2025 KVBL Lottery Mock Draft - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**King Joseus** · 10-02-2012, 09:24 AM

1. Memphis Grizzlies - Duke Lazear

The Grizzlies' up and down season ended with a huge up after the Orlando Magic won the draft lottery, giving them the first overall pick for the first time since selecting Cameron Clothier in 2019. New management made its mark this season by shipping out several long time Grizzlies such as Owen Butler, Michael McDonald and Glenn Jennings, but the end result was just missing out on the playoffs via loss of tiebreaker to the upstart Spurs. The team now has a chance to establish its new identity, with whoever it takes here being the key component to leaping back to contendership status. A glance at the Grizzlies' cap situation shows nearly twenty million available this offseason, but that number will diminish considerably if the team is looking to re-sign free agents like Ryan Miyagi, Guntars Kliesmets (RFA), Ray Irons (RFA), Nikolai Koznyshev, Donny Bell, and Adriano Matteoli. Tough decisions will have to be made, but we'll assume that the team moves forward with a potential starting lineup of Miyagi/Kliesmets/???/Mikhailov/Daniels. That hole in the middle is where this pick needs to go, leaving a trio of Kobe Danielson, Duke Lazear, and Scotty Clay as potential targets. Even if we were to toss fit out the window, the pick's just got to be Lazear. The young kid out of West Virginia doesn't have too many holes in his game, and he could be an elite KVBL wing for many years to come, particularly if he brings some more consistency to his outside shot. Danielson has an outside shot at being the pick due to his unique abilities, but we think the Grizzlies brass will be left shaking their heads for many years if they go that route.

2. Denver Nuggets - Sergei Pechenikov

After years of contending but never quite getting over the hump in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets have reached the point where a complete rebuild is necessary. Aging assets with large contracts will remain problematic for another season if the Nuggets can't find suitable trade partners, but two top ten picks this year plus the cache of youngster from the Logan Heastie trade should help to speed up the process considerably. Moving forward, the team's only two bonafide young building blocks are Reggie Wright and Ramon Moreno. The front office hoped to strike gold with the physical talent of Luis Ortiz, but his time in Denver has gone poorly thus far and it remains to be seen if he'll ever get it. It would be very foolish for the Nuggets to alter their draft strategy in any way on Ortiz's account, that's for sure. The pick itself is likely to come down to either Kobe Danielson or Sergei Pechenikov, both of whom would provide needed offense in the post next to the strong defensive play of Wright. If the Nuggets believe Danielson has it in him to be a star rather than just a useful weapon, he'll be the pick. We're betting they'll opt for the seven footer with more traditional big man skills instead. Pechenikov's stronger rebounding is a big difference maker.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves - Scotty Clay

The Timberwolves have been trying to consolidate their young talent for years now, but haven't had much luck. Due to that, the roster is loaded with former first round picks that are mostly still a few years from hitting their primes. Fans have grown somewhat restless in recent seasons with the team failing to take a strongly anticipated step up, but it's hard not to think it's only a matter of time in Minnesota until they get it together. We think the rookie that will join Rafa Salvadores next season is going to be Scotty Clay and his strong all around game. In addition to playmaking and solid three point shooting, Clay brings strong fundamental defense to a team that was among the bottom third defensively last season. Kobe Danielson's drop continues as the Wolves opt not to take a risk on his unique skillset.

4. Philadelphia 76ers - Kobe Danielson

Philadelphia bade farewell to Detlef Landros last season to officially kick off its rebuilding effort, and acquired a number of young assets in the process. An abundance of cap space could help the team to bounce back quickly, presuming they'll be able to nab a free agent or two. Holdover BJ Graham showed some explosive scoring ability when he got more minutes, something that might be better suited coming off the bench. Todd Collins remains a glue guy type who can slot next to many different types of players in the backcourt. Kevin Salters suffered from turnover issues, but his strong offensive game and rebounding look to make him a nice piece moving forward. The lottery did not go well for Philly, as the team had the second worst record in the KVBL and now only has the fourth pick to show for it (with guys like Lazear and Pechenikov out of reach). If the first three play out as we think they will, the Sixers will go ahead and grab Danielson here at four. Danielson does have some deficiencies you don't typically like in a big man, but his nontraditional skills could be a nice fit next to Salters. This pick is difficult to call, and it might even end up being traded.

5. Detroit Pistons - Carlos Rivera

The Pistons might want to reevaluate the selection process for lottery representatives after yet again dropping from the top three. Detroit understandably showed some growing pains in 2024-2025 with so many rookies on the roster, but fans have hope after seeing the young talent in action. If the youth can improve (especially on defense), this team will be on track for a return to the playoffs. Any of the top four would be welcomed at this spot, but Detroit comes out smelling like roses just the same with them gone. Veteran Jim Richards did his best for Detroit last season, but the point guard position was a glaring weakness. No longer will that be the case. Carlos Rivera is the top passer in this year's class, and brings enough of an offensive game to not be a liability as a starter (as Richards was, particularly with Roderick Phillips also starting). Rivera is the answer to a lot of Detroit's problems, we'd be shocked if they went a different direction.

6. New Orleans Hornets - DeRon Mackey

A pending sale left the New Orleans Hornets in a lurch this past season, but the offseason should allow them to start putting the puzzle back together again. Poor management leaves the roster lacking in assets, something that will keep this team near the bottom of the standings for at least a few years. Still, the blank slate nature isn't necessarily a bad thing here. Victor Osborne is the team's only young player on the books beyond next season, so Hornets' brass can go in any direction they'd like with this lotto selection. Among the comparable talent remaining, the Hornets are likely to choose between Karim Franco and DeRon Mackey. Franco's strong rebounding and athleticism are impressive, but his short time playing basketball does limit his skillset to a degree. Mackey is just nineteen years old and has the physical tools to be a top notch point guard in the KVBL. There may be some problems early with the lack of depth and KVBL talent in New Orleans, but Mackey is the long term option and may very well be the player trusted with taking over for free agent Teddy Moss III.

7. Denver Nuggets - Jordan Blake

Pick number two for Denver is a forward after nabbing Pechenikov at two. Bart Hart has a lot of work to do on the offensive end that keeps him from being the pick here, while Cade Rookwell's turnover issues drop him from consideration as well. Jordan Blake, while not perfect, has bloodlines and physical tools working for him. We think he'll be the pick at seven.

8. Houston Rockets - Karim Franco

Houston's commitment to Dwight Howard puts them in a tough spot, particularly if he opts not to retire. His presence keeps the team from completely bottoming out, though that might not remain the case if the team comes back gutted for 2025. Jude Parker, last year's second pick, looks to be the only long term piece in place in Houston. It's up to the front office to draft smart around him, and we believe that begins with taking Karim Franco here. Cade Rookwell is very talented, but he's just not a Rockets type player. Franco protects the ball, scores efficiently, and defends quite well. He's gotta be the pick here.

9. Québec Sharks - Cade Rookwell

The Sharks played a lot of teams tough this season despite a roster with notable big man issues. Sadly for them, the big man bunch is not too deep this year. Mick Scragg can be a force down low, but his problems outweigh his contributions we think. The circumstances are ripe for a Euro gamble. Scouts tend to rate Lars Tokerud and Ralfs Kokorevics as the two best options here, but we're not so sold on either of those two being a wise choice this early. Just not a good spot for the Sharks to be in. Turnover issues notwithstanding, Cade Rookwell seems to be the best option here when it comes to talent. Bart Hart just isn't a good fit.

10. Cleveland Cavaliers - Bart Hart

Cleveland Cavaliers fans' excitement after seeing that the Suns' pick would be in the lottery diminished after it landed at ten, and it will diminish further when they consider the options still available here. A shallower draft class this year leaves the Cavs choosing between the severely flawed Mick Scragg and the offensively challenged Bart Hart. Hart brings more to the table when it comes to defense and playmaking, so he's gotta be the guy here.

11. New York Knicks - Jameson Smith

The talent level continues to drop as we progress further into the lotto, but that doesn't mean there aren't useful players to be had. New York is pretty much set on the wings and when it comes to big men, so they're likely to be looking PG here. Pat Yates and Ralph Terents are options, but neither are as proven as Jameson Smith out of Alabama. Smith's quick hands and solid man defense will give the Knicks a solid option if they don't bring back Shannon Duffy.

12. Los Angeles Clippers - Ray Copper

The Clippers held onto this pick by virtue of being in the lottery, but they probably aren't too pleased about their positioning. The team actually managed to put up a decent fight for the eighth seed for a while behind the strong play of franchise big man Robert Goodhue, but they ultimately only ended up hurting their lotto positioning in the process. Now, the team will need to rely on its scouts to find the right piece after most of the name brand talent is gone. Our sources say Clippers brass' is intrigued by the unheralded but productive Sky Johnson, but may not be able to resist Ray Copper's pedigree. Körning Rasmussen also has a shot at going here. It's hard to say, but we'll go with Copper out of that trio. He's not perfect, but there's a reason he's been so highly touted.

13. Boston Celtics - Mick Scragg

The Boston Celtics were a great team this year, something that makes the prospect of adding lotto talent a bit frightening for other teams around the league. The remaining players don't really jump off the page, though, aside from the incredible rebounding prowess of Mick Scragg. It's possible that Boston goes with a guy like Lars Tokerud or Ralfs Kokorevics in hopes that potential can eventually translate, but we'll play it safe and say Scragg is the choice.

**Vuchato** · 10-02-2012, 02:33 PM

Really interested in seeing what happens with this class, even excluding my pick. Hard to really put them in tiers even, think this year's draft order depends on the teams and owners more than the players. Not sure 24 hours will be enough for me to pick my top 3.

I agree with a lot of this for the most part, but there are a couple guys I'm surprised by their placing though.

AllRim · 10-02-2012, 06:16 PM

Ya the scouting I got back makes this very hard. I have been thinking about who to take for days and I'm still not 100% clear.

10-02-2012, 09:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
King Joseus Rest In Peace Join Date: May 2003 Location: Zhengzhou Age: 25 Posts: 34,385 Rep Power: 9733001	2025 KVBL Lottery Mock Draft 1. Memphis Grizzlies - Duke Lazear The Grizzlies' up and down season ended with a huge up after the Orlando Magic won the draft lottery, giving them the first overall pick for the first time since selecting Cameron Clothier in 2019. New management made its mark this season by shipping out several long time Grizzlies such as Owen Butler, Michael McDonald and Glenn Jennings, but the end result was just missing out on the playoffs via loss of tiebreaker to the upstart Spurs. The team now has a chance to establish its new identity, with whoever it takes here being the key component to leaping back to contendership status. A glance at the Grizzlies' cap situation shows nearly twenty million available this offseason, but that number will diminish considerably if the team is looking to re-sign free agents like Ryan Miyagi, Guntars Kliesmets (RFA), Ray Irons (RFA), Nikolai Koznyshev, Donny Bell, and Adriano Matteoli. Tough decisions will have to be made, but we'll assume that the team moves forward with a potential starting lineup of Miyagi/Kliesmets/???/Mikhailov/Daniels. That hole in the middle is where this pick needs to go, leaving a trio of Kobe Danielson, Duke Lazear, and Scotty Clay as potential targets. Even if we were to toss fit out the window, the pick's just got to be Lazear. The young kid out of West Virginia doesn't have too many holes in his game, and he could be an elite KVBL wing for many years to come, particularly if he brings some more consistency to his outside shot. Danielson has an outside shot at being the pick due to his unique abilities, but we think the Grizzlies brass will be left shaking their heads for many years if they go that route. 2. Denver Nuggets - Sergei Pechenikov After years of contending but never quite getting over the hump in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets have reached the point where a complete rebuild is necessary. Aging assets with large contracts will remain problematic for another season if the Nuggets can't find suitable trade partners, but two top ten picks this year plus the cache of youngster from the Logan Heastie trade should help to speed up the process considerably. Moving forward, the team's only two bonafide young building blocks are Reggie Wright and Ramon Moreno. The front office hoped to strike gold with the physical talent of Luis Ortiz, but his time in Denver has gone poorly thus far and it remains to be seen if he'll ever get it. It would be very foolish for the Nuggets to alter their draft strategy in any way on Ortiz's account, that's for sure. The pick itself is likely to come down to either Kobe Danielson or Sergei Pechenikov, both of whom would provide needed offense in the post next to the strong defensive play of Wright. If the Nuggets believe Danielson has it in him to be a star rather than just a useful weapon, he'll be the pick. We're betting they'll opt for the seven footer with more traditional big man skills instead. Pechenikov's stronger rebounding is a big difference maker. 3. Minnesota Timberwolves - Scotty Clay The Timberwolves have been trying to consolidate their young talent for years now, but haven't had much luck. Due to that, the roster is loaded with former first round picks that are mostly still a few years from hitting their primes. Fans have grown somewhat restless in recent seasons with the team failing to take a strongly anticipated step up, but it's hard not to think it's only a matter of time in Minnesota until they get it together. We think the rookie that will join Rafa Salvadores next season is going to be Scotty Clay and his strong all around game. In addition to playmaking and solid three point shooting, Clay brings strong fundamental defense to a team that was among the bottom third defensively last season. Kobe Danielson's drop continues as the Wolves opt not to take a risk on his unique skillset. 4. Philadelphia 76ers - Kobe Danielson Philadelphia bade farewell to Detlef Landros last season to officially kick off its rebuilding effort, and acquired a number of young assets in the process. An abundance of cap space could help the team to bounce back quickly, presuming they'll be able to nab a free agent or two. Holdover BJ Graham showed some explosive scoring ability when he got more minutes, something that might be better suited coming off the bench. Todd Collins remains a glue guy type who can slot next to many different types of players in the backcourt. Kevin Salters suffered from turnover issues, but his strong offensive game and rebounding look to make him a nice piece moving forward. The lottery did not go well for Philly, as the team had the second worst record in the KVBL and now only has the fourth pick to show for it (with guys like Lazear and Pechenikov out of reach). If the first three play out as we think they will, the Sixers will go ahead and grab Danielson here at four. Danielson does have some deficiencies you don't typically like in a big man, but his nontraditional skills could be a nice fit next to Salters. This pick is difficult to call, and it might even end up being traded. 5. Detroit Pistons - Carlos Rivera The Pistons might want to reevaluate the selection process for lottery representatives after yet again dropping from the top three. Detroit understandably showed some growing pains in 2024-2025 with so many rookies on the roster, but fans have hope after seeing the young talent in action. If the youth can improve (especially on defense), this team will be on track for a return to the playoffs. Any of the top four would be welcomed at this spot, but Detroit comes out smelling like roses just the same with them gone. Veteran Jim Richards did his best for Detroit last season, but the point guard position was a glaring weakness. No longer will that be the case. Carlos Rivera is the top passer in this year's class, and brings enough of an offensive game to not be a liability as a starter (as Richards was, particularly with Roderick Phillips also starting). Rivera is the answer to a lot of Detroit's problems, we'd be shocked if they went a different direction. 6. New Orleans Hornets - DeRon Mackey A pending sale left the New Orleans Hornets in a lurch this past season, but the offseason should allow them to start putting the puzzle back together again. Poor management leaves the roster lacking in assets, something that will keep this team near the bottom of the standings for at least a few years. Still, the blank slate nature isn't necessarily a bad thing here. Victor Osborne is the team's only young player on the books beyond next season, so Hornets' brass can go in any direction they'd like with this lotto selection. Among the comparable talent remaining, the Hornets are likely to choose between Karim Franco and DeRon Mackey. Franco's strong rebounding and athleticism are impressive, but his short time playing basketball does limit his skillset to a degree. Mackey is just nineteen years old and has the physical tools to be a top notch point guard in the KVBL. There may be some problems early with the lack of depth and KVBL talent in New Orleans, but Mackey is the long term option and may very well be the player trusted with taking over for free agent Teddy Moss III. 7. Denver Nuggets - Jordan Blake Pick number two for Denver is a forward after nabbing Pechenikov at two. Bart Hart has a lot of work to do on the offensive end that keeps him from being the pick here, while Cade Rookwell's turnover issues drop him from consideration as well. Jordan Blake, while not perfect, has bloodlines and physical tools working for him. We think he'll be the pick at seven. 8. Houston Rockets - Karim Franco Houston's commitment to Dwight Howard puts them in a tough spot, particularly if he opts not to retire. His presence keeps the team from completely bottoming out, though that might not remain the case if the team comes back gutted for 2025. Jude Parker, last year's second pick, looks to be the only long term piece in place in Houston. It's up to the front office to draft smart around him, and we believe that begins with taking Karim Franco here. Cade Rookwell is very talented, but he's just not a Rockets type player. Franco protects the ball, scores efficiently, and defends quite well. He's gotta be the pick here. 9. Québec Sharks - Cade Rookwell The Sharks played a lot of teams tough this season despite a roster with notable big man issues. Sadly for them, the big man bunch is not too deep this year. Mick Scragg can be a force down low, but his problems outweigh his contributions we think. The circumstances are ripe for a Euro gamble. Scouts tend to rate Lars Tokerud and Ralfs Kokorevics as the two best options here, but we're not so sold on either of those two being a wise choice this early. Just not a good spot for the Sharks to be in. Turnover issues notwithstanding, Cade Rookwell seems to be the best option here when it comes to talent. Bart Hart just isn't a good fit. 10. Cleveland Cavaliers - Bart Hart Cleveland Cavaliers fans' excitement after seeing that the Suns' pick would be in the lottery diminished after it landed at ten, and it will diminish further when they consider the options still available here. A shallower draft class this year leaves the Cavs choosing between the severely flawed Mick Scragg and the offensively challenged Bart Hart. Hart brings more to the table when it comes to defense and playmaking, so he's gotta be the guy here. 11. New York Knicks - Jameson Smith The talent level continues to drop as we progress further into the lotto, but that doesn't mean there aren't useful players to be had. New York is pretty much set on the wings and when it comes to big men, so they're likely to be looking PG here. Pat Yates and Ralph Terents are options, but neither are as proven as Jameson Smith out of Alabama. Smith's quick hands and solid man defense will give the Knicks a solid option if they don't bring back Shannon Duffy. 12. Los Angeles Clippers - Ray Copper The Clippers held onto this pick by virtue of being in the lottery, but they probably aren't too pleased about their positioning. The team actually managed to put up a decent fight for the eighth seed for a while behind the strong play of franchise big man Robert Goodhue, but they ultimately only ended up hurting their lotto positioning in the process. Now, the team will need to rely on its scouts to find the right piece after most of the name brand talent is gone. Our sources say Clippers brass' is intrigued by the unheralded but productive Sky Johnson, but may not be able to resist Ray Copper's pedigree. Körning Rasmussen also has a shot at going here. It's hard to say, but we'll go with Copper out of that trio. He's not perfect, but there's a reason he's been so highly touted. 13. Boston Celtics - Mick Scragg The Boston Celtics were a great team this year, something that makes the prospect of adding lotto talent a bit frightening for other teams around the league. The remaining players don't really jump off the page, though, aside from the incredible rebounding prowess of Mick Scragg. It's possible that Boston goes with a guy like Lars Tokerud or Ralfs Kokorevics in hopes that potential can eventually translate, but we'll play it safe and say Scragg is the choice. __________________ Interested in joining the KVBL? PM me for information.

10-02-2012, 02:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Vuchato Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: MA Posts: 6,054 Rep Power: 6652520	Re: 2025 KVBL Lottery Mock Draft Really interested in seeing what happens with this class, even excluding my pick. Hard to really put them in tiers even, think this year's draft order depends on the teams and owners more than the players. Not sure 24 hours will be enough for me to pick my top 3. I agree with a lot of this for the most part, but there are a couple guys I'm surprised by their placing though. __________________ KVBL Las Vegas Timberwolves Kenny Fugere/CJ Sampson/Walter Pelfrey Hollis Davies/Vytautas Jokubaitas Tayerone Blackman/Charlie Fineman/Willy Grant/Scott Diamond Mac Moore/Kobe Danielson/Kong Randolph Rafa Salvadores/Sam Sagan/Mick Scragg

10-02-2012, 06:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
AllRim Star Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Age: 29 Posts: 3,202 Rep Power: 444432	Re: 2025 KVBL Lottery Mock Draft Ya the scouting I got back makes this very hard. I have been thinking about who to take for days and I'm still not 100% clear. __________________ FRSL Toronto Raptors - Home Court Igloo advantage KVBL Grizzlies - The team that traded Duke and all their picks, to get nothing in return. Gary level achieved.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)