Philadelphia 76ers
Wants: Ahead assist
Picks: 3, 35
Philadelphia went all in final yr attempting to compete. With an MVP-caliber participant in Joel Embiid on the roster, a former MVP candidate in Paul George, and two thrilling younger guards in Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, you’ll count on the Sixers to have not less than been an honest crew. Alas, the crew floundered amidst accidents and disappointing seasons from gamers they anticipated to hold them, ending 24-58. Paul George missed a number of video games early within the season, stopping him from discovering his groove on his new crew, earlier than shutting it down fully for the ultimate two months of the season. In the meantime, Joel Embiid’s ongoing harm points proceed to solid a shadow over the franchise, as he solely suited up for 19 video games this season. It’s troublesome to construct round a participant, regardless of how gifted, if he isn’t constantly obtainable to anchor the lineup. Since becoming a member of the league, Embiid has solely performed a mean of 41 video games per season. In the event you take out his first two seasons within the league, that jumps as much as 50, however it stays a significant challenge that has solely worsened the final two seasons. Philadelphia could have to start out having conversations much like what New Orleans has concerning Zion Williamson. What do you do with a high-level distinction maker that’s simply as more likely to be in avenue garments as in double figures in scoring and rebounding on a given evening? Fortunately, Philly has two dynamic younger guards on their roster in Maxey and McCain to construct round, however it has to make them nervous that each additionally ended the season injured, with Maxey enjoying solely 52 video games and McCain displaying out in a small pattern dimension of solely 23 video games.
The Sixers are unlikely to commerce Embiid this offseason, since you merely don’t promote low on a participant of his caliber except the participant forces his means out. Nevertheless, the crew may completely discover the chance throughout subsequent season if they will’t flip it round in an enormous means. This can be a crew that won’t have wage cap house to make use of to enhance the crew, and few commerce belongings with any worth outdoors of gamers they clearly is not going to wish to hand over. No one is touching that Paul George contract, so the crew should add items via the draft to bolster this lineup. Thankfully, they landed the third total choose within the lottery. With that choose, Ace Bailey of Rutgers is more likely to be obtainable and could be an intriguing addition. He’s a high-upside scorer able to making powerful photographs, however his shot choice will be erratic, and he’ll probably expertise the everyday rookie rising pains. The query is how the crew’s veterans will reply when these struggles impression tight video games. That stated, regardless of him not being probably the most pure match with this present group, the Sixers are arguably not a real contender in the mean time—and when selecting this excessive within the draft, the crew has an obligation to take the participant with probably the most long-term upside quite than focusing solely on match. Different choices may very well be Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, who would overlap with their different younger guards however arguably has as a lot upside as Bailey and comes with just a little extra construction, or Jeremiah Fears, who they might think about for his capacity to play level guard with toughness. In the end, Philly might be caught attempting to make the very best out of a flawed roster subsequent season both means, however the query will likely be how arduous do they attempt to cling to what they consider is a contending standing versus tearing it down and constructing towards the longer term?
Brooklyn Nets
Wants: Extra expertise total
Picks: 8, 19, 26, 27, 36
Brooklyn completed with a 26-56 file final yr, however not like Philly, they absolutely anticipated to be a foul crew. The Nets have been ready to clear cap house to allow them to look to make the most of a mix of wage house and the attract of their main market to usher in distinction makers. The Nets could have De’Angelo Russell’s and De’Anthony Melton’s huge contracts come off the books this offseason, paving the best way for them to have as much as round 90 million, though it would probably be a lot lower than that based mostly off of who they find yourself seeking to retain from final season’s roster. Nonetheless, between having cap house and 4 first spherical picks, they need to see an inflow of expertise for subsequent season. Within the draft, they might look to package deal a few of their picks to maneuver up within the draft or defer to future drafts, however they probably is not going to make the most of all 5 complete picks they personal on this yr’s draft.
Assuming they keep at choose 8, they’ll probably take a protracted have a look at gamers resembling Texas Longhorn Tre Johnson, BYU Cougar Egor Demin, French level guard Nolan Traore, or fellow French prospect Noa Essengue, who has been heating up of late within the French league and provides excessive long-term upside. With their second first-round choose at 19, a participant like Illinois wing Will Riley may very well be a possible constructing block—an upside swing who provides dimension and scoring potential on the perimeter. If they will purchase a major ball handler, it could unencumber Cam Thomas to concentrate on being the scorer he’s able to being. In free company, Brooklyn will look to make a splash, and will look so as to add a significant piece resembling Fred VanVleet, Julius Randle, or Ty Jerome. This offseason would be the first step of their rebuild as they’re lastly freed from the monetary constraints which have restricted them for years. With picks 26, 27, and 36 additionally in hand, they might look to package deal some mixture of these to maneuver up within the draft or goal gamers hovering across the late first/early second vary—names like Cedric Coward, Walter Clayton, or Drake Powell may all be in play as high-upside rotation items.
Toronto Raptors
Wants: Expertise, Rebounding, shot creation
Picks: 9, 39
The Raptors made an aggressive transfer final season to accumulate Brandon Ingram from New Orleans. With Ingram becoming a member of Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, Toronto now has an intriguing however probably overlapping core of ball-dominant wings and forwards. The match will have to be sorted out, significantly on offense, the place spacing and decision-making may develop into difficult with out sturdy secondary playmakers and floor-spacers round them. Group president Masai Ujiri has typically favored worldwide prospects and gamers with long-term endurance in Toronto, which makes the crew’s worldwide leanings a possible issue once more in 2025. Two sturdy choices who match that mould — and are worthy of choice at No. 9 — are Nolan Traore, a dynamic French lead guard with high-level creation abilities and pace, and Noa Essengue, a strong, athletic ahead who defends a number of positions and brings vitality and toughness. Essengue’s recreation does barely overlap with Ingram and Barnes when it comes to dimension and function, but when the Raptors view him as the very best expertise obtainable, they will all the time make roster changes or future trades to type out the match.
If Traore and Essengue are off the board, Kon Knueppel could be a dream situation if he falls — although that’s more and more unlikely. Different names to look at embrace Nique Clifford of Colorado State, an athletic wing with defensive versatility, and Kasparas Jakucionis, the expert Lithuanian guard now at Illinois, who provides sharp decision-making and playmaking upside. The Raptors may look to handle their frontcourt, the place Derik Queen stands out as a sophisticated low-post scorer who may thrive in pick-and-roll units with their perimeter stars. Toronto’s roster probably received’t change dramatically past the draft and a minor free agent addition or two, however the presence of Ingram — who didn’t swimsuit up post-trade final season — will make subsequent yr’s crew really feel distinctly completely different from what followers noticed in 2024–25.
Boston Celtics
Wants: A brand new Achilles for Tatum
Picks: 28, 32
Boston is in perhaps the worst place a entrance workplace may ever discover themselves in. This can be a roster that simply received a championship and was designed to contend for the subsequent few years. Now, their finest participant is out for your complete upcoming season and they’re a second apron crew, which means there isn’t a viable means so as to add the kind of expertise they would wish to stay a contender. With an getting old roster, additionally they could be taking an enormous danger by merely attempting to soak up a down yr and hope that Jayson Tatum can bounce again to full energy. The crew must resolve whether or not to increase the championship window or shut it now in hopes of rushing up the rebuild. Tatum is injured and won’t be himself for a very long time. Jrue Vacation is 35, Kristaps Porzingis has a protracted historical past of accidents, and Al Horford (assuming he doesn’t retire) will likely be 39. Is Jaylen Brown sufficient to maintain the crew a contender? Can Derrick White step his recreation up any additional than he already has?
Boston has a Sophie’s selection scenario on their palms. In the event that they maintain the crew collectively, it’s unlikely they’ll nonetheless be in place to contend by the point Tatum returns. If they start a rebuild, the entrance workplace could have blown up a championship-winning crew—an virtually unthinkable transfer simply weeks after elevating a banner. There’s merely no good reply, and with the NBA’s extra restrictive CBA and the Celtics’ standing as a second apron crew, the franchise is actually attempting to handle these points with their palms tied behind their backs. They’ll must get artistic and presumably flip to the draft so as to add inexpensive contributors. Collin Murray-Boyles may carry the kind of versatility, toughness, and glue-guy mentality to be their subsequent Grant Williams. If obtainable, a participant like Carter Bryant may provide a longer-term upside swing, giving the crew a cost-controlled asset to develop whereas navigating a troublesome cap panorama.
New York Knicks
Wants: Backup level guard
Picks: 50
The Knicks are coming off the very best season they’ve had in fairly a while, together with a deep playoff run. In placing collectively this crew, they’ve discovered themselves on the cusp of second apron standing, which is able to basically lock them into protecting the roster as-is for probably the most half. They might want to discover a means so as to add a backup level guard, whether or not which means discovering a approach to retain Cam Payne or bringing any individual else in, however I’d largely count on the crew to look extraordinarily related subsequent season.
Within the draft, they maintain just one choose, and it’s at choose 50. They should forfeit their different second-round choose as a punishment for tampering with Jalen Brunson. Actually any crew ever would commerce a second-round choose for Brunson, so I’d say it was greater than price it. Nevertheless, shifting ahead, will probably be essential for New York to capitalize on their picks as they lose flexibility elsewhere. It’s unlikely they land an impression participant at 50, however with the crew already in place, they need to nonetheless be a contender subsequent season. At that spot, they might goal an area participant like RJ Luis, so long as they don’t take heed to Rick Pitino about him.
