A Glass Half-Empty Look at Every Lottery Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

The sister piece to Thursday's article, now is the time to sit back and laugh as we break down the mistakes, errors, and questionable choices that occurred on Wednesday's NBA Draft.

This draft had a lot of potential for idiocy this year. We certainly had a stretch in the middle of the first round, but unfortunately, those won't be covered today. That is no matter, because trust me when I say there is fuel to the fire within the first 14 selections of the draft. These can range from the actual selection to any trades (yeah, we'll get to that one) or how the pick may fit in with the designated team. The point I'm trying to make is that it was hard to keep a straight face at times when covering the glass half-full look on all these selections.

Same as always, this is strictly my opinion, and hyperbole is enforced. In an overall sense, I'm a fan of this draft and certainly think it has more potential than last year's class. While a lot of my thoughts on yesterday's piece were slightly exaggerated, in general, I believed mostly what I said, and that goes the same for this article. The best way to look at the two is that my true opinion most likely falls in the middle ground. Not all of them, but that's for you to decide.

A Davis-Flagg Combination Messes Up the Timeline for a Fragile Mavericks Front Office

I'm not worried about Cooper Flagg, the player; I'm worried about the team drafting him now being deemed a reputation of trading their one-of-a-kind franchise player because of qualities like "work ethic." Last season's Luka Doncic trade shook the NBA as this same Dallas organization sent away a generational playmaker for a package surrounding the oft-injured and constantly aging Anthony Davis because of reasons like "defense" and "mentality." By all accounts, Flagg does not have these issues, but who is to say small issues like a slow-developing jumper or the fit not being quite ideal with a player like Davis, who the Mavericks value as a franchise guy as much as they do Luka Doncic? Dallas likes to have their cake and eat it too.

Backcourt Collusion in San Antonio will Cause Dissaray with the Ball Away From the Franchise Guy in the Middle

With the selection of Dylan Harper, the Spurs now feature a backcourt trio of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Harper. There's one problem: there's only one basketball. This is going without saying as the league-altering man in the middle for San Antonio with Victor Wembanyama, who is going to be sitting down low with an easy look while the guard trio scratch and claw for whoever gets the ball to launch when the shot clock inevitably hits zero. What if the Spurs also want to involve the Point Sochan method they implemented for part of last season? San Antonio is known as a strong and unshakeable franchise, but Mitch Johnson is entering his first full season of head coaching without any Popovich input, and it can be hard to believe he can control the egos of five different potential ball handlers.

Exactly What Philadelphia Needs, Less Shooting!

With players like Kon Knueppel, Ace Bailey, and Tre Johnson available, the 4th worst shooting team in the NBA last season selects a guy who shot 34.1% from deep. And guess what, that's the same percentage Philadelphia shot as a team last season! Edgecombe brings mentality, and there's no getting around that. Except Philadelphia would be possibly the only organization in the NBA I'd have any expectations to destroy such. I've never figured out how a team with such a rabid and passionate fanbase has been the culprit of developing and fostering a handful of "superstars" who are raised through the NBA being told that it's okay to sit out nights and take plays off when they're not involved in a role they like. This 76ers franchise has an accountability problem, and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. Now for the on-court play, you're slotting Edgecombe, who is an average at best shooter for this draft, next to the ball-dominant Maxey and the questionable role Embiid, who, after injury, may be too slow to get out of the way for Edgecombe to be successful in this offense.

Charlotte Spends Their Fifth Lottery Pick in Five Years on the Blue Devils' Primary Sidekick

Perhaps general manager Jeff Peterson thought he lucked out and saw the white guy with the Duke jersey on and thought Flagg fell to the fourth pick. Alas, that was not the case, and instead he got the middle child of the Duke core between Flagg and Malauch. It's a change of pace for Charlotte, which is notable for hauling in ball handlers for a team that's built around perhaps the most ball-dominant guard in the league, with questionable maturity issues that seem to be a constant for Charlotte. The incoming Knueppel may struggle with being the third or fourth banana for a team without a true identity and playing a similar role to 2023 selection Brandon Miller.

The Jazz Submit to a Directionless Path Until at the Earliest Next Year's Draft

With Markannen as a prime candidate to be moved either this offseason or next, the Utah Jazz adding Ace Bailey simply adds more shots to young players who simply are not quality enough to contribute to winning in a stacked Western Conference. Let's face it: the Jazz got screwed by this year's lottery. The worst record in the league (17-65) was rewarded with the fifth overall selection, which is used to take another shot maker who has an argument to be below-average in every other quality. Ace Bailey has unlimited potential, but doesn't seem to be a player to unlock that potential without having the ball in his hands. With a team made up of Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and the incoming Walter Clayton Jr., that ball is going to be hard pressed to wind up in Ace's hands without a last-second heave being the result.

A Promising Backcourt (Potentially) Limited for One More Run From the Vets

After moving on from Jordan Poole, the Wizards now feature two different backcourt units with the young Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington, vs the more experienced duo of Marcus Smart and newly acquired CJ McCollum. While this seems like an easy fix, you must analyze the latter duo's history as players. It isn't hard to start with Marcus Smart; he has had "the guy" mentality on teams with significantly better options than him ever since his early days in Boston, and I'd argue that he's hard pressed to change on a still-rebuilding Wizards team. CJ McCollum coming over from New Orleans, is also entering a potentially his final contract year, where he'll be insistent on increasing his numbers for one more big contract before he retires in the upcoming years.

The Most Directionless Franchise in the NBA Selects the Pick Who Needs Direction the Most

Oh lord, have I been ready for this one. I believe Jeremiah Fears is talented, I do. As a reclassified Freshman, he led the Sooners in a historically difficult SEC to a 20-14 record with him as the primary ball handler. But that goes to say that he also has potentially the worst shot selection in this class, and he does so in a 6'4 182lbs frame that is a net negative on defense. He will struggle in the beginning of his NBA tenure, and he's entering an organization with the single worst reputation in the league as a place for young players who lack discipline to go. The craziest part is that this isn't even the worst decision this Pelicans team made this draft. Uncertainty looms for this team, and I'd want to be as far away from New Orleans as possible if I were a basketball character.

Brooklyn Drafts Egor Demin Eighth Overall

The Raptors Have a Type

Me too, Collin, me too. I can only assume most Raptors fans had the same reaction to this selection as Murray-Boyles did (YouTube has you covered if you don't know what I'm referencing), as the Raptors draft yet another wing to add to their plethora. The Raptors turned quite a few heads in a not-very-good way last season as they traded for Brandon Ingram midway through the year to pair up with a lineup that already featured the likes of RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, and adding Murray-Boyles just clogs that position even more. The Raptors seem to be lost in what position they want to be in, and that position right now seems to be never-ending purgatory until either Ingram or Barnes are on the trade block. An unfortunate fate that seems to lie with Raptors fans, that Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby will tell you about.

Phoenix Pairs a Perfect Frontcourt Duo 20 Years Late

The Suns parlayed the selection of Duke big man Khaman Malauch with a trade that landed them former Hornets rim runner Mark Williams. Neither is too big a threat to pull a shot from range, and that's exactly where the Suns' problems may lie this upcoming season. After sending away a player of caliber such as Kevin Durant, you'd think Phoenix would be entering rebuild mode, but that simply can't happen with a player like Devin Booker on your roster. Add on the trade for Jalen Green and the worst contract in the NBA with Bradley Beal, and the Phoenix Suns are in the middle of nowhere. Here's our problem: I've barely talked about the pick! That's because it's hard to acknowledge where selecting Malauch is going to benefit this Phoenix team with his new frontcourt pairing. There isn't much shooting yet, and assuming both new big men acquisitions start, there'll be a hefty amount of paint clogging for Booker as Malauch gets used to NBA defenses.

Memphis Thinks We're in a Sports Movie

The Pacers' loss in game 7 of the NBA Finals shows off well that we're not destined to have nice things, and surprises usually don't work out, but Memphis didn't receive the memo. Cedric Coward holds up well as a player from what we've seen; the problem is the near-zero we've seen from him. He truly has a heartwarming story, paying his way through Division III and making it to the NBA after seasons of injury-ridden ball that culminated with him only playing 6 games in his Senior season at Washington State. It's a recipe for disaster as Coward's extended time in college, low level of competition, and not quite ideal fit for the NBA game come together for a risky draft day selection.

How Long is Chicago Extending This Rebuild?

The young Essengue is a project, through and through. While the Bulls escaped the Derozan-Lavine purgatory that plagued the fanbase for the previous half decade, they're still not quite bottom of the barrell with stellar play from players like Josh Giddey and Coby White to be expected this upcoming yeah, and it's clear this coaching staff is wanting to develop the Essengue as a project for future cravings. The fact of the matter is that this isn't a one-year and move on project, Essengue doesn't turn 19 until December of this year, he has a while to go until he's near a finished project. This is a project you take on at the beginning of a rebuild of your franchise, not multiple years in, where it's only looking to extend.

A Promising Player is Overshadowed by the Idiocy of the Worst Front Office in the NBA (Again)

"Wait, wait! Who's that??? Oh my! Oh my! It's Joe Dumars! Joe Dumars is entering the arena!" Do you remember the early 2010s, when Dumars destroyed the Pistons organization with puzzling move after puzzling move, sending the team into a purgatory they are just now escaping? What about when the now Pelicans' President of Basketball Operations drafted famed NBA bust Darko Milicic over the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade in the 2003 draft? Well, he's back and better than ever, as the Pelicans sent away an UNPROTECTED 2026 FIRST ROUND PICK to Atlanta in exchange for moving up 10 spots in this year's draft. We've already established the Pelicans are going to be an asbolute mess next season with the uncertain future of Zion Williamson, and the team sends away a likely elite first round draft choice in a by all accounts incredible incoming class to select a player who can be seen as a mirrored replica of their current intensely confusing and disliked star. Bravo, New Orleans!

Well, this is Like the Cedric Coward Pick, Right? Right?!

No, not at all. To the Spurs' credit, they went with a non-guard at this spot, choosing instead to fill out the wing to go around this young core. But, Carter Bryant is one of the players who was a strong beneficiary of the post-college season scouting hype train, as despite his mediocre at best numbers coming off the bench at Arizona, his pre-draft testing went over incredibly well with teams and catapulted his stock into the lottery. He made a bet on himself, and it certainly worked. San Antonio fans and Bryant himself will probably be in slight disarray, however, as it's likely Bryant will spend an ample amount of time in the G-League for at least this upcoming year.

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