2025 NBA Draft Thread

[Jay Magic]

Across the next seven NBA drafts (2024-2030), Orlando has eight first-round picks and 12 second-rounders.

[CTMagicUK]

7 hours ago, Jay Magic said:

Across the next seven NBA drafts (2024-2030), Orlando has eight first-round picks and 12 second-rounders.

The 8 firsts are just our firsts plus the Denver pick this year (currently pick #25). 

It'd go down like a lead balloon among fans but I'd like to see them punt that Denver pick into the future for a possible better pick later on.

The thing about draft picks is they're only valuable as an asset up until they become fixed. A 2027 draft pick could be anybody, it could be the next Giannis, but the 25th pick in the 2025 draft... You can basically see the types of player that'll be so it's already lost some value and as soon as you pick a specific player it loses more value to anyone who wouldn't have drafted that player. Then hopefully that player performs well and lives up to the pick but if they don't they have even less value. A projected late lottery pick in the 2023 NBA draft had way more value in September 2022 than Jett Howard does now. 

So if you can trade a pick in the late 20s for a loosely protected future first there's probably better value in having a future first as a trade chip than whoever you could pick at #25. (Unless of course you really believe the person you're taking at #25 can easily out play that draft position).

And as much as fans don't like it, (and I've not liked it in the past in all honesty), you can apply this same logic to second round picks. A second round pick, on draft day, when you're staring at whose available, is worth way less than a future draft pick because some team can convince themselves that the future draft pick could be something. But most second round picks are nothing. I wouldn't trade Cole Anthony now for Tristan Newton and Enrique Freeman but if Indiana had offered us two second round picks (the picks used to take the aforementioned guys) for him last summer I might have thought that was a fair offer.

[Luke_FfS]

In theory everything sound great, +1 again, too bad that all of that remain hipotethical as FO is allergic to hit the trade market, so even future picks are not that useful in the end. Notice how we have a lot of 2nd round ones, and only the Denver as 1st, result of a trade of 4 years ago. It's not like we have collected first with the same intensity as seconds, cause it's logically more difficult and actually requires to... make a move.

Too bad you're not our GM tough! :P

[Shine88]

We've got to find a way to get Fears in Orlando. The kid is the real deal. Perfect fit next to Paolo and Franz. The poised this kid plays with for his age is amazing. Favorite prospect outside of Cooper.

[orlandoholic]

On 3/22/2025 at 4:59 AM, Shine88 said:

We've got to find a way to get Fears in Orlando. The kid is the real deal. Perfect fit next to Paolo and Franz. The poised this kid plays with for his age is amazing. Favorite prospect outside of Cooper.

I believe Fears has outplayed our draft position. 
Once again failed at getting good draft position

[Shine88]

Walter Clayton Jr. should be a 2nd round option for us. He remind me of VanVleet when he was at Wichita State.

[orlandoholic]

Speaking of 2nd round sleepers. Proctor reminding everybody that he is a sneaky good NBA player. 
Im very high on Sears too

[Jamesdin]

33 minutes ago, orlandoholic said:

Speaking of 2nd round sleepers. Proctor reminding everybody that he is a sneaky good NBA player. 
Im very high on Sears too

Proctor is electric when he’s on. Great shooter that we need. Clayton jr is also a good pg we can use. Streaky shooter. 

[Shine88]

Incredible game by Maryland and CSU. I know Weltman is drooling watching Nique Clifford. He's definitely a Weltman guy.

[fan for too long 2]

I still like Ivisic for the Illini, but probably needs another year to bulk up, as do Jaculonis and Riley. I would definitely be looking at Clayton Jr.  he’s a baller. 

[Jamesdin]

That buzzer beater shot by Queen of Maryland was one for the ages. Haven’t followed that kid but surely he never shy away from the moment. 

[Soul Bro]

On 3/19/2025 at 7:22 AM, CTMagicUK said:

The 8 firsts are just our firsts plus the Denver pick this year (currently pick #25). 

It'd go down like a lead balloon among fans but I'd like to see them punt that Denver pick into the future for a possible better pick later on.

The thing about draft picks is they're only valuable as an asset up until they become fixed. A 2027 draft pick could be anybody, it could be the next Giannis, but the 25th pick in the 2025 draft... You can basically see the types of player that'll be so it's already lost some value and as soon as you pick a specific player it loses more value to anyone who wouldn't have drafted that player. Then hopefully that player performs well and lives up to the pick but if they don't they have even less value. A projected late lottery pick in the 2023 NBA draft had way more value in September 2022 than Jett Howard does now. 

So if you can trade a pick in the late 20s for a loosely protected future first there's probably better value in having a future first as a trade chip than whoever you could pick at #25. (Unless of course you really believe the person you're taking at #25 can easily out play that draft position).

And as much as fans don't like it, (and I've not liked it in the past in all honesty), you can apply this same logic to second round picks. A second round pick, on draft day, when you're staring at whose available, is worth way less than a future draft pick because some team can convince themselves that the future draft pick could be something. But most second round picks are nothing. I wouldn't trade Cole Anthony now for Tristan Newton and Enrique Freeman but if Indiana had offered us two second round picks (the picks used to take the aforementioned guys) for him last summer I might have thought that was a fair offer.

Whoever made the Jett pick needs to be held accountable. It was a major reach then and has proven to be a bad pick. I agree on punting the Denver pick unless it's packaged for an established player.