebuild by trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in exchange for draft picks, but it seems like these reports about Brooklyn and the Draft are increasing in frequency. Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported in May that "there is a sentiment around the league the Nets could look to land a second lottery pick by consolidating and packaging some combination of Johnson, those picks at the end of the first round and/or future draft capital." This report followed one by NBA insider Jake Fischer in which the belief among rival teams is that the Nets are going to attempt to trade up in the Draft. When it comes to the term "bad contract," it will be interesting to see what that means for either the Toronto Raptors, who have the ninth overall pick, or the Houston Rockets, who have the 10th overall pick. Johnson, who is slated to make $20.5 million for the 2025-26 season, could potentially get Brooklyn someone like center Jakob Poeltl or forward RJ Barrett from the Raptors or players like forwards Jabari Smith Jr. or Dillon Brooks from the Rockets. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Report: Nets may trade Cam Johnson and 19th pick to get Lottery pick
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Their balls was the chance of what Dallas was this year to get Cooper Flagg" - Gary Payton on why he wasn't surprised with Mavericks winning 2025 Draft Lottery
The Dallas Mavericks winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery remains controversial, with most saying there was more to it than the lucky bounce of the balls. But according to Gary Payton, the same thing happened to the Seattle SuperSonics the year they drafted him No.2 overall. The legendary guard shared his story on the "Club 520 Podcast," fueling the ongoing "the NBA Draft is rigged" narrative. Advertisement "They didn't have a chance to get me at all. Then all of a sudden, they fool around and didn't make the playoffs and then got in the lottery. And their balls was the chance of what Dallas was this year to get Cooper Flagg," said Payton. The Sonics moved up eight spots in 1990 The Sonics began scouting Payton in 1989 and felt that he was the perfect point guard for then-rising star Shawn Kemp. Their head coach, Bernie Bickerstaff, told Kemp about him and the latter started following him, too. Once the high-flying forward gave the green light, Seattle started tanking. Coming off three straight playoff appearances, the Sonics finished the 1989-90 season with a 41-41 record — 6-8 in their last 14 games. They entered the 1990 NBA Draft Lottery with only 3.0 percent odds to win the No.1 pick. Advertisement However, when the ping-pong balls were drawn, Seattle moved up eight spots to earn the second overall pick. The New Jersey Nets picked Derrick Coleman at No.1, while Payton went to the Sonics. Winning Cooper Flagg sweepstakes Meanwhile, the Mavericks finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 39-43 record, thanks mostly to injuries to Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. Dallas had a smaller 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery. However, they moved 10 spots to land the No.1 overall pick and earned the right to draft Duke forward Cooper Flagg months after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Advertisement The NBA world is still baffled by this development. Not GP, though. "Hey, it happens, man," he continued. "They crucified my boy Nico because he traded Luka. But all of a sudden, the bad luck went even worse when they laid all them injuries and then all of a sudden, big bang bang, didn't go long, I went to one of them old crazy liquor stores, paid $10, and got a lottery ticket. And what I do? I hit for that billion, you feel me? And got the boy. And got the boy boy." Many have suggested that Dallas could trade the No.1 pick for an established star who would fit better with AD and Irving's timelines. However, it's hard to imagine Nico Harrison doing something like that after he was rewarded with the opportunity to regain some of the Mavericks fans' trust. Flagg will most likely become a Maverick. Harrison will most likely keep his job. And the Draft Lottery will most likely surprise us again in the future. Advertisement Does that mean that the process is rigged? Those who aren't convinced by now will likely never be. Related: Gary Payton admits he made mistakes when teaching his son how to play basketball: "I was thinking about myself, how I played, and I wanted him to play that way"
