While Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN have the Pelicans selecting Duke center Khaman Maluach with the seventh overall pick in their latest mock draft ahead of Wednesday night’s event, there has been some 11th-hour buzz linking New Orleans to Derik Queen, Givony notes.
As Givony explains, new Pelicans executive Troy Weaver has “long-standing connections” to Baltimore- and D.C.-area prospects, and his son was a graduate assistant on Maryland’s coaching staff in 2024/25, so he had an opportunity to scout Queen extensively this past season.
New Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars recently indicated Weaver will play an important role in the team’s draft decisions, lauding the former Pistons GM for his “elite” ability to identify talent.
Here’s more on the 2025 NBA draft, with the first round just hours away:
- After flying across the Atlantic from Germany this week, French forward Noa Essengue initially traveled to Toronto for a “secret” private workout with the Raptors before heading on to New York for the draft, according to Givony. While it may be just a coincidence, when Essengue was asked on Tuesday which players he models his game after, he mentioned three current or former Raptors: Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and Kawhi Leonard (Twitter video link via Erik Slater of ClutchPoints).
- The Nets are signaling that they’re unlikely to move down from the No. 8 pick and aren’t opposed to the idea of using all five of their first-round picks tonight, given how many openings they’ll likely have on their roster, per Givony and Woo. Head coach Jordi Fernandez and Brooklyn’s coaching staff are also considered “friendly to the idea” of developing young talent, ESPN’s duo notes. Still, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link) questions whether this leak is meant to improve the Nets’ leverage in trade talks involving some of those first-rounders.
- The Timberwolves have conveyed an openness to moving the No. 17 overall pick for future assets, depending on which prospects are on the board at that point, Givony reports.
- Like ESPN, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his mock draft on Wednesday. Interestingly, the two sites have the exact same results through the top 13 picks before starting to deviate at No. 14.
I said it before… the idea that there isn’t enough room for this much young talent on the Nets is pretty laughable. I do think they can do a 2 for 1 to move up (3rd pick)… but they can absolutely add 5 good young pieces.
And I’ll reply again: there’s no way Brooklyn can trade 2 picks for the 3 when the wiz have two better picks which they would obviously offer if the 3 is available.
I’m just speculating about the 3rd pick.. but I am dubious about the idea of the Wizards punting their other FRP (they have only 2).
Brooklyn can absolutely make a deal as good or better than Washington if they are willing to return our 27/28 pick in the deal.
Philly planning to go in the tank in the near future..? If so, then that pick could be valuable. 😁
All joking aside, it would not surprise me at all if that’s what they’re talking about.
But again, the Nets are also in a position to make it difficult for the Sixers to re-sign Quentin Grimes, should they decide to pull that lever.
I think the sixers match almost any deal Grimes gets, I’m more concerned that probably means Yabu is gone, likely to the Spurs. But it is a high probability that the pick will be valuable regardless of whether or not we “tank”…the uncertainty of Joel’s health makes it likely we will not be great barring a medical miracle.
They may match any offer to Grimes, but it could be for a bunch more than what they’re comfortable with… whereas one could imagine that a swap for the 3rd pick probably includes the Nets backing away from making an aggressive offer to Grimes and thus saves the Sixers $Ms..,
Just hard when they hit RFA all at the same time
I think they got a deal coming and its probably already got the groundwork done
Might be an On the clock deal to make sure prospect is avail ect ect
Sure, having 5 on the same timeline presents a challenge… but a lot can and does happen between draft night and the end of their rookie contracts.
That said, I agree that there are likely plans in place to consolidate and/or punt a pick or 2 into the future.
Crappy news Pels looking at Khaman, I want him to Brk at 8
I do not want Khaman. If the Nets big turnaround draft centerpiece pick is a 6 ppg long term project, I will be very disappointed.
Fair, I just see him as the safest draft pick after 2
There will probably be more upside with others but I see a beautiful 8 years with whoever drafts him later today
Wait, Troy Weaver? THE Troy Weaver who failed on his Pistons rebuild a few years ago? Oof, sorry Pelicans fans, this is gonna go horrible for you.
It’s not about having room on the roster for 5 talented young players. It’s about adding 5 rookies via FRPs in one year (FRPs, and their appurtenant RSC contracts, are designed to allow for the incorporation of players into a team’s core at a pace that’s not consistent with their being 5 on the team). It’s also hard to maximize each pick when so many are clustered so close. This is true in all sports. What if the top 4 players on their board in the 19-26 range are all PG’s? Take all 4? If not, you’re passing on a better player. Neither is healthy.
Anyway, they’ll likely pick no more than 2 guys in the 19-26 range (meaning 3 total rookies). The other late FRPs picks will be traded to move up or (better historically) get a future FRP.