The Toronto Raptors 2025 NBA draft roundtable – Part II
Welcome to Part II.
A few administrative tasks before we begin.
If you did not read Part I of the roundtable, do so.
If you want to get a bit more familiar with this year’s draft prospects. Check out all the great work Samson Folk, Trevon Heath, and Brendan Stewart have been doing.
For example:
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Let’s getit.
Okay, the draft.
I want to know your dark arts. How do you assess what the Toronto Raptors, or any team for that matter, need? Do you look at macro-trends from the regular season or playoffs? Do you just consider maximum talent? Or roster construction? Potential upside? Lack of downside? Gimme the goods.
BRENDAN
You need to look at what championship teams have. Reliable shooting, two-way role-players, rolling ten-men deep, affordable contracts, and shot creation (ideally from your stars) [I feel this wholly].
First-rounders have the potential to provide those skills on affordable contracts, which emphasizes the importance of hitting your picks. I think there’s a need in every area, but at this point in the draft, focus on finding multi-talented players who can give you production from different areas of the floor.
Shot not falling? Not a problem when the prospect is a good defender or playmaker (or both). Or, knows how to create advantages for himself or others.
Try not to zero in on players who may boast impressive physicals but show no skills on the court.
COTY
My philosophy always comes down to who is the best player available or who you think can become the best player available.
It’s obviously important to take into account everything: what a potential need is on your squad, which direction the league is going, and which direction your team is going.
For Toronto, which isn’t necessarily competing for championships in the next couple of years, I think they’re likelier to swing on upside than settle for a safe option.
ES
The draft is about intel.
All these players can play (mostly); they all provide a certain set of skills that can be molded, but so much of the draft is about information on the players. What are their tendencies? How do they respond to stress? How do they react to adverse situations? What are their problem-solving skills? What is their work ethic like?
It seems incredibly superficial, but these qualities distinguish between finding a gem and drafting a bust.
IAN
Not going to pretend to be a draft guy, but I believe in taking the best-available player no matter what.
The Raptors need much more talent on the roster before worrying about fit. It’s not like they don’t have plenty of needs: live-dribble creator, [mean-bastard] wing defender, backup big, even more shooting, and on and on.
LOU
If anything, Masai Ujiri has demonstrated, since 2020, that he doesn’t care about fit. The man went seasons without a center. Seasons!
I imagine the Raptors are drafting entirely based on maximum talent. If that means another big wing…so be it…
[Lou going full positionless Palpatine…
]
Alright, you’re part of the scouting team. You’ve been asked to provide three to five of your favourite guys who are available at the ninth spot. Who are they?
And, in five words or phrases, why do you love them (For example: Steve Nash – hard-nosed, pass-first, nails-from-three, parties hard, went to my junior high)?
[All hyperlinked names have Raptor Republic analyses]
BRENDAN
Cedric Coward – Huge upside, athletic all-rounder.
Jeremiah Fears – Quick-twitch, rim-pressuring guard.
Kasparas Jakucionis – Big, creative, floor-commanding, leader.
Noa Essengue – Long, fast, young, foul-drawing machine.
Thomas Sorber – Versatile, elite-defending, high-IQ playmaker.
COTY
Asa Newell – Springy, versatile, moves well, untapped potential as a shooter, weak-side rim protection.
Carter Bryant (x2) – Exceptional all-around athlete, 3-and-D defensive disruptor, hard-worker with upside.
Khaman Maluach – Long, massive, vertical-spacer, rim protector.
ES
Derik Queen – Brilliant passing big man who will shine in the Raptors’ offensive system.
Carter Bryant – A prototypical 3-and-D wing with promise to be something more.
Jeremiah Fears – A bolt-of-lightning point guard with star upside.
IAN
Again, not a draft guy, but have been paying some attention.
Carter Bryant – Versatile wing defender, crazy athletic, nice jumper at six-foot-seven, and dunks!
Colin Murray-Boyles – funky, rumbles to the rim, weighted-blanket [what a descriptor!] isolation-defender, off-ball defensive playmaker, prototypical Raptors pick.
Derik Queen – Unique offensive skillset, elite footwork, skip-passer out of the post (that second-round buzzer-beater against Colorado State, ooowweee!).
Jeremiah Fears – Live-dribble creator, paint toucher with handle, burst, and exciting guard play.
Nolan Traore – Comfortable in the meaty middle while playing against grown men at eighteen, good assist:turnover ratio, calm and controlled pick n’ roll ball-handler with good size (six-foot-five).
LOU
I’m not much of a draft guy, and I get all my intel from Samson and Tre [As we all should]. So here’s what I’ve learned so far:
Carter Bryant – Strong, shooter.
Derik Queen – Post, moves, baby!
VJ Edgecombe – Please, fucking drop to nine.
For the diehards, you’ve also been asked to compile three to five favourites for the 39th pick in the draft (acquired by Toronto from the Portland Trailblazers via the Sacramento Kings). In three words or phrases, why do you love them?
BRENDAN
Adou Thiero – Absolute tank.
Kam Jones – Shot-creating combo guard.
Kobe Brea – Flamethrower shooter.
Maxime Raynaud – Ryan Kalkbrenner, but worse.
Ryan Kalkbrenner – Floor-spacer, shot-blocker, 7’1.
COTY
Alex Toohey – Jack-of-all-trades, passes well, fits a role.
Hansen Yang – Massive, rebounds, dimer.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser – Elite athlete, upside, rim-running big.
ES
Hugo Gonzalez – A big European wing with tons of upside.
Ryan Kalkbrenner – A giant, Brook Lopez-type big.
Sion James – A smart, senior, playmaking wing.
IAN
Damn ok, I’ll give it a shot:
Hansen Yang – Sweet passes at seven-foot-two, fleet of foot for his size, put up numbers while playing with grown men at nineteen in the CBA.
Ryan Kalkbrenner – Shoots the three, rim protection, efficient, all-around solid (backup?) big.
Ryan Nembhard – Elite playmaker, great combine-showing, called “arguably the best passer in college basketball,” by Georgia coach Mike White. (I know Canadian homer pick and probably a reach, but can you blame me for having faith in another Nembhard?) []
LOU
Abstention.
Here it is. The draft. The fate of the Raptors’ future is in your hands. You phone in to League Office, what are you reporting in? Who are you drafting? Are you trading it away? Are you moving up or down? Why did you do what you did, huh?
BRENDAN
I’d maybe explore trading down and acquiring another first (Atlanta for thirteen and twenty-two).
I’d look at a combo like Sorber + Traore or Coward + Rasheer Fleming in the first round. That way the Raptors can kind of target multiple positions of need at once with some high-talent swings.
In the second round, go for a veteran at the remaining position of need who projects as a reliable shooter (IE: Kalkbrenner, Jones, Brea).
Obviously, keep an eye out for any draft sliders as well. If (hypothetically) Tre Johnson or Ace Bailey falls to nine you pounce on it.
COTY
I’m drafting Carter Bryant.
With a lot of mouths to feed in Toronto already and questions to be answered, Bryant fits into a low-usage 3-and-D role. He can be used in a multitude of ways defensively while continuing to grow his overall offensive game, with a reliable shot as his baseline.
ES
Suppose Tre Johnson, Jeremiah Fears, or Derik Queen are unavailable at nine. In that case, I’m trading back with the Atlanta Hawks for the thirteenth and twenty-second picks and selecting two of the following: Carter Bryant, Rasheer Fleming, or Cedric Coward. [Looks like you and Brendan have been colluding]
With the 39th pick, I’m selecting Ryan Kalkbrenner.
IAN
I’m drafting, in order, if available: Fears –> CMB–>Bryant–>Traore–>Queen.
Otherwise, I am certainly trading the pick away if it’s part of a package for a certain freak that is Greek. And I would move up to three or four if V.J. Edgecombe was assuredly going to be there.
LOU
If it’s possible – this is a big if! – I’d probably trade down a few slots in exchange for a future first and select Carter Bryant 12th or 15th or somewhere in there.
Big if.
I hand you 10 ounces of mushrooms that enable you to see the future, what do you thinkkkk the Raptors are going to do and why?
BRENDAN
I think the Raptors stay put at nine and thirty-nine, and likely end up taking someone like Maluach or Queen at nine, and then maybe a veteran like Sion James or Chaz Lanier with their second rounder, as they have historically liked to do with those later picks.
COTY
I think they are going to take the best player available, no matter what position. Someone with size and length overall.
Bryant, Maluach, Newell, Jakucionis, and Murray-Boyles all fit the bill.
ES
I think the Raptors will have a hot start to the 2025-2026 season and they’re going to make another big splash trade sometime between now and next summer to add another star-level guy next to Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram.
IAN
Ten ounces! Brother, I’m scared. But I think they stay at nine and the front office makes a savvy selection.
Of course, Giannis would be unbelievable and a draft night trade would bring plenty of intrigue, but we just don’t see them all that often – in general, or with the Raptors.
LOU
Ten ounces? Are you crazy?! I’m not in high school anymore. [Adon shoves me into a locker and makes me eat them.]
[CHEW UP, BUDDY]
Derik Queen.
The mushrooms still haven’t worn off and we just shotgunned a redbull. Give me one crazy prediction for the 2025 NBA draft (Blockbuster trade? Draft stock vault or drop? Shams drinks too much Malibu Rum and can’t death-by-1000-tweets ruin the draft?)?
ADON
An ESPN Markieff and Marcus Morris documentary precedes the draft, where the twins head to Serbia to make amends with Nikola Jokić and his brothers. The entire twelve-minute episode is the lot of them crushing bottles of Rakija and losing thousands on the ponies.
The title, ReMorrisful: The Brothers go Balkan.
BRENDAN
Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to the San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets, baaabbbyyyyyy!
COTY
Giannis is traded for the second overall pick!
ES
The Sixers are going to make some sort of trade that we all laugh about [That doesn’t go without saying?].
IAN
Khaman Maluach drops out of the lottery.
Too boring? How about Nico Harrison trades Cooper Flagg for Defensive Player of the Year, Evan Mobley [Not gonna lie, an Evan Mobley-Anthony Davis front court is sexy AF]. Absurd, but I guess this is what a trippy speedball does to you [Lols. Consider that the premise for next year’s questioning].
LOU
I think Cedric Coward rises into the lottery, Bilal Coulibably style.
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