2025 NBA Draft: What Every Team Needs in 2025
There’s a rhythm to draft night—the anticipation, the backstage whispers, the fanbases convincing themselves that this pick changes everything. But behind all the excitement are thirty teams each staring down a different kind of pressure. Some need to hit reset. Others are chasing titles on borrowed time. And a few are just trying not to make the next Marvin Bagley mistake. The draft isn’t just about who gets picked—it’s about what that pick means. That’s why these goals matter.
Milwaukee Bucks: Trade Giannis While He’s Still Worth the Trouble
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This isn’t fun to say, but it’s overdue. The Bucks have mortgaged their entire future, and Giannis deserves better than this slow, expensive unraveling. Trading him now doesn’t just bring back a haul—it gives the franchise a direction again. It’s not tanking, it’s correcting. The worst thing Milwaukee could do is try to stretch this timeline another year.
Phoenix Suns: Pull the Devin Booker Trigger Already
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Phoenix can’t afford to keep dancing around reality. The roster is capped out, has no flexibility, and is locked into a fake contender identity. Booker has value. Not as a savior here, but as the only asset that could return multiple picks and young talent. The moment to pivot is now, before this franchise gets stranded.
New York Knicks: Back Away From the Panic Button
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The Eastern Conference Finals flameout stings, but the Knicks are closer than they’ve been in years. Don’t turn disappointment into a dumb move. Towns doesn’t fit cleanly with Brunson? Fine. Find a coach who can figure it out. There’s no need to burn assets when the foundation is this solid. Trade down, bank value, keep building.
San Antonio Spurs: Call the Pelicans About Giannis Picks
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The No. 2 pick is gold, but the Spurs have an even shinier long shot—flipping it into Giannis via a three-team deal. The Pels own the Bucks’ future, and San Antonio could unlock that door. Wembanyama plus Giannis is worth thinking about, even if it’s wild. That kind of frontcourt would tilt the league’s balance instantly.
Dallas Mavericks: Stop Pretending This is a Contender
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Flagg changes everything, but he’s not a bandage for a Kyrie-less, aging roster. Davis needs to go—not because he’s bad, but because he doesn’t belong on this timeline. The Mavs lucked into a fresh start. Use the No. 1 pick as the foundation, and trade Davis before his value tanks. Dallas has a shot to rebuild smarter.
Toronto Raptors: Act Like You’re Serious Again
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Enough tinkering. If Toronto’s serious about competing in the East again, it’s time to make a move. The Barnes-Barrett core isn’t scaring anyone, but it can help land a star. Whether it’s Giannis or KD, the Raptors should be dangling picks now—not waiting for next year. Masai’s won big bets before. This is another chance.
Philadelphia 76ers: Don’t Waste the No. 3 Pick on a Pipe Dream
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This pick is not a trade chip. It’s an exit ramp from the Joel Embiid era. If the Sixers try to flip it for another overpaid 30-something, they’re just doubling down on a broken model. Maxey’s the future. McCain is a nice fit. Add someone who can grow with them. Pretending this roster is one piece away is delusion.
Brooklyn Nets: Become the Team Everyone Has to Call
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With cap space, draft picks, and no real expectations, Brooklyn is positioned to do what smart teams dream of—leverage other people’s panic. Want to dump salary? Need a third team? Looking for a reset? The Nets should be involved in every deal. You don’t need stars if you collect the assets that lead to them later.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Push for KD Now or Regret It Forever
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The window’s real. You’ve got the pieces. If KD’s available, the Wolves can’t afford to be cautious. Durant isn’t built for long rebuilds anymore, and playing next to Edwards could extend his peak. The Randle contract, your draft capital—it’s all there. Waiting for a cleaner fit is how teams miss their shot. Minnesota needs to swing.
Charlotte Hornets: Decide What LaMelo Actually Means to You
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VJ Edgecombe would be a nice get at No. 4, but Charlotte’s bigger decision isn’t about the pick. It’s LaMelo. Either you treat him like your franchise player or you explore what he’s worth on the market. You can’t halfway build around someone this volatile. Pick a direction before another season slips into irrelevance.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Calm Down and Ride the Wave
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It’s tempting to tear things down after a disappointing playoff run, especially with that tax bill looming. But Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, Allen—this core just won 60 games. Injuries derailed them, not bad construction. Don’t trade for the sake of change. Use this draft to stay boring. Boring is fine when you’re that close to elite.
Indiana Pacers: Keep Myles Turner at All Costs
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Finals teams don’t get cute with their glue guys. Turner isn’t a highlight reel, but he anchors everything Indiana does. If the tax bill gets uncomfortable, move someone else. Use the No. 23 pick to dump a salary if you have to. The second you let Turner walk is the second the Pacers start slipping backward.
Golden State Warriors: Solve the Kuminga Problem Before It Solves You
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This isn’t about the No. 41 pick. It’s about whether Kuminga is a long-term piece or a trade chip who’s losing value by the month. The Jimmy Butler gamble didn’t fix anything. If you can turn Kuminga into someone who makes sense next to Curry, you do it now. This team can’t afford another gap year.
Orlando Magic: Fix the Offense or Waste Banchero’s Prime
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This roster defends like hell and still got bounced because no one could hit a shot or make a read. The Magic don’t need more effort—they need execution. They’ve got enough picks to package and move up or take two shots at guards who can actually run an offense. Banchero’s doing his part. Time for the front office to match it.
Atlanta Hawks: Draft a Grown-Up Guard Who Can Settle the Second Unit
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If Trae Young sits and everything falls apart, you don’t have depth—you have a dependency. With LeVert probably gone and Bogdanović streaky at best, Atlanta needs someone who can take the wheel for a few minutes a night without crashing it. That No. 13 pick should go to a guard who can dribble, pass, and stay upright.
Houston Rockets: Stop the Brick-Fest
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No team with this much perimeter talent should shoot this badly. You’ve got athletes, drivers, slashers—but if you can’t space the floor, it all clogs up. Pick 10 has to bring in someone who can shoot right now. Not a project. Not a maybe. Someone who knocks down open threes while Sengün does the creative stuff.
Miami Heat: Admit You Need a Real Scorer
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Post-Butler, this team cratered offensively. Herro’s breakout was fine, but if he’s your go-to option, you’re not a playoff team. Miami’s identity can’t be “grit and a prayer” every year. If pick 20 doesn’t get you a polished scorer, then flip it with a future pick and go get someone who can create clean looks consistently.
Los Angeles Lakers: No More Experiments at Center
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The Williams trade disaster was a red flag, and the Len/Hayes combo wasn’t fooling anyone. LeBron’s not playing the five anymore. You need a big man who can catch a lob and survive on defense for more than 12 minutes. Doesn’t need to be flashy—just competent. Pick 55 probably won’t do it, but some kind of move needs to happen now.
Portland Trail Blazers: Stop Drafting Centers and Start Moving Them
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There’s no excuse to take another big here. You’ve got Ayton, Clingan, Williams, Reath—and only one paint. The pick at No. 11 needs to address perimeter skill or be part of a package to clear the logjam. Otherwise, you’re developing no one and inflating salaries you’ll be stuck eating in February. Set the rotation now. Stick with it.
Chicago Bulls: Draft Someone Who Actually Forces the Issue
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This team avoids contact like it’s contagious. Last in drawing fouls, next to last in forcing turnovers—how do you win playing that passively? Matas Buzelis can’t be the only one showing life. No. 12 should go to someone who’ll get into bodies, wreck plays, and demand calls. If you’re going to be mid, at least be annoying.
Utah Jazz: Don’t Flinch Just Because It’s Taking Time
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You didn’t land Wemby. You didn’t jump up the board this year. But this is not the time to panic. The rebuild was always going to be ugly in stretches. Take the best player at No. 5, float your expiring deals to absorb bad contracts, and keep collecting picks. The payoff’s still ahead—if you don’t shortcut it.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Target One Red-Flagged Prospect and Go All-In
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The Thunder are the rare team that can afford to pick someone whose medicals scared off 10 other GMs. You already did it with Topić. It’s working. You’ve got enough draft capital to fail safely, and you don’t need help right now. Take the home-run swing. Worst case? He doesn’t play much. You’re still contenders.
Boston Celtics: Cut Some Payroll Without Cutting Contenders
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You’re not running back a $500 million payroll when Tatum might miss the entire season. And no, trading Jaylen Brown doesn’t fix that. You need creative accounting—not wholesale change. Trade down from No. 28. Try to offload Porziņģis or Brogdon’s money if anyone bites. But don’t let cost-cutting sabotage a core that still wins when healthy.
Denver Nuggets: Name a GM Before Draft Night
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It’s weird that we’re this close to the draft and no one knows who’s actually in charge. If it’s Ben Tenzer, say so. If not, hire someone now. Denver doesn’t have a pick, but you’ve got real decisions coming. MPJ’s future. Re-entering the draft via trade. You can’t do any of that without a clear voice running the room.
Sacramento Kings: Get a Real Point Guard or Stop Pretending This Works
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Fox is gone. Monk can’t run an offense full-time. Devin Carter didn’t show much. And yet somehow the Kings are still flirting with a play-in mindset. That’s a terrible combination. Whether it’s via trade or free agency, this team needs someone who can actually organize a possession. That No. 42 pick won’t cut it alone.
Memphis Grizzlies: Don’t Let Desperation Lead the Rebuild
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Ja’s injury history. JJJ’s contract situation. A forgettable season. It all screams “shake things up,” but this isn’t the time to sell low. Memphis should wait until Ja’s trade value rebounds and Jackson’s extension window clarifies. You’ve already changed coaches. Now resist the urge to force anything. Stability, even if it’s boring, is the right call here.
New Orleans Pelicans: Don’t Whiff at Point Guard Again
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CJ’s not a point guard. Dejounte’s out for most of the year. You can’t just shrug and hope it sorts itself out. If Fears or Jakucionis is on the board at 7, don’t overthink it. If not, trade down smartly. You’ve got wings. You’ve got defense. What you don’t have is someone to run the show.
Washington Wizards: Keep It Simple—Draft a Functional Wing
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This team needs almost everything, but most urgently, it needs structure. You’ve got a raw point guard (Carrington), a developing big (Sarr), and no one to glue it together. Take the best big wing who can shoot and defend without needing 20 touches. That’s how you give your young core a fighting chance to grow.
Los Angeles Clippers: Prepare for the Harden and Kawhi Drop-Off
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Even if both are back, their timelines are fragile. The cliff is closer than it looks. The No. 30 pick isn’t saving the season, but it’s a chance to add someone who might be a rotational player in a year. Look for a combo guard with shot creation upside. The next rebuild starts with small bets like this.
Detroit Pistons: Find Out What Ivey and Duren Are Actually Worth
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Extensions are looming, but the production hasn’t matched the hype. The Pistons need to explore every scenario—from extending one and trading the other, to flipping both in a package for something real. Don’t let the No. 37 pick distract from the bigger decision: Who’s part of this future, and who’s just taking up cap space?