Update 6/22/25: The Suns trade Kevin Durant to the Rockets and get their own pick back (no.10) along with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and 5 second round round picks (including no.59 this year).
One thing is clear, whoever the Suns draft at no.10 will have to have positional size, length and be a plus defender. Jalen Green and Devin Booker are an exciting backcourt but seriously lacking in size, toughness and defensive intensity. Carter Bryant would be a good fit for the Suns at no.10, or Maybe Collin Murray-Boyles. They could also go big with Maluach or Sorber.
We’ve reached the point in the draft cycle where the rumors and smokescreens are flying and it’s difficult to decipher between fact and fabrication. One day we hear that a certain team is locked in on to a certain player and by the next day the intel has changed. Agents and front offices are filling the air with smoke while keeping their real intentions close to the vest.
This is all typical draft-week behavior. What isn’t so typical is the pre-draft process. being conducted by Ace Bailey and his team. So far the star wing has yet to work out with any teams and is actively trying to steer where he gets drafted. Rumors have it that he prefers to land with a team like the Nets, where he can be a go-to option early in his career.
In my latest mock draft I moved Ace down to no.6 overall to the Wizards, another team where he could step in and be the man. I do think there’s a real chance he still gets drafted at no.3 overall with the Sixers trading down with either Washington or Brooklyn. This would make a lot of sense for all teams involved, with the Sixers picking up more draft capital (or maybe Cam Johnson) and Ace getting to one of his preferred destinations. If the Sixers stay put at no.3 it’s looking more and more likely that VJ Edgecombe will be the pick.
Jeremiah Fears is also generating a lot of draft-week rumors. The Jazz are supposedly high on him and so he could be in play at no.5. The Wizards, Pelicans and Nets at no.6, no.7 and no.8 are also potential landing spots for the dynamic point guard.
The Hawks are intrigued by Duke center Khaman Maluach and could be looking to move up to draft him. If the asking price is too high they could look to one of the other frontcourt players in the late lottery range including Derek Queen, Thomas Sorber and Joan Beringer. Speaking of Beringer, he measured very well at 6-11 barefoot and a 7-4 1/2 wingspan, and is gaining traction as as top 15 pick. I think he can land in the late lottery and it’s hard to imagine the Thunder passing on him at no.15.
Egor Demin seems to have a lot of fans in NBA front offices and might be ranked higher by the league than by draft analysts. He’s got top 10 potential.
It’s hard to know what to do with Noa Essengue. He’s a really intriguing prospect but I have a lot of doubts and concerns as well, especially with his thin frame. Some players just need some time to fill out and get stronger but Noa doesn’t seem to have a frame that’ll add much weight. I think he’ll get pushed around a lot early in his career and might be the type of player that doesn’t provide value until his second contract.
One less talked about prospect who is gaining momentum is Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, who has been killing it in pre-draft workouts and is moving closer to first round territory.
The lack of depth in this draft has been much discussed and the draft really does get weak in the early/mid second round. Some drafts feel like they should have 3 rounds to accommodate all the talent but this draft feels like it should get cut off after 1.5.
A few things to look forward to: In the coming days I’ll publish my final big board along with my 2025 draft range exercise. This is something I started last year, trying to predict the top 20 prospects within a 3 pick range. Last year I got 9 out of 20 right and I’m aiming to do better this year!
Thanks for reading!