Live from NYC: NBA Draft Buzz, Nets’ Draft Stockpile, Noa Essengue and the Thunder’s Lottery Plans

Live from NYC: NBA Draft Buzz, Nets’ Draft Stockpile, Noa Essengue and the Thunder’s Lottery Plans

in this episode of the locked on NBA big board podcast James and I we are live we are here at the official NBA draft hotel and in this episode we are going to talk about all the rumors and all the latest news around the 2025 NBA Draft big shout out to each and every person that has made the lock on NBA big board podcast your first listen of the day i am your host Rafael Barlo to my left probably to your right on your camera or your TV is my brother James Barlo if you’re not subscribed to the locked on NBA boy YouTube channel please subscribe like share comment click the bell so you can be notified every time we drop an episode all right let’s get right into it we’re here in New York City it is about about 200 degrees it feels like I mean it is blazing hot and you know when you’re if you never been to New York New York 100 feels a little bit different than 100 everywhere else because there’s so many people just on top of each other it’s so crowded some of the buildings are old so we’re trying to stay warm or not stay warm we’re trying to stay cool and stay inside but it’s a lot going on in the NBA draft world today this is James’ first NBA draft overall what do you think of the experience so far near the uh media availability all the green room invites were there i got a you know a couple opportunities to ask some questions to some guys met some power agents just it’s a great experience man i’m glad that I’m able to do this do with you big dog yeah so today’s been it’s been pretty crazy 6:00 a.m flight and got here and you know just had to check in the hotel rush to the official NBA hotel we can’t afford to stay at the NBA hotel cuz you know you got to have big dog money but we’re a few blocks away so right when we got here uh they had the the media availability and they had the players come in in different ways and you got a chance to interview the players cooper flag was obviously the main attraction i think Dallas’s whole media whether it’s the Dallas Mavericks media team even all the local news affiliates in Dallas are here because Cooper flag is obviously a big deal let’s start off with the top news of the day i don’t even know who is the top what is the top news so a few minutes ago and just as we were arriving to the hotel or actually we were walking to the hotel Sham Shirania broke a big trade boston Celtics Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets are finalizing a three-team trade that sends Chris Scorzing in a second round pick to the Hawks terrence man and the number 22 pick to the Nets and Georgees Nyang and a second rounder to the Celtics just off the top of my head Georgees Nyang is from the Boston area so he gets to go home but the Atlanta Hawks got some size we knew that they needed to add some size this off season i didn’t think that Chris Porzingis was the the size they they were looking for he’s definitely massive at 74 but Atlanta needed a seven-footer and the Brooklyn Nets got another first round pick that means they have five first round picks and we just talked to an agent of a player he has a couple players that could be in that range and he said as of now right now it is 7:38 Eastern time on Tuesday night the day before the draft he believes the Brooklyn Nets are going to keep all of their first round picks what do you think about that five first round picks i think that that’s Well I still feel like that’s a move to make to move up into the top three maybe Charlotte Triggs back but you know as of right now five first round picks that’s like that’s one of those moves you make on 2K when you play GM mode and it’s like 20 38 and you flee some team for other picks well it’ll be interesting to see what the Nets do but I do like Porzingis in Atlanta uh obviously he’s a sevenfooter he gives you that rim protection but he’s also a pick and pop guy so now you got athleticism and space and it helps out Trey Young a lot and they still kept what their 13th pick as well 13 so the Hawks I feel like had a you know a good off season today but you know there’s more moves to be made i think that pretty much guarantees that the Hawks are going to look at backcourt depth at pick 13 if Kaspar Jakatonis is available i think that makes sense diego Demon could be available in that range what other point guards do you see Atlanta could be targeting obviously it has to be a point guard with some size i would pivot instead of going with a point guard i’d probably let Dyson Daniels be my backup point guard maybe if Nick Clifford or Cedric Coward is there at 13 I’d probably lean more towards wing depth because I feel like they need playmaking but you know if you got Trey out there and I feel like Dyson is you know Dyson excuse me and Jaylen Johnson are going to handle the ball i don’t necessarily think they need a young point guard so I think wing death would be the decision that I would go with that makes sense it just depends on what they do with Kobe Buffkin or how they feel about Kobe Buffin he could be the backup point guard i mean they just drafted him two years ago so who knows what’s going on there all right another big topic of the day was Noah As prospect that his team is currently playing in Germany and he is here he’s here he was at the media session earlier today we talked to his agent this was all planned it wasn’t like he just packed up and and left it was all planned it was it was something that the agency and his team had talked about unique situation i don’t know if he gets away with something like that in Greece or Turkey or Serbia but interesting situation for him to choose hearing his name called over playing in game five the championship game what do you think about that i understand both sides of it but ultimately like you’d have to think you know when he signed up to play for Radio Farm that he could be in this position and also I think the other team voted on the dates so like this isn’t something that just you know sprung up on uh Senate and his camp like they kind of saw it coming so I mean obviously you know you helped that team you’ve worked hard to get to this point but you’ve worked your entire life to get to this point which is the NBA draft i probably would do the same thing and uh you know talking to uh his agent you know there wasn’t any backlash they knew what was you know going on so hey it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity you know SA he was there for media availability and you know it looks like he’s a top 10 big so I I think that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity you can’t necessarily pass up yeah I would take him at number eight if I’m the Nets if if he’s available they have five picks you can swing for the fences on three of them right and and then you still have you still have more picks but I like the sing do you think this could change the perception do you think this could be a red flag we talked to a rival agent and he said he thinks that teams could feel a little bit differently about that because he chose to hear his name called as opposed to helping his team win championships that’s an interesting perspective that I didn’t think about um I wouldn’t necessarily call it a red flag because you know he’s 18 right who’s to say that this was 100% his decision to show up to the draft maybe it was his agency decision maybe it was a mutual decision between the two i don’t necessarily consider it a red flag i mean I look at it as this i’ve seen all the film on this kid for an entire year probably been tracking him for two years he chose to be to show up to the draft i’m just going to you know check my intel and make sure that he is a good cage but it sounds like he is and we’re just going to go from there but does it mean something that his teammate Ben Saraf a projected first round pick chose to stay i mean everybody has their own decisions i mean Ben Sar is a projected first round pick not a projected lottery pick so there is a difference um and you know I don’t I don’t look at either kid differently like you know choices are made and you know here we are today but again I get both sides of it at the same time though if I was a GM like if I talked to you know a sing’s agency and they explained that they knew this that this was a possibility and you know everything else checked out then this is just where where we are so I’m just looking at a tweet came out earlier today understandable decision by Noah As that’s where he’s worked towards his whole life radio Farms Radio and his fans will support Noah but the media will use this to create a negative atmosphere what do you think about that i mean what media is it though like once the media picks up that he was drafted by team or whoever you know it may be a slight story but it’s going to be a bigger story that they just drafted this 18-year-old highly productive athletic kid out of France more so than the choice that you know his team decided or he decided not to play for his team now again if the team wins Radio Farm wins or loses then maybe it becomes a bigger story but you know in today’s news cycle man you know it’s hard to you know keep up with a story longer than a couple days all right up next we’re going to talk about the Phoenix Suns who the Phoenix Suns can target at number 10 got to talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder there’s a lot of buzz around here saying that the Thunder are looking to move into the lottery all right let’s talk about open phone if you’re running a business you know that every mis call is is basically money left on the table think about the last time you had an urgent need maybe for a plumber or a service provider if the first person didn’t answer what’ you do you went on to the next you moved on and that’s why you need Open Phone open Phone is the number one business phone system built to streamline and scale your customer communications all from an app on your phone or computer open Phone lets you manage business calls and texts from a single app and their AI agent handles after hours calls 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convenience of the Phoenix Suns that’s what he signed the no trade clause for so I think Deon Booker is going to be their primary ball handler but I still think they need a natural table setter who are some options that you think that they should look at at number 10 i’d probably go in a different direction than a natural table setter i would go best player available if I was defeating Suns you know you look at that roster and I know Bradley Bill is old or not old he’s due for a big payday he’s not getting a big pay not I’m sorry i meant to say Deon Booker deon Booker is due for a big payday it’s like every three years he’s doing Yeah yeah he’s He’s probably got to be close to like It feels like he’s close to 700 million but you know I feel like I’m going with the best player available and if the rumors are true that Derrick Queen is sliding rock I’m you know how I feel about Derrick Queen i’m running to the podium to take him i’m not necessarily drafting for fifth at 10 because you got to think like the Sun’s future is like who knows what the Sun’s future looks like and you know they worked hard to get these picks back so I’m going best player available at 10 now if Queen is gone I mean do you look at like a Casparis Yakonis to you know fill that point guard need do you go with a Colin Mary Boils who seems like his name is creeping up do you go with I don’t think they can go with a wing they got too many guys just has to either be a point guard or possibly a big so hopefully it’s Queen i think Queen is got all the talent in the world and then you know you got those fours there threes and fours dylan Brooks a big win though well you got Dylan Brooks and you got Ryan Dunn i feel like you got Brian done to me is not a wing well I mean three four it’s he’s a wing in a sense i think you need like a a natural wing with with size in addition to to the I let you cook i I’m going with Queen right there if I’m the Suns if he’s there so speaking of Queen Mark Stein shout out to my guy Mark Stein he reported earlier today that the Suns are going to target a big with their pick at number 10 and he says that the Suns are targeting Derek Queen and Danny Wolf i know you like Queen so tell me your thoughts on Queen and how he would fit with the current Phoenix Suns roster like I said you know you got two big defenders in Dylan Brooks and Ryan Dunn i think that is what you need to help Queen out if you have any questions about his shot blocking ability you got guys that are going to stifle your your ball handlers the opposing team’s ball handlers on the perimeter and that way he’s not forced to play drop coverage and I do think Queen like I said I’ve been saying it for some time i think Queen can defend on the perimeter in spurts he just has to lock in on defense as far as Danny Wolf goes at 11 that’s or 10 excuse me that’s a little bit high for me but I do you know he’s an intriguing talent he’s a sevenfooter that can put the ball in the ground but that’s just too high for me shout out to Danny Wolf though yeah I like Danny Wolf 10 to me that’s it’s definitely a reach did Danny Wolf go to Michigan is close enough to Michigan State yeah but they they they don’t like each other they don’t like each other they put the beef aside maybe they go with Jace Richardson at number 10 who knows man who knows maybe they go Jason Richardson at number 10 or maybe they make a trade for Draymond Green or Sharon Jackson bring back Shannon Brown or something man who knows at Zebo Zack Randolph front office all right up next we’re going to talk about the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder who are reportedly interested in moving inside of the lottery there’s nothing like stepping into your own outdoor space and feeling like you’ve escaped to your own personal oasis and if you are wanting to update your patio this summer Wayfair has made it so easy to turn it into a space that feels like yours comfortable stylish and ready for the summer the Wafer has 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first dab his hands are really as big as they say they are he about to touch my whole elbow other side of my elbow when he shook my hand so my my dumbbell said something to him like I was going to start a conversation with him in English yeah but I talked to talked to his interpreters but Hansang and Hop Moss like they are legitimate 7 two like they’re compared to everybody else that we’ve seen here they are they’re much bigger than everybody else here that we’ve seen here hans Yang was not invited to the green room but Hans Yang is here so Hans Yang is here in Brooklyn so that could be a a good sign for Hansen Yank because yeah you can pay your own way to be here but he’s been training in California so for him to be here they think something is happening all right let’s talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder fresh off a championship matter of fact they had the parade today i don’t want to sound like old head but that’s the worst dressed team in NBA history man that’s that gin whatever they are i don’t know what these kids wear i feel like I’m pretty youthful but you know some of the stuff that these kids wear man that’s that’s that Boomer talk i’m joking thunder fans i know they got a bunch of stylistic guys i mean I actually just love what their team represents they’re close-knit unit my wife was watching game she was like “Why are they all in the interview?” She’s like “What is he there he doesn’t even have on a uniform.” But I was trying to explain to her it’s just a sign of of them being a close-knit team they look like they all got the same fashion stylist they all had on these big old Jords but but anyway with that being said Oklahoma City Thunder they just won a championship Sunday night they had a parade today and they are looking to make moves it is reported that the Thunder who have picks 15 and 24 are looking to package those two picks to possibly move up in the lottery if you are Sam Preston and you’re willing to move up two picks obviously you probably don’t want to bring in two more rookies you want to consolidate those because you still got a rookie in Nola Topic that didn’t play last year as a lottery pick who are you targeting in the lottery it’s a good question and you have to think know OKC they feel like you know they got the blueprints to success and whoever they decide to select they think that at least I think that in two years when you know they really got to start paying people they need some backup plans so maybe they go wing right there you know Cedric Coward could be a possibility maybe they go with a big I don’t know we heard common molly watch today we heard about common malw heard that could be a target body ‘s name has been mentioned a lot somebody mentioned to me or the Spurs looking at Cedric Coward and I end up speaking to some close sources and they said that everything is on the table right now i think there’s a lot of agents that feel like their players are in play between 10 and 15 it’s probably about nine guys that think that they can go anywhere from 10 to 15 like we just mentioned earlier Danny Wolf is a name that that has been floated around that that could go that high is Derek Queen a name that that you think could fit the Thunder oh I didn’t think about you you know Derek Queen in check with those hacking defenders on the wing i mean that’s perk opportunity for him too and that gives him also a different look if you you know if I’m Sam Prey and I’m like “All right man we know Chad is the good on defense.” Offensively he definitely struggled right the three ball was looking kind of shaky but you bring in somebody else who can you know create looks in the half court like Derek Queen then you have something you have basically something for every defense you got your hybrid big two of them really and then you got your playmaking whatever position they play jaylen Williams their queen is you know like like I we talked to somebody today and Oklahoma City just looks like they know what they’re doing you know they get that pass cuz you obviously you win the championship you draft well so it’ll be interesting to see what they decide to do because they definitely have the assets to move up and I’d have to look and see but they got to have somebody’s 2026 pick yeah i just wonder who would who wants to move down to 15 to 24 that is in the lottery but right now there’s a lot of speculation going on but one thing that has been I guess the theme of the last few weeks as far as trades outside of the Kevin Durant trade which we knew was going to happen these other trades no rumors no smoke i mean Jordan Pool getting traded to the Pelicans shout out to you Rob who traded Jordan Pool 2 weeks ago i mean to me like I got aggregated on NBA Central because I said Jordan Pool could be moved but to me that wasn’t like I told him Anthony Simons was going to get moved too i don’t think I was breaking any news but this this pick did or this trade didn’t really involve like any major draft capital but it was CJ McCollum and Kelly Olen and a future second round pick to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Pool Sadik Bay and the number 40 pick looks like the Pelicans are trying to win now are they i mean you added I mean you got younger you got younger you took back some Well we talked about the Pelicans needing point guard uh they definitely need a point guard this season like Jonte Murray is still out with an Achilles injury and then you know I figured McCullum would get moved i didn’t think it would be this soon but I just kind of feel like with that move the Pelicans if I were what’s what they used to tweet Pelicans are zeroed in on Ace Bailey because now you got your point guard there kind of doesn’t make sense for them to take a Jeremiah fears but at the same time like Brooklyn’s moved up and then at and also like Washington what do they still do cuz now because they have McCollum who is on a you know rental they still got Bub and they got all that cap space i don’t know what they’re going to do with all that cap space but do they decide to go at fears there or do they look at uh Ace Bailey i I don’t know and from the people that we’ve talked to like nobody knows what’s going to happen everybody’s on pins and needles right now yeah well tomorrow is the 2025 NBA draft where does Ace Bailey end up i think I froze up i don’t know where he ends up where do you think he’s going to end up i think Ace Bailey ends up in New Orleans i think New Orleans i think I don’t think he flies to number seven but I think he ends up in New Orleans it’s either New Or I think it’s either New Orleans or Brooklyn but like New Orleans makes the most sense especially if they’re talking about trading excuse me trey Murphy but I think they’re going to trade Trey Murphy i mean that was the rumor a couple weeks ago i can’t see that i mean if they do that’s that’s a sign of rebuilding but who knows i didn’t think that the Grizzlies would trade the bank i think Ace Bailey ends up with the Pelicans and I think it’s going to be a trade with the Pelicans and the Hornets i think the Hornets want to select Ken but don’t want to take him at number four because I don’t want to get aggregated stay tuned tomorrow tomorrow is draft day we may have another episode between now and then but once again thank you for making this your first listen of the day again it’s Rafael and James and we are out of here [Music]

Broadcast live from the NBA Draft Hotel in New York City, this edition of the Locked On NBA Big Board Podcast features Rafael and James Barlowe breaking down the latest trade chatter and draft buzz ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. They kick things off with the two headline-making deals of the day: the Brooklyn Nets securing their fifth first-round pick, and the Atlanta Hawks bolstering their frontcourt by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis. The Barlowe brothers then share their thoughts on Noa Essengue’s controversial decision to attend the NBA Draft rather than suit up for Game 5 of the German league finals, weighing the long-term implications for his pro outlook and how scouts might perceive the move. From there, they dive into rumors swirling around the Oklahoma City Thunder—fresh off a championship run—who appear keen to pivot toward youth by packaging assets to re‑enter the lottery. Rafael and James highlight plausible target prospects in that mix. Attention then turns to Phoenix, who holds the 10th pick and is reportedly sizing up Derik Queen as a potential long‑term fit. They wrap with a detailed breakdown of the blockbuster that sent Jordan Poole to New Orleans in exchange for CJ McCollum, discussing how each player fits their new surroundings.

2:35 – Brooklyn Nets acquire their fifth first-round pick
4:03 – Atlanta Hawks: Exploring options at No. 13
5:20 – Reaction to Noa Essengue skipping Game 5 for NBA Draft
10:54 – Phoenix Suns’ plans at No. 10
12:12 – Could Derik Queen be Phoenix’s pick?
16:14 – Update on Hansen Yang
17:17 – Oklahoma City Thunder trade rumors and lottery buzz
19:00 – Where does Khaman Maluach land?
19:30 – Is Derik Queen a fit in OKC?
21:00 – Jordan Poole traded to Pelicans for CJ McCollum
22:39 – Ace Bailey: Where does he end up?

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NBA Draft analyst Rafael Barlowe from NBA Draft Junkies and current author of the NBA Big Board newsletter is joined by Richard Stayman (@MavsDraft), James Barlowe, and Leif Thulin to breakdown the NBA Draft. Rafael & Team gives passionate NBA Draft fans a deep look into the NBA Draft with great guests, Mock Draft, player rankings, and of course BIG BOARDs. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network.

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