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NBA Draft June 25, 2025 8 PM EST With The 55th Pick

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by KareemtheGreat33, Apr 27, 2025.

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pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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abeer3 said: ↑

morris and milton's spots can be cleared with no penalty. milton's contract is fully unguaranteed until 7/20, so it's kind of built to be trade salary ballast.
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Oh yeah those 2 spots will definitely be upgraded, still think we will only use new roster slots in FAs and proven players, rookies should only be Bronny and Knecht

pika1708, May 4, 2025

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pika1708 said: ↑

Oh yeah those 2 spots will definitely be upgraded, still think we will only use new roster slots in FAs and proven players, rookies should only be Bronny and Knecht
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i'll actually be surprised if knecht is still here next year.

abeer3, May 4, 2025

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KareemtheGreat33 said: ↑

We have some big guys who are projected to be 2nd rounders or might be undrafted, my favorite is

Hopefully he falls, so very bad lol
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I’m all in, just so I call yell and type all of my “Teen Wolf” references!

FrontOfJersey22, May 4, 2025

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Azndude2190 said: ↑

I said this in another thread, but we should go for some long term project Center.
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Hmmm. Good idea and maybe not trade him for Muscala

KareemtheGreat33, May 4, 2025

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Azndude2190 said: ↑

I said this in another thread, but we should go for some long term project Center.
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Absolutely, and I’d trust our scouts (except maybe whoever most wanted to draft JHS) to find someone worth a look. We're going to need some cheap talent that can actually contribute soon as we have some guys that are about to get paid a lot.

Weezy, May 4, 2025

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Wolf’s teammate a 7’1 Russian

KareemtheGreat33, May 4, 2025

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Let me preface this post by saying we’re in win now mode so I know a late 2nd rounder probably means little but I always like to see what next gem the Lakers can dig up. Here are some of the guys I like who might be worth buying a second rounder or a might go undrafted.

As far as long term projects I like Joseph Tugler from Houston. He’s young, athletic, led the NCAA in Def +\- has a 7’4” wingspan and a strong motor. He’s raw offensively but has decent touch around the hoop.

The Rest:

Center

Maxine reynaud (big, feisty, range passing)

Oscar Cluff (great rebounder, some Off)

Marcus sassen (jokic body, some skill)

Amari Williams (lob threat, great passer, no jumper)

Wing

Joshua Jefferson (high on +/-, three level scorer)

Yaxel Lendebourg ( older, athletic, led ncaa rebound, skilled, parents played pro)

Jojo Tugler (long, athletic, top defender, rim protection, jump hook, push shot, title game)

Guard

Sion James (strong, big PG, tough D, Duke)

Tyrese Proctor (big PG, Duke)

Brice Williams (free throws)

OverseasG, May 5, 2025

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interesting from the athletic:

What does that mean for the draft? First and foremost, this number is expected to be whittled down substantially by May 28, the deadline for players with remaining collegiate eligibility to withdraw from the draft. Many of the players on the early entry list are seen as strong bets to return to school because they are slated to make seven figures in NIL dollars. If the choice is that you have guaranteed money on the table from a college or you’re on the borderline of getting a guaranteed deal from the NBA versus a two-way contract (which would only pay approximately $600,000 next season), most players and their representatives are going to take the guaranteed money. But an intriguing game of chicken has also now developed in which agents and players are trying to figure out if so many guys are going to pull out of the draft that it is worthwhile to enter this year, because this would be their best chance to be selected.

That’s where the process stands at this point, and unsurprisingly, it has decimated the depth of this class in a big way. NBA teams with selections in the 40s are quite worried as to whether those picks will have much value. Even teams in the late 20s and 30s have serious questions as to whether those picks will deliver commensurate value with what a normal selection in that range will bring.

This draft was not seen as all that loaded to begin with. Teams have real questions about whether this draft will bring average value starting from about No. 3 on. There are areas of the draft where the talent levels off for most scouts and executives (some believe the middle of the lottery is a good sweet spot, others see the late teens as a solid area to derive value). The top two are the only slots of this draft where teams have a particular amount of excitement.
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well, i guess it's a good year not to have our late 1st, and we may not be looking to buy in or even be aggressive on the UDFA market.

i'm leaning heavy into draft and stash, ridiculous gamble edition.

abeer3, May 6, 2025

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Buy a 1st round pick? Brooklyn has 4, ridiculous to keep all of that

KareemtheGreat33, May 6, 2025

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KareemtheGreat33 said: ↑

Buy a 1st round pick? Brooklyn has 4, ridiculous to keep all of that
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lol, was just talking about this in another thread. the three picks that aren't theirs are all in the 20s (well, 19, 26, and 27).

they're going to have to do something with those...

abeer3, May 6, 2025

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LakeShowAZ said: ↑

2025 NBA mock draft: Projecting all 59 picks post-lottery

55. Los Angeles Lakers
Dink Pate, SG/SF, Mexico City (G League)

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...ks-post-lottery-cooper-flagg-dallas-mavericks
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quoting this here.

this guy loves dink!

abeer3, May 13, 2025 at 7:25 AM

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spurs trade #2 and harrison barnes for cam johnson and #8--who says no?

abeer3, May 13, 2025 at 7:42 AM

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abeer3 said: ↑

quoting this here.

this guy loves dink!
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Thanks for moving to the draft thread

Could he be another Lakers gem we find in the late round?

Really raw, but with all kinds of talent and upside

LakeShowAZ, May 13, 2025 at 8:21 AM

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The shine on Dink Pate has worn off, but do you still believe in him as a prospect?

We all know by now the journey Dink Pate has been on these last few seasons. The G-League Ignite team was disbanded at the end of the 23/24 season. Pate attempted to enter the 2024 NBA Draft and was denied. He ended up with Mexico City this season. Last season, Pate was viewed as a top 20 prospect at minimum had he been allowed to enter the draft. This year he is a second rounder unless he really jumps during the pre-draft process.

Because of his former prospect pedigree and perceived upside it is likely he gets drafted or a priority two-way but there has been a fall from grace for Pate and he's flying under the radar a bit this draft season. It is a deeper draft, which has some to do with it. But he also didn't have the kind of season that people expected in his second G-League year.

The intrigue with Pate really starts with his size and athleticism combo. It'll be interesting to see how he measures. He's wiry, stronger than he appears at first blush, but he will need to gain strength. He has a thin frame so not sure how much he can gain without impacting his athleticism, which is the biggest strength in his game. He is a fantastic athlete in the open floor....some monster dunks in transition. He's also fast with the ball in transition. That's where he's at his best. He's dynamic in the open floor, where his athleticism really shines.

As a player in the half court, however, there are quite a lot of question marks surrounding Pate and whether he'll be able to contribute in the near term at the NBA level. One thing is pretty obvious....he is not a point guard. He doesn't have the makeup of a point guard. He doesn't have the handle to be a point guard. One of the things that jumps out when you watch Dink is the fact he really does need to improve as a ballhandler significantly. He does not get to the rim as much in the half court as you'd think he would. He doesn't get to the line much at all. He has some shake with his handle when he's on the move or has a head of steam but doesn't have a lot of shake when static at all. He has excellent body control and does play stronger than he looks because of it. His body control is another one of his biggest strengths. His finishing is something that will have to improve in the half court, as he is often out of control when he does get to the rim and will throw up what amounts to a prayer around the rim. He stops short of the rim a lot when he touches the paint. Strength can stonewall him. He doesn't do a great job changing speeds...he just lacks a degree of craft in general. He can be pretty predictable in general which makes him easier to defend.

He will lose the ball and get stripped, especially when dribbling with his left. He's going to have to improve his left hand and he's going to have to tighten up his handle in general for he to really be able to take advantage of his athleticism more in the half court.

Pate is an untrustworthy passer and decision maker, playmaker for others. There is true vision there, you can tell watching film he naturally does have vision, and he is capable of making some very flashy passes. But the feel for playmaking just isn't good enough. He doesn't run the PnR the way a true point guard should. Some of that is his handle, as he has issues in tighter spaces with his handle and will lose the ball. His timing is not good enough in the PnR as a playmaker or in general as a passer; he misses windows, he misses open teammates and is a beat too late. He overpenetrates often and gets himself in trouble. His passes are inaccurate too often, and often have too much velocity, when looking to drive and dish or make passes out of the PnR. He will make the right read but make a bad pass and turn the ball over. He doesn't consistently hit teammates in their pockets. He doesn't consistently hit the swing pass; he will take extremely ambitious shots. He sometimes makes them but his 3 point % speaks for itself.

Pate is more comfortable shooting off the dribble than he is shooting off the catch. He has games where he can get very hot from the perimeter and he does have deep range but his percentages are poor as an off the dribble shooter, and he overestimates his abilities. He doesn't do a very good job creating separation for his shot off the dribble. This is where his lack of craft and wiggle come back to bite him. He is not proficient in setting up defenders. He is consistently fading away on shots he doesn't have to, from midrange and from 3. He leans to the side or away from the basket and ends up missing more often than not when he does. His arms can really flare outward on his catch-and-shoot opportunities from 3 at times, but his form overall isn't horrible, though he does bow his knees and bring the ball down, which makes it a slower shot. The form isn't perfect but it's not terrible...but doesn't consistently release the ball cleanly; he doesn't have a consistent release & form from shot to shot with his jumper. Keeping the release high is good but when he arms his jumpers, he misses.

He will move the ball and make the swing pass but if he's made a shot from the outside you often see him take a heat check 3 immediately that's contested on the next possession. He'll make that one too occasionally but it's not the right basketball play. There's still a lot of immaturity in the way Pate plays. He is only 19 but you can tell he's just very raw right now in his processing. I don't think he's selfish, he's just not mature. He doesn't think the game well.

Pate is a decent cutter and will be a guy who can make plays off swing passes and closeouts. That's where he's at his best in the halfcourt. Continuing to hone in on the jumper will give him a skill set that makes sense as a utility offensive guard next to stars. I think it is doubtful he ever becomes a star himself, but he can become a role player who fills in gaps and makes perimeter jumpers. Just going to take a lot of work to get there and some humbling.

Defensively, Pate consistently loses focus and is a bit jittery with his feet. That's what you can tell on tape. I think part of the intrigue with him has been defensive versatility. He's late on rotations a lot. He gives up a ton of open 3's, sinking too far in the paint or losing his man through traffic. On the ball, he doesn't just get straight blown by off the dribble when he's locked in, but he will get happy feet on the ball and give up space to the man he's guarding, which leads to pull up jumpers. He's not strong enough to be versatile defensively at the moment, he will try to get through screens but he is a poor screen navigator right now, he doesn't get through traffic well. He defends with his hands down, which makes it harder for him to contest. He doesn't always deal well with initial moves, which is the result of he just not being locked in and honestly lacking feel for the game. He doesn't loaf from what I've seen, he just is a bit late with reactions or plays on his heels.

His biggest issue though defensively is his awareness....definitely, it's shown in every game and video I've seen. Might be his biggest weakness. He gives up so many open looks from the outside from overhelping or just being lost and gets his head turned around far too often. He'll miss rotations right in his face.

My analysis of Dink Pate as a player currently is not very rosy. It's pretty difficult to be when you watch the tape. But I do believe there is upside there as a player. Not just because of the athleticism. He will need more reps, and honestly with how disorganized G-League basketball tends to be, I don't think that really helps him much. I do think NBL would help him. He needs more reps in a more clearly defined role that optimizes what he does well. He's not anywhere near ready for the NBA, but because of the tools and pedigree and flashes of occasional hot shooting, passing flair, activity on defense, I think there's a good chance a team takes a swing on him in the second round, but he going undrafted wouldn't shock me.

Are you all still a believer in Dink Pate or do you think he's a ship needing to be abandoned?
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LakeShowAZ, May 13, 2025 at 8:24 AM

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Rinky Dink

KareemtheGreat33, May 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM

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Hater

LTLakerFan, May 13, 2025 at 4:32 PM

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LTLakerFan said: ↑

Hater
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hey, it's the 55th pick...isn't there somebody's nephew we can nab?

abeer3, May 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM

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abeer3 said: ↑

hey, it's the 55th pick...isn't there somebody's nephew we can nab?
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Bronny’s bro should have been conceived earlier…what a missed opportunity for the James empire

KareemtheGreat33, May 13, 2025 at 7:32 PM

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Seems to tick all the boxes huh...

Also signed with Klutch lmfao Rich Paul it's time to help us out again.

Bryant, May 15, 2025 at 11:20 AM

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not technically quota, so this is possible

sirronstuff, May 15, 2025 at 11:58 AM

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