Category: NBA

The Knicks are on the clock

They have the 50th pick in Thursday night's second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Who do they like?

As we noted earlier on The Putback, New York hosted former Alabama and Rutgers big man Clifford Omoruyi as part of a group workout this week.

In talking to opposing teams this week, the name that kept coming up was Florida State's Jamir Watkins. Watkins has several fans in the Knicks' organization. Several opposing teams don't think that the Knicks would let Watkins slip past No. 50.

Will Watkins be there at No. 50? ESPN's most recent mock draft has Watkins going at No. 38.

Watkins, a 6-foot-6 guard, averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a senior.

He can defend multiple positions and is seen as a solid on-ball defender. The Trenton Catholic product averaged 1.9 steals as a junior at Florida State.

BORREGO UP NEXT

James Borrego will get an interview with the Knicks for their head-coaching vacancy, league sources confirm. Borrego is an assistant with New Orleans. He has head coaching experience but is the second current assistant coach to interview with the Knicks. New York brought in veteran assistant Micah Nori earlier this week for an interview.

The Knicks' other known interviews are Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown. Coaches have talked about the opportunity that the Knicks have ahead of them -- given the devastating injuries to Eastern Conference stars Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard --in the interviews. The importance of player health has also been discussed in the interviews.

Also on the coaching search, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison issued the strongest statement to date on the future of Jason Kidd.

"Are there rumors out there about J-Kidd? I thought I shut them down," Harrison told reporters in Dallas. "Yes, he will be the head coach next year."

Kidd has been seen as a possibility for the Knicks, so Harrison's forceful statement is noteworthy. The Mavericks had previously denied the Knicks' request to speak to Kidd but hadn't publicly addressed the rumors.

If you look at the landscape, logic says Kidd will be getting an extension from the Mavs. Houston's Ime Udoka and Chicago's Billy Donovan both received extensions after the Knicks requested -- and were denied -- permission to speak to them about the head-coaching vacancy. (Udoka's extension, according to ESPN, was in the works well ahead of the Knicks' request.)

Still, Kidd has veteran representation at the Excel Sports agency. So you would think that all of the rumors around Kidd and the Knicks would result in some added compensation for the head coach.

Here are all of the Nets' picks from both rounds of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn...

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Round 2

No. 36 pick: Traded to the Phoenix Suns

Brooklyn is dealing its only pick in the second round of the draft on Thursday to the Suns in exchange for two future second-round picks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Round 1

No. 27 pick: F/C Danny Wolf, Michigan

The 6-foot-11, 252-pound big man is more of a point-forward than he is a center with his versatile skillset. He was named to the All-Ivy First Team and was the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player during his sophomore year at Yale before transferring to Michigan for the 2024-2025 season.

Wolf averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game over 37 games for the Wolverines. He earned All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors while helping Michigan reach the Sweet Sixteen before losing to top-ranked Auburn.

NBA.com: Wolf has interesting versatility with his 7-foot frame, able to dribble and pass in the halfcourt and in transition. He also makes up in footwork and physicality what he lacks in athleticism. His jumpshot can come and go, but his touch is good enough to be a strong baseline for further development. Wolf has shown enough in most aspects of the game to play both on and off the ball.

No. 26 pick: G Ben Saraf, Israel

Saraf, 19, began his professional career at 16 years old in the second-division Israeli Basketball National League before joining Elitzur Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Basketball Premier League ahead of the 2023-2024 season. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds and was named Israeli League Premier Rising Star.

Playing for Israel, Saraf led the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket tournament in scoring with 28.1 points per game and was named tournament MVP. The guard joined Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga for the 2024-2025 season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.

NBA.com: Passing is his best skill and the lefty Saraf is an excellent playmaker. He has above-average height, can make almost every type of pass and makes reads with ease. Saraf drives often, focusing on downhill moves and change of direction rather than shifting left to right on the perimeter. He pulls up with confidence from the mid-range and has a solid form that could lead to improved 3-point shooting as he develops.

No. 22 pick: G/F Drake Powell, UNC

Acquired on Tuesday along with Terance Mann in a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks, the Nets used their third first-rounder on the freshman from UNC. Powell became the first player from North Carolina drafted in the first round since, coincidentally, the Nets took Day'Ron Sharpe with the No. 29 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-6 and 190-pound wing was a top-15 ranked, five-star recruit and 2024 McDonald's All-American and stayed in his home state of North Carolina to play for the Tar Heels. He was a bit inconsistent during his freshman season, averaging only 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 25.6 minutes in 37 games, but still showed off his athleticism and potential. He came on stronger toward the end of the season, including a 16-point performance against Miami. Overall, Powell shot 48.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three.

NBA.com: Powell’s offensive game is still developing. He has a knack for finishing through contact and plays with an aggressive motor, which combines well with his elite athleticism. He’s also a connective playmaker. Powell can also get the job on defense due to his instincts and his athleticism, and his reads should improve as he gets more experience under his belt. As raw as he is, the potential is there.

No. 19 pick: G Nolan Traoré, France

Traoré, listed at 6-foot-5 and 175 pounds, is an athletic guard from France. He averaged 11.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 22.8 minutes per game in 29 contests with Saint-Quentin of the LNB Élite.

In 2024, the then-18-year-old set an Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) Finals single-game record with 45 points in U18 PFBB INSEP Paris’s 101-96 victory over U18 FC Barcelona.

NBA.com: Scouts will rave about Traoré’s potential and athleticism, as he’s a player who looks more than ready to play at the NBA level from a physical perspective. He has excellent vision for his age, above-average speed and an elite acceleration that makes him not only the fastest player in this class, but one of the fastest players in the NBA if he ends up being drafted. Plus, he also has an outstanding bounce and physical abilities that should get most scouts excited. He also understands how to create his own shot, and his playmaking ability is above-average as well. There are areas in which he needs to improve, though, most notably his defense.

No. 8 pick: G Egor Demin, BYU

While many thought GM Sean Marks would make a splash and trade up, the team kept the eighth overall pick and used it on guard Egor Demin from BYU. The 19-year-old from Russia played for Real Madrid before his lone season of college basketball, in which he averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game over 33 contests.

Demin showed why he was a five-star prospect and took home Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. He totaled 180 assists to set a BYU single-season record by a freshman and will get plenty of opportunities to run the show in Brooklyn.

NBA.com: Demin is a 6-foot-9 point forward with some of the best passing skills in the draft. He has the vision, size and creativity to make almost every type of pass with accuracy and seems to prefer setting up his teammates rather than scoring. While Demin isn’t a great jump shooter, he is crafty around the basket and in the mid-range area with fakes and a soft touch. Defensively, he’s at his best anticipating the offense, jumping into passing lanes and using active hands to generate steals and blocks.

Despite owning five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, GM Sean Marks and the Nets stayed put at pick No. 8 to select guard Egor Demin from BYU.

Demin, 19, is listed at 6-foot-9 and 190 pounds. He was born in Moscow, Russia and played for Real Madrid before heading to college for the 2024-25 season.

The guard averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds over 27.5 minutes of action across 33 games with the Cougars, leading them to an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament. BYU made it to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to Alabama.

He earned Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors while setting a BYU freshman single-season record for assists with 180.

Demin should fit in nicely on a rebuilding Nets team without a true lead guard. His size adds another layer to his potential as a playmaker at both the point guard and shooting guard spots. After being drafted, Demin spoke with reporters and said "it's an honor" to join the Nets.

"Obviously for me, it's a great opportunity to be on a team where I will be able to develop myself and also impact the game in the ways I can," Demin said. "Just learn a lot from the guys who are already on the team, from the coaching staff, from the front office.

"That's a historical club, historical organization right. Obviously it's a lot related to Russia in the past. A lot of Russian players were going through this organization. For me it's an honor to be a part of the Nets."

Brooklyn's last lottery pick came in the 2010 NBA Draft when they selected Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech with the No. 3 pick.

Demin added that he models his game after Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and takes pride in his passing ability.

"The passing is something that I was always doing. This is who I am," Demin said. "I believe in the game of basketball as a creative place. It's like art for me. I want to play beautiful. I want to play pretty. I want to play efficient. For me, there is never the sacrifice of something, sacrifice of myself for the team, it's about making a right decision - which I'm always trying to do."

Sixers pick VJ Edgecombe ‘hates seeing the opponent score,' wants to be special defender  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CAMDEN, N.J. — VJ Edgecombe aspires to do it all.

However, if a coach asked him to only play defense, you sense he’d still embrace the task. 

The Sixers hope Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in Wednesday night’s NBA draft, evolves into an All-Star. The 19-year-old guard knows there’s work to do and he sounds hungry to defend. 

“I just love playing defense because I know that I can (be) on the floor if I’m not scoring,” Edgecombe said in a post-draft Zoom press conference. “Scoring isn’t the only aspect of the game. I’m so bought in on just being a versatile player, being an all-around player. Why not be an elite defender, or try your hardest to be an elite defender? That just comes with grit.

“And I just don’t like seeing other people score. … I just hate seeing the opponent score because if they score more than us, they win. And I hate to lose and love to win. So that’s why I play defense the way I do.”

Edgecombe’s defensive game is much more than effort and obstinance. He averaged 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game in his lone season at Baylor and showed he can wall off drives, jet into passing lanes and bounce high for blocks. 

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey envisions those qualities being very handy alongside guards Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes. 

“I think just fit-wise, Tyrese, with his high basketball IQ, he understands that those two complement each other very well in terms of VJ’s going to be able to guard multiple positions, probably take the toughest (defensive) assignment … maybe not (on) Day 1, but over his career,” Morey said. “Tyrese and him can really play off of each other well.” 

Edgecombe met Maxey as part of his pre-draft Sixers visit. 

“Man, he’s a great person,” he said. “We just got to know each other. We didn’t even talk basketball the whole time. … He was telling me it was great seeing me, but I was telling him how I’m just a huge fan of his game. … He’s a great person, super energetic, full of joy, and that’s someone I’m definitely looking forward to working with. 

“That’s going to be my backcourt mate. Hopefully, we retire on the same team.”

For now, Maxey will likely do considerably more scoring than Edgecombe. 

While Edgecombe wasn’t unproductive at all last season — 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game — he’s relatively weak at creating good shots for himself, converting inside and sinking jumpers off the dribble. According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, Edgecombe shot 48.9 percent at the rim in the half court. He was 34.0 percent overall from three-point range. 

“I think I just need to continue growing in every aspect of the game,” Edgecombe said. “You can never stop getting better. I’m really focused on just shooting the ball at a high level to release pressure off of Joel (Embiid), Tyrese and (Paul George).” 

Whatever transpires in Edgecombe’s NBA career, it does not appear that he’ll lack dedication or defensive zeal.

“I know that my path is different from everyone else,” he said. “I had to work a little harder, especially being from the Bahamas. There ain’t no opportunities, ain’t nobody watching you play. No coach comes into the Bahamas and says, ‘Let me go recruit this kid for (Division I),’ so I know that my work ethic had to be a lot different from everyone else’s. That’s why I work so hard. I just want to take care of my mom … my little siblings that look up to me. 

“So that’s where my work ethic comes from, and that’s because I love the game. I feel like if you love the game, you’re going to put time into it, and I just always want to give love to the game. … The game has blessed me with so many paths in life. So why not put time into this? That’s where my work ethic comes from.”

The Dallas Mavericks did what everyone knew they would on Wednesday when they selected Cooper Flagg as the No 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.

“I’m feeling amazing. It’s a dream come true, to be honest,” Flagg said after he was selected, surrounded by his family. “I wouldn’t want to share it with anybody else.”

The forward was brilliant in his single year of college basketball at Duke, which had come after he was a highly touted player in high school.

Related: Cooper Flagg will go No 1 in the NBA draft. He also broke the Duke supervillain stereotype

When Dallas overcame long odds in this year’s draft lottery to win the No 1 overall pick, there was no doubt they would go on to pick the 18-year-old from Maine. It is a move that may go some way to soothing the Mavs fanbase, who erupted in anger when the team traded superstar Luke Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February.

The 6ft 8in Flagg helped guide Duke to an NCAA Final Four appearance after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks as a freshman. He won the Wooden Award as the nation’s best college player along with taking home other honors including ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC All-Defensive Team.

The Mavericks had the No 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history. They also had the top selection in 1981, when they drafted Mark Aguirre out of DePaul.

The San Antonio Spurs picked Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper with the second overall pick. Harper, son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, will play alongside French phenom Victor Wembanyama on a Spurs team that are starting to look like they could become a force in the Western Conference again after a few downs years.

The 76ers then took Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, getting the first sustained burst of loud cheers of the draft from what seemed to be a number of Philadelphia fans who made the trip to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The first two picks had long been expected, but the No 3 spot was the first one where there was intrigue.

Kon Knueppel made it two Duke players in the first four picks when the Charlotte Hornets took him at No 4. Ace Bailey, who could have been in the mix to go third but declined to work out for the 76ers, ended up going at No 5 to Utah.

First-round NBA draft picks for 2025

1) Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg, forward, Duke

Scouting report: Only the fourth freshman named Associated Press men’s national player of the year. Led Final Four team in scoring (19.2), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4). Shot 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% on free throws. Ranked in 85th percentile or better in converting as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls, post-ups and transition, according to Synergy’s analytics rankings. Set Atlantic Coast Conference freshman record with 42 points against Notre Dame. Turns 19 in December.

2) San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers

Scouting report: Freshman lefty who thrived as scorer (19.4) and lead ballhandler with two-way potential. Notably scored 36 points against Notre Dame, then 37 a day later against then-No 9 Alabama in November. Averaged 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals. Son of former NBA guard Ron Harper. Couldn’t lift Rutgers to a winning record despite playing with fellow top prospect Ace Bailey. Turned 19 in March.

3) Philadelphia 76ers – VJ Edgecombe, guard, Baylor

Scouting report: Explosive athleticism stands out at both ends. Above-the-rim finisher who creates highlight-reel moments. Freshman ranked among combine leaders in max vertical leap (38.5). Must improve outside shooting consistency (34%), but had seven games with at least three made 3s. Had 11 games with three-plus steals.

4) Charlotte Hornets – Kon Knueppel, forward, Duke

Scouting report: Efficient wing scorer. Made 40.6% on 3-pointers. Ranked in Synergy’s 98th percentile on spot-up shooting (52.9%). Ranked sixth nationally at the foul line (91.4%). Had 10 games with at least four assists, indicating potential as secondary playmaker. ACC Tournament MVP. Lacks elite athleticism.

5) Utah Jazz – Ace Bailey, forward, Rutgers

Scouting report: Versatile, athletic shotmaker with midrange and stepback skills. Streaky shooter had five January games with at least four threes for defense-stretching potential, yet also notable skids at the foul line and behind the arc. Last season’s second-ranked recruit couldn’t lift Rutgers to a winning record despite playing with fellow top prospect Dylan Harper. Turns 19 in August.

6) Washington Wizards – Tre Johnson, guard, Texas

Scouting report: Southeastern Conference’s scoring leader (19.9) who also led all Division I freshmen. Broke Kevin Durant’s freshman Longhorns record with 39 points against Arkansas. Shot 39.7% on three-pointers with 12 games of at least four threes. Shot 87.1% on free throws. Needs strength on slender frame. Turned 19 in March.

7) New Orleans Pelicans – Jeremiah Fears, guard, Oklahoma

Scouting report: Freshman combo guard adept at creating space. Averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Attempted 6.3 free throws per game. Shot 28.4% on threes and averaged 3.4 turnovers. Must add strength. Turns 19 in October.

8) Brooklyn Nets – Egor Demin, guard/forward, BYU

Scouting report: Russian playmaker with size. Averaged 5.5 assists, second among Division I freshmen. Had 15 assists against two turnovers in 54 minutes in the last two games for a Sweet 16 team. Must improve shooting (27.3% on threes, 69.5% on free throws).

9)Toronto Raptors – Collin Murray-Boyles, forward, South Carolina

Scouting report: Sophomore with 7ft 1in wingspan and two-way potential. Averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. Thrived in halfcourt by shooting 57.9% to rank in Synergy’s 88th percentile. Shooting is a concern after hitting 23.1% (9 of 39) of three-pointers and 69.5% of free throws in two seasons.

10) Houston Rockets (traded to Phoenix Suns) – Khaman Maluach, center, Duke

Scouting report: Has length and size of elite rim protector and lob threat. Runs floor well and thrived in pick-and-roll chances, ranking in Synergy’s 99th percentile. Still-developing offensive skillset with 71.2% shooting largely coming on dunks and putbacks. Had combine’s biggest wingspan at 7ft 7.75in.

• Click here for every draft pick

2025 NBA Draft: Best available players at each position entering second round originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is over, but there are plenty more quality players still available for teams that own a second-round pick.

One of those teams is the Boston Celtics, who are in the favorable position of having the No. 2 pick (32nd overall) in the second round.

This pick was acquired in a previous trade, and it allows the C’s to get a player with first-round talent but not have to pay that player a first-round contract. And for a team like the Celtics that’s in the luxury tax, every dollar matters.

The Celtics took Spanish wing Hugo Gonzalez with the No. 28 pick in the first round. Will they address the frontcourt in Round 2? Veteran centers Al Horford and Luke Kornet can both become unrestricted free agents this summer, so it would make sense to bolster that position in the draft.

Which players should the Celtics target with their second-round pick?

Here are the best players still on the board entering Day 2 of the draft on Friday.

Point Guard

Tyrese Proctor, PG, Duke

Kam Jones, PG/SG, Marquette

Wing

Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee

Jamir Watkins, SG/SF, Florida State

Hunter Sallis, Guard, Wake Forest

Koby Brea, SG/SF, Kentucky

Rasheer Fleming, SF, Saint Joseph’s

John Tonge, SF, Wisconsin

Alex Toohey, SF, Australia

Noah Penda, SF, France

Sion James, SF, Duke

Power forward/Center

Adou Thiero, PF, Arkansas

Bogoljub Markovic, PF, Serbia

Maxime Raynaud, PF/C, Stanford

Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

Johni Broome, C, Auburn

Eric Dixon, C, Villanova

Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia

2025 NBA Draft grades roundup: How experts view Celtics' Hugo Gonzalez pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Real Madrid has produced several good NBA players over the years, and the Boston Celtics are hoping Hugo Gonzalez will eventually join that list.

The Celtics selected Gonzalez with the No. 28 pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. There were rumors earlier in the day that Boston had interest in trading up, but the C’s ultimately remained at No. 28 and made the pick. Judging by the trades that did happen, the price to move up was pretty high.

Gonzalez needs to work on his 3-point shooting, but the 19-year-old wing should be a good fit for the Celtics defensively given his athleticism, length and competitiveness.

“Just a big fan of how he plays,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens told reporters Wednesday night. “He’s tough. He’s hard playing. He cuts. He goes after the ball. He competes. He has all the intangibles of a winning basketball player.”

What do the experts think of the Gonzalez pick for the Celtics? Here’s a roundup of draft grades:

Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo! Sports

Grade: A

“He fits nicely in the Celtics’ culture. He plays hard, but is more than a hustler and strong defender. He’s a high-motor wing with great defensive tools and a slashing style on offense. If his jumper and handle develop, he could be a versatile two-way starter, though he didn’t get a lot of playing time overseas.”

Bryan Kalbrosky, For The Win

Grade: C+

“While this originally seemed like a potential draft-and-stash candidate for the Celtics, it’s possible that Spain’s González could come to the United States and play in the NBA as soon as next season. With the longest hands of anyone measured at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and a wingspan nearly 6-foot-11, he has good physical skills, even if his play on the court is indeed somewhat inconsistent.”

Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated

Grade: A-

“Gonzalez saw his stock fall throughout the year after failing to secure consistent playing time at Real Madrid, but a year ago at this time he was considered perhaps the best international player in this class. His motor is elite, as is his versatility on the defensive end. This is a strong buy-low bet for a Celtics team looking for value on affordable contracts.” 

Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports

Grade: B-

“Gonzalez had a big early reputation in the Real Madrid system. He’s a big wing with solid size and a high motor and defensive upside, especially on the ball. The defense is the intrigue here as his best offense is in transition. The shooting is the swing skill — he shot just 29% last year. Boston shoots a lot of threes, so he’ll need to show improvement there to really stick with the Celtics.”

Gilbert McGregor, Sporting News

Grade: B

“It’s a transitional offseason for the Celtics, who have made several trades in the lead-up to the draft. They now add a pro with an NBA-ready game and frame.

“Gonzalez, 19, measures at 6-6 and 205 pounds and is coming off a championship season with Real Madrid. There is an opportunity for him to play right away in Boston with available minutes on the perimeter and he has similar strengths to another recent Celtics draft pick in Jordan Walsh.”