Raptors Draft Collin Murray-Boyles At No. 9
Collin Murray-Boyles is officially the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, as the Raptors used their lottery pick to select the South Carolina standout.
After establishing himself as a potential first-round pick with a strong freshman season, Murray-Boyles took another step forward as a sophomore in 2024/25, averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game across 32 outings. The 6’7″ forward/center made 58.6% of his shots from the floor and 70.7% from the free throw line.
Though he isn’t a threat as an outside shooter, Murray-Boyles has a sturdy frame and physical style that has allowed him to play bigger than his height — he has earned comparisons to Draymond Green due to his play-making, toughness, and defensive versatility.
The Raptors received considerable interest from teams hoping to trade up to the No. 9 pick, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), but they’re going to keep Murray-Boyles as part of their young foundation.
He will bring a much-needed physical presence to their front court and should help upgrade the defense. He’s also an accomplished passer and may get a chance to handle the ball frequently in Toronto’s offense.
Adding another big man in the draft could affect the Raptors’ decision on whether to re-sign Chris Boucher. The versatile 32-year-old forward is ready to hit the open market after spending the past seven years in Toronto.
Wizards Select Tre Johnson At No. 6
The Wizards have used the sixth overall pick in the draft to add Texas guard Tre Johnson.
A 6’6″ shooting guard with a 6’10” wingspan, Johnson averaged 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists on .427/.397/.871 shooting in 33 games (34.7 MPG) for the Longhorns in 2024/25 as a freshman.
Johnson was named the SEC Freshman of the Year and made the All-SEC second team in his lone college season. While there have been some questions about his inconsistent engagement level on defense, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN, the Dallas native is one of the best shooters and scorers in this year’s draft class.
Johnson will bring more scoring punch to a team that just added CJ McCollum in a trade with New Orleans. Washington, which often struggled to score consistently this season, will welcome a dynamic offensive force in Johnson, who showed an ability to create his own shots in college.
Washington also invested heavily in young guards in last year’s draft, selecting Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George in the first round. Johnson will arrive with a stronger pedigree than either of them and figures to have a featured role in his rookie season.
The Wizards have remade their backcourt over the past 12 months, adding point guard AJ Johnson as well in a February trade with Milwaukee. They seem likely to focus on adding more size when they pick again at No. 18.
Sixers Use No. 3 Overall Pick On V.J. Edgecombe
The Sixers have selected Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Edgecombe, who was widely viewed as one of the best prospects in this year’s draft class, averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game in his lone season at Baylor, posting a shooting line of .436/.340/.782 in 33 contests (all starts).
The 6’5″ guard was the Big 12’s Freshman of the Year and made the All-Big 12 second team before declaring for the draft as an early entrant. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has referred to Edgecombe as the “most explosive” athlete in the 2025 draft class, noting that he has shown promising potential as a ball-handler and defensive play-maker.
Early in the draft process, Rutgers forward Ace Bailey was considered the most likely pick at No. 3. However, his refusal to meet with the Sixers, canceling a scheduled workout last week, pushed the team toward a safer choice. Edgecombe had an impressive workout in Philadelphia earlier this month, signaling that he might be worthy of the No. 3 pick.
The Sixers weren’t expecting to have a lottery selection when the season began, but a string of injuries quickly dashed any chance they had of competing for a title. They wound up at 24-58 and barely won at all after the All-Star break in an effort to improve their lottery odds.
In addition, they had to sweat out a close call on lottery night just to keep their draft pick, which would have gone to Oklahoma City if had landed outside the top six. Dallas and San Antonio both passed the Sixers in the lottery, but they breathed a sign of relief when their envelope landed in the top four.
Hawks Notes: Young, Draft, Porzingis, Lineups
Speaking with reporters Monday at a news conference, Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh dispelled any speculation that Trae Young might be on the trade market, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Saleh spoke highly of the four-time All-Star and indicated that he’ll remain in his role as the team’s on-court leader.
“We’re locked in with Trae. We talked last year (about) next season,” Saleh said. “We’re just locked in the next season, ready to move forward and be the best team that we could possibly be moving forward. And I think a lot of his leadership from last season went probably unnoticed to the common eye. Like the way that he helped develop our young guys and make them better was significant. So I mean just continuing on with that and hopefully just making our team better.”
Young posted typically great numbers in his seventh season with Atlanta, averaging 24.2 PPG in 76 games, claiming his first assists title with 11.6 per night and recording .411/.340./.875 shooting splits. He has one year left on his contract at almost $46MM, along with a nearly $49MM player option for 2026/27.
Saleh also said that ownership has given him permission to go into the luxury tax, which might be necessary if the Hawks use a significant portion of the $25MM+ traded player exception they generated in last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal.
There’s more from Atlanta:
- The Hawks are parting with the 22nd pick in tonight’s draft as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade, but Saleh is confident he can find help with the remaining selection at No. 13, Williams adds in the same piece. Saleh listed “competitiveness, toughness, resilience and adaptability” as the traits he looks for in prospects and said he concentrates more on finding the best player available than positional fit. “Ways to impact winning, I think, are just always important,” Saleh said. “Like, there’s skill sets that we probably would love to have, but at the same time, if somebody’s really good at something that impacts winning on either end of the court. That’s ultimately what we’re looking for, and that fits within the guys we currently have on our team.”
- The Porzingis deal is a signal that the Hawks are ready to make a strong move in the depleted Eastern Conference, states John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger views Porzingis as the best pick-and-pop partner that Young has ever teamed up with, as well as a dangerous three-point option when Young and Jalen Johnson are running various actions. He also provides elite rim protection and should help improve a defense that ranked 19th in efficiency this season.
- The addition of Porzingis provides lineup flexibility, Williams notes in a separate story. He can either start at power forward alongside Onyeka Okongwu or he can be the center with Zaccharie Risacher remaining in the starting lineup.
Knicks Granted Permission To Interview James Borrego
The Knicks have received permission from the Pelicans to interview assistant James Borrego in their head coaching search, sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Edwards first reported New York’s interest in Borrego on Monday.
The 47-year-old Borrego has served as associate head coach under Willie Green in New Orleans for the past two seasons. He has previous head coaching experience, compiling a 138-163 record in four seasons with Charlotte and a 10-20 mark as an interim head coach with Orlando 10 years ago.
Borrego will become the fourth candidate to interview with the Knicks since Tom Thibodeau was fired after losing to Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals. Borrego joins former Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins, former Sacramento head coach Mike Brown and current Minnesota assistant Micah Nori.
The Knicks are also reportedly monitoring Jason Kidd‘s situation in Dallas, although the Mavericks turned down their request to talk to Kidd about the position. Edwards stated Monday that Kidd seems to be a “long shot” to wind up in New York.
According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required), the Knicks are emphasizing player development as they seek a new head coach. Bondy adds that Heat assistant Chris Quinn is another potential candidate to watch, though there’s no indication New York has requested permission to speak to him yet.
John Collins Picks Up $26.5MM Player Option
Jazz big man John Collins has exercised his $26.5MM player option for next season, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). He faced a Thursday deadline for the decision, as our tracker shows.
Collins averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds this season, but he was limited to 40 games and didn’t return after suffering a left ankle sprain on March 12. Utah held out several veteran players late in the season to improve its lottery odds, so Collins may have been able to play under different circumstances.
The player option represents the final season of a five-year deal Collins signed in 2021 when he was still with the Hawks. Atlanta traded him to the Jazz in 2023, and he has been a consistent starter during his two seasons in Utah.
Trade speculation has been swirling around Collins and other Jazz players, and it’s likely to continue now that his status for next season is certain. His name was also frequently mentioned around February’s trade deadline, including a potential swap with Sacramento.
Collins and Lauri Markkanen ($46.4MM) will be Utah’s highest-paid players next season, and new president of basketball operations Austin Ainge may not want to spend so heavily on two power forwards. The results of tonight’s draft, where the Jazz hold picks No. 5, 21, 43 and 53, could also affect Collins’ future.
Collins, 27, was selected by Atlanta with the 19th pick in the 2017 draft. He has appeared in 472 total games and has career averages of 16.0 points and 8.1 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per night.
Fischer’s Latest: Sixers, Bailey, Edgecombe, Fears, Maluach, More
The Sixers are expected to make one last attempt to trade up to No. 2 for the chance to draft Dylan Harper, but it’s not likely to be successful, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Fischer believes the Spurs have decided they want Harper to be part of their future and haven’t given serious consideration to parting with the pick.
Fischer adds that the most likely scenario is for the Sixers to stay at No. 3 unless there’s a sharp improvement in the offers from other teams. He also suggests that Ace Bailey remains in contention to be selected, even though he canceled a workout in Philadelphia and has sent out signals that he would rather be selected by a team that could offer guaranteed playing time and a larger role in the offense. Fischer still considers Bailey to be a strong fit alongside Joel Embiid and Paul George because of his shooting skills, but he acknowledges that V.J. Edgecombe is the “likely top contender” to go to Philadelphia.
If Bailey does get bypassed by the Sixers, Fischer doesn’t expect him to fall farther that the Wizards at No. 6. League sources tell him that Bailey declined a chance to work out for the Jazz, and it’s believed that he didn’t have an official visit with any of the lottery teams. Fischer points out that Washington meets Bailey’s requirements as a team that could offer “a healthy shot profile and on-ball creation opportunities.”
Fischer shares more inside information as the draft draws closer:
- The Nets are likely to pounce on point guard Jeremiah Fears if he’s still on the board at No. 8, Fischer states, noting that rumors of his preference for Brooklyn date back to the Draft Combine. Fears made visits to Utah and New Orleans, and Fischer believes his range appears to start with the fifth pick. Fischer also raises the possibility that the Nets could package some of the five first-rounders they have tonight to move up if they believe another team might select Fears.
- Fischer calls Khaman Maluach “the most consequential domino of the first round” apart from Bailey. He’s considered the top available big man, and Fischer notes that he helped himself with strong performances during the interview process. League sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports that the Pelicans are expected to try to trade up to land Bailey. If they’re unsuccessful, then Maluach could be their pick at No. 7 if he’s still on the board. O’Connor hears that some lottery teams have Maluach ranked in their top two or three and he’s considered “one of the most popular trade-up targets.”
- Fischer believes the Pelicans mark the start of Derik Queen‘s range if someone else takes Maluach, but he adds that the Spurs may try to trade up from No. 14 for the Duke center, while the Raptors at No. 9 also have him highly rated.
- Cedric Coward has been improving his status throughout the pre-draft process, and Fischer doesn’t expect him to fall past the teens. Sources tell Fischer that Coward has interest from the Trail Blazers at No. 11 and he has worked out multiple times for the Thunder, who hold the 15th pick. Fischer hears that the Nets are hoping to land Coward at No. 19, but they may need to trade up to have a chance.
- NCAA Tournament star Walter Clayton Jr. has “multiple suitors” in the early 20s, according to Fischer. He cites league insiders who believe Clayton and Jase Richardson could be targets for the Kings if they’re able to trade for a pick in that range.
- There’s an expectation that this will be an active trading night, possibly starting with the Sixers at No. 3 and the Hornets at No. 4. “There’s gonna be at least four or five (trades),” a Western Conference team strategist told Fischer.
Windhorst: Suns Asked For Darius Garland In Kevin Durant Trade Talks
The Suns contacted the Cavaliers about Darius Garland while trying to put together a Kevin Durant trade, NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported in a discussion with Chris Oldach of ESPN Cleveland (YouTube link).
Windhorst emphasizes that Phoenix initiated the trade talks, stating that Cleveland isn’t reaching out to teams in an effort to unload Garland. He adds that the Cavs’ response was to ask for Durant and “other assets” in a potential deal, which likely would have been “multiple first-round picks.” Presumably that would have included a 2029 first-rounder that originally belonged to Cleveland (though the Jazz now control swap rights on that first-rounder, so there’s no guarantee the Suns will end up with the Cavs’ pick).
Windhorst states that Phoenix “didn’t hang up the phone” when presented with that scenario. He also notes that the Cavaliers would have needed to offload salary before taking on Durant, stating that they contacted at least one team to see if there was interest.
Ultimately, the talks ended before getting serious because Durant didn’t want to play in Cleveland, according to Windhorst, who points out that the forward had a limited number of desired destinations, reportedly Houston, San Antonio and Miami.
Windhorst indicates that several teams in need of point guard help have made inquiries about Garland, who will make $39.5MM next season and is under contract through 2027/28. He also states that Garland “might have been on the verge of asking for a trade” last summer, but he’s now happy in Cleveland after putting together an All-Star season.
Windhorst expects the Cavs to make “an aggressive offer” to keep free agent guard Ty Jerome, which means Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade may have to be moved to clear up salary. He adds that the team won’t trade any of its stars to save money, but it will face difficult decisions while operating in second-apron territory.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 6/24/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the Hawks' chances to move up in the draft to land Ace Bailey the Celtics' plans for Anfernee Simons, the Suns' return in the Kevin Durant trade, the Bulls' strategy with Coby White and more!
Warriors’ GM Addresses Kuminga, Draft, Trade Options, Injuries
Meeting with reporters on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said Jonathan Kuminga will be “a main priority” heading into free agency, but he didn’t offer any hints on what the team plans to do, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Kuminga will be a restricted free agent after not reaching an extension prior to the start of the season. The 22-year-old forward has shown flashes of stardom during his four NBA seasons, but he has also been frustrated by inconsistent playing time, which became more pronounced after Golden State traded for Jimmy Butler in February.
Dunleavy told reporters that he would like to “figure something out sooner than later” with Kuminga, whether that turns out to be a new contract or a sign-and-trade. The Bulls and Heat have been mentioned as teams that might be potential trading partners.
Kuminga will be free to negotiate with anybody once free agency begins next Monday, but Brooklyn is currently the only team with enough cap space to make a competitive offer. If Kuminga were to get an offer sheet, the Warriors would have the option to match it, and Dunleavy pointed out that restricted free agency “can drag out a little bit.”
He added that management is comfortable “with who JK is as a player and what he can do for our organization” and said the Warriors will try to give him a more defined role if he remains with the team.
“I think those conversations (about a role) will need to happen — especially the way this season kind of unfolded last year,” Dunleavy added. “There were some moments where he wasn’t playing as much, and then the role is bigger. He’s injured. All this up-and-down. … (His role) will probably be necessary to clarify.”
Dunlevy addressed a few other topics during the press conference:
- The Warriors hold the 41st pick in Wednesday’s draft, and Dunleavy indicated that he’s more likely to trade down than to try to move up into the first round, Gordon adds. Dunleavy will be hoping to repeat his late-draft success after finding Trayce Jackson-Davis with the 57th pick in 2023 and Quinten Post at No. 52 last year. “You’d be lucky to draft a guy in the second round who can make it at all,” Dunleavy said. “I think we have to be realistic about what it is. … We’re going to analyze this (draft), look at it and try to find the best player we can find that’ll contribute to this franchise.”
- Dunleavy plans to be “opportunistic” in the trade market and hopes to improve the depth in the middle of the roster. With Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green combining to make $170.5MM next season, Dunleavy acknowledged that the team can’t add another big contract. “We’ll look at players that we really like. It’s just almost impossible for us to add players in the salary range of guys we were looking at last season since we’ve added Jimmy,” Dunleavy said. “That would be the only limiter. But in terms of finding talent and improving this team, we’re going to look under every rock to try to do that.”
- Dunleavy provided medical updates on Moses Moody (thumb surgery) and Brandin Podziemski (wrist and core muscle surgeries), saying they will “definitely be ready by training camp and even have a good portion of their summer for player development.”