June 25, 2025
The Chicago Bulls drafted forward Noa Essengue with the 12th selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. The second-youngest player in the draft at 18 years old spent last season with Ratiopharm Ulm in Europe, averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 assists while shooting 56.0 percent over 18 contests. Essengue is a gifted playmaker and excels defensively. With his speed and athleticism, the French forward will have the opportunity to develop in the Windy City, playing alongside 2024 first-round pick 20-year-old
Matas Buzelis.
--Andrew LennoxSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
With the No. 11 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Washington State guard/forward Cedric Coward, who will be traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. The 21-year-old began his collegiate journey at Willamette University, a Division III school, before moving on to Eastern Washington and eventually Washington State. He averaged 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds with the Cougars. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, limiting him to only six games. Coward is still a work in progress concerning his development. Although he should get some minutes for the Grizzlies, he may have trouble finding consistent work throughout his rookie campaign.
--Dennis ClausenSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Phoenix Suns have acquired center
Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, according to Shams Charania. ESPN's Insider says Phoenix is sending back the 29th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and a 2029 first-round selection for the 23-year-old. Williams was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline last season, only for a failed physical to send him back to Charlotte. The Suns struggled with interior defense and size in the 2024-25 season and now have Williams and the 10th overall pick, Khaman Maluach, manning the middle. Williams is coming off his best statistical season, averaging 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in his third professional season.
--Andrew BallSource: Shams Charania - ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Phoenix Suns drafted center Khaman Maluach with the 10th selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. Technically, the Duke center was selected by the Houston Rockets. However, the pick is part of the
Kevin Durant trade, which can't be officially processed until the new league year begins on July 6th. Phoenix was in desperate need of an interior presence and found a lob threat and defensive anchor in Maluach. Moments before the selection, reports emerged that Phoenix was trading for Charlotte Hornets center
Mark Williams. Williams and Maluach now form a new center rotation in the Valley of the Sun, with the veteran Williams likely to earn the opening night starting nod.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Toronto Raptors selected forward Collin Murray-Boyles with the ninth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Murray-Boyles can almost do it all: He has a strong basketball IQ, tenacious defensive attributes, and is a bully when finishing in the paint. However, he's a tweener (6'6") and shot just 23.1 percent from three in his two seasons in South Carolina. Still, Toronto executive Masai Ujiri has a type. The Toronto roster is full of Swiss Army Knife wings who can play anywhere from the one to the five. CMB will need a creator to set him up on the scoring end, but he could turn into one of the best on-ball defenders in the league.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Utah Jazz forward/center
John Collins exercised his $26.5 million player option. The 27-year-old averaged 19.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals last season. He also shot 39.9% from behind the arc. However, Collins was limited to only 40 games due to various injuries. The Jazz have a developing roster, so the team may prioritize giving their young players the most minutes. That's not to say Collins won't have a role, but fantasy managers may not see consistent production from him during the 2025 campaign. He's also had issues staying off the injury report over the years, which is another red flag.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Shams Charania
June 25, 2025
The Brooklyn Nets drafted guard Egor Demin with the eighth selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. Many mock drafts had Demin outside of the lottery, but there were rumors the BYU product was rising late in the pre-draft process. Demin may be the best passer in this class, whether he's playing on or off the ball, and at 6'8" can easily see over smaller defenders. One of the flaws to his game, however, is an inconsistent shooting touch (18.6% from three in his freshman season at BYU). The Brooklyn Nets have five first-round picks in this draft and may add several more rookies to the roster alongside Demin.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The New Orleans Pelicans drafted guard Jeremiah Fears with the seventh overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. Oklahoma's Fears averaged 17.1 points and 4.1 assists per game as the lead guard for an NCAA tournament team in Norman. One of the youngest prospects in the draft, the 18-year-old joins a Pelicans roster with a less-than-impressive point guard depth chart.
Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles at the end of January, and
Jose Alvarado is a career backup. Fears could immediately start next to the newly acquired
Jordan Poole. Poole and
Zion Williamson can handle some ball-handling and play-making duties while New Orleans eases Fears into the NBA game.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Washington Wizards selected guard Tre Johnson with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The guard out of Texas is one of the most natural scorers in this class, leading the SEC in scoring (19.9 points per game) as a freshman in his one collegiate season. Some pundits view him as the best shooter in the draft. Johnson and the 2024 second pick, Alex Sarr, are the primary pieces of the young core, with
Bub Carrington and
Kyshawn George factoring in as well. Johnson will also have a strong mentor in guard
CJ McCollum, who was just acquired from New Orleans this week.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Utah Jazz selected forward Ace Bailey with the fifth overall selection of the 2025 NBA Draft. Once considered a top-tier prospect, Bailey slipped a couple of spots in the days leading up to the draft. His Rutgers team didn't make the NCAA tournament, despite rostering him and second pick Dylan Harper, and there were questions about his decision-making at the NBA level. The runway for Bailey's upside is wide open in Utah, which, outside of
Lauri Markkanen, lacks star power. The shotmaker will see plenty of opportunities to shoot on this rebuilding roster. Bailey used his seven-foot wingspan to average 1.3 blocks per game, along with 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his freshman season at Rutgers.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke wing Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The sharpshooter converted more than 40 percent of his three-point attempts (on 5.3 attempts per game) in his freshman season at Duke. The 19-year-old flashes more than just shooting, however, as he showed a tremendous feel for the game, especially when college teammate and first-overall pick Cooper Flagg missed time. Knueppel's stock rose late in the draft process. The Hornets continue to build their young core, as Knueppel joins
LaMelo Ball and
Brandon Miller on the perimeter. Those three are now the building blocks for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff series since 2002.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Philadelphia 76ers selected guard VJ Edgecombe with the third pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. A playoff team two seasons ago, the injury bug plagued the 76ers in the 2024-25 season, which put them in the position to draft a top prospect. Edgecombe, a guard from Baylor, fits seamlessly with the current roster.
Tyrese Maxey and
Joel Embiid, if healthy, will continue to handle the bulk of the scoring. Edgecombe brings supernatural athleticism and defensive prowess to the team. The 19-year-old averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, and over two steals per game in his lone season in Waco.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The San Antonio Spurs selected guard Dylan Harper with the second overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Rutgers product is considered the clear second-best prospect in this class, behind Cooper Flagg. Harper joins a Spurs team with a bit of a logjam in the backcourt. The team acquired former All-Star
De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline earlier this year and roster reigning Rookie of the Year
Stephon Castle. The trio should divvy up the minutes, and could see a few minutes together, given the size of Castle and Harper. Harper's best skill is getting into the paint with crafty ball-handling, which should result in creative finishes or a lob to center
Victor Wembanyama.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
The Dallas Mavericks selected forward Cooper Flagg with the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Duke's freshman phenom averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, four assists, and 1.4 blocks per game in his lone season in Durham and is widely regarded as one of the best prospects of the decade. The Mavericks view the 18-year-old as a future perennial All-Star. In the immediate future, Flagg joins a roster that could make noise in the Western Conference. He'll start alongside 10-time All-Star
Anthony Davis and nine-time All-Star
Kyrie Irving once the latter returns from an ACL injury. Flagg possesses a skillset that will elevate a team, whether he's playing on or off the ball.
--Andrew BallSource: ESPN
June 25, 2025
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Houston Rockets guard
Fred VanVleet agreed to a two-year, $50 million contract with the team. Houston recently acquired
Kevin Durant from the Suns in a trade that sent
Jalen Green and
Dillon Brooks to Phoenix. However, the Rockets improved their championship potential even more by retaining VanVleet, a player who was instrumental in helping the club secure the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference last season. The 31-year-old is one of the most respected players in the National Basketball Association. Unfortunately, he averaged only 14.1 points last season, his lowest mark since 2018. While there's a chance VanVleet will turn it around, that may be difficult, considering he'll be sharing a floor with Durant,
Alperen Sengun, and
Amen Thompson, three players who could be in the All-Star conversation.
--Dennis ClausenSource: Shams Charania
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