On Monday, May 12th the ping pong balls will bounce and fans from 14 NBA teams will collectively hold their breath to see if their team has won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery and the right to select Duke superstar Cooper Flagg. Once the draft order is set I’ll take a closer look at how the prospects fit with each team in their draft range but for now I’ve run a simulated lottery, with the Charlotte Hornets winning the top choice and the Dallas Mavericks flying up 10 spots to claim the no.2 overall pick! Here we go:
Simulated Lottery Results
- Charlotte Hornets – Cooper Flagg – SF/PF – Duke
- Flagg will be drafted at no.1 no matter which team is selecting in the top spot. The Hornets have a good thing going with a young core of LaMelo and B.Miller but could really use the two-way talents of Cooper Flagg. If the ping pong balls bounce this way the league might not be happy, preferring to see Flagg in a bigger market, but Hornets fans would be overjoyed.
- Dallas Mavericks – Dylan Harper – PG/SG – Rutgers
- For a team that inexplicably traded away their young franchise cornerstone this would be a welcomed lucky bounce of the lottery balls. Adding Dylan Harper to the now depleted backcourt would bring some consolation to Mavs fans who had to watch an inept front office throw away their bright future. Harper is a special talent who looks very NBA ready and should be a force in the league from day one. He’s a near lock to go no.2 on draft night.
- San Antonio Spurs – Ace Bailey – SF – Rutgers
- The Spurs jump a few spots in this sim lottery and land an elite upside talent, who does come with some question marks and concerns. His shot selection and feel for the game leave some things to be desired but his iso-scoring and shot-making is second to none in this class and he’s a world class athlete as well. The Spurs have their superstar in Wemby and many solid pieces already in place. They can afford to swing for the fences with this pick.
- Philadelphia 76ers – Tre Johnson – SG – Texas
- The 76ers are in position to land a big time talent after a pitiful year marred by injuries and organizational incompetence. With Maxey and McCain in the backcourt an addition to the frontcourt is more of a team need but the top players on the board are guards. Adding Tre Johnson alongside Maxey and McCain would give Philly the most exciting young backcourt in the league and a huge amount of offensive firepower. It’s not the cleanest fit but you can’t draft for need this high in the draft.
- Utah Jazz – VJ Edgecombe – SG – Baylor
- The high flying Edgecombe would bring a new level of speed and athleticism to the Jazz team and would be an interesting backcourt pairing with fellow Baylor Bear Keyonte George. VJ isn’t yet a consistent shot-maker and has some work to do tightening up his handles but his physical tools are elite and his rate of improvement over the past two years has been awesome. Kon Knueppel would also be a great fit here but the upside of VJ might be too much to pass up.
- Washington Wizards – Kon Knueppel – SG – Duke
- The Wizards fall in this sim lottery and miss out on the top talents in the draft but still get a great addition and a nice fit in Kon. With a number of big time athletes already in place on the roster the Wizards add the sharp-shooting Duke star who is an elite floor-spacer and an underrated overall offensive talent.
- New Orleans Pelicans – Jeremiah Fears – PG – Oklahoma
- The Pelicans add one of the most explosive guards in the class in the high-scoring Fears, who had a monster freshman season at Oklahoma. Fears has a great first step and the ability to get into the lane at will, and has a nice feel around the basket. He’s still developing as a shooter but you can’t teach his type of burst and athletic ability. Like all the teams in the lottery the Pelicans would love to land in the top 2 to get Flagg or Harper but if they fall to this point in the lottery there will be some really good consolation prizes.
- Brooklyn Nets – Derek Queen – PF/C – Maryland
- The rebuilding Nets add a key addition up front in the ultra-talented Queen. The burly big man from Maryland has a unique mix of size, quick feet and skill level. He’s not an explosive athlete but his special ball skills and feel for the game more than make up it. The Nets are scheduled to make four first round picks in this draft and will have a chance to reset the roster for years to come. Adding a talent like Derek Queen is a great start.
- Toronto Raptors – Khaman Maluach – C- Duke (South Sudan)
- The Raptors could use help at the center position and Maluach seems like a Masai Ujiri type of pick. There has been some question about Maluach’s immigration status but assuming everything is clear on that front he’s looking like a solid mid to late lottery selection. He’s got unique size and mobility, moves his feet incredibly well for a 7-2 player and has a massive impact on the defensive end, even if it doesn’t always show up as blocks or steals. He’ll have to get tougher on the boards and continue to grow his offensive skill-set but he’s got plenty of time to develop.
- Houston Rockets (from Suns) – Carter Bryant – SF – Arizona
- I know I’m higher on Bryant than most but I think he can be a top 10 pick and would be a really nice addition to this Rockets roster. They can afford to swing for the upside here and could use Bryant’s sweet-shooting ability on the wing.
- Portland Trailblazers – Collin Murray-Boyles – PF – South Carolina
- CMB is a polarizing prospect as an undersized big man who doesn’t shoot the ball particularly well (I’m not doing a good job of selling this pick!). But he’s a hugely impactful defender with great versatility on that end and is a high feel player and good passer on offense (hence the Draymond Green comparisons). The Blazers are a team on the rise and will get to add another solid piece to the rotation with this late lottery selection.
- Miami Heat – Kasparas Jakucionis – PG – Illinois (Lithuania)
- The Heat are a franchise in the midst of some change. With two first round picks including this late lottery pick they’ll have a chance to add some new juice to the roster. If Jaku falls to this spot he’d be a steal and a great fit for the Heat. He garnered a lot of top 7 buzz earlier in the season but fell off a bit over the second half. Still, he’s got all the talent in the world, is a very high level play-maker and the type of offensive engine at the point guard position that has a lot of value in the league.
- Chicago Bulls – Noa Essengue – SF/PF – France
- Essengue seems to have a wide draft range. His upside is right up there with the best players in this class and when we look back at this draft in 10 years he might have out-played his draft position. The Bulls have a solid young core and would do well to add a versatile defender and athlete like Essengue.
- Atlanta Hawks (from Kings) – Jase Richardson – PG/SG – Michigan State
- Richardson was quietly one of the best and most efficient guards in the country this past season. He doesn’t have elite measurables or above the rim ability but he’s such a heady player, is incredibly efficient with his touches and always seems to make the right play and be in the right place. He played himself into the mid/late lottery range and would be a nice addition to the Hawks backcourt.
Thanks for reading!