2025 NBA Draft preview; Celtics deal Kristaps Porziņģis to Hawks; Wizards send Jordan Poole to Pelicans

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🏀 Good morning to all but especially to …

THE NBA DRAFT FIRST-ROUNDERS

Welcome to the first round of the NBA Draft, everyone! Tonight we get picks 1-30 — here’s the full order — and after last year’s No. 1 overall pick was a mystery, this year’s is anything but: Cooper Flagg will go first to the Mavericks, and even though that’s been the case ever since Dallas stunningly won the lottery, that shouldn’t make Mavericks fans any less excited.

Flagg is an absolute stud. A baller. A guy who alters the direction of a franchise that very much needs it. He was the best player in college basketball last season even though he wasn’t even supposed to be a freshman until this coming fall. LeBron James sang his praises. Here’s everything to know about Flagg.

Then there’s Ace Bailey, who has gotten decidedly less praise as he followed a mercurial freshman season at Rutgers with a concerning pre-draft process, opting to not work out for teams. Paul George criticized the approach, and even Pennsylvania’s governor is worried about the 76ers potentially drafting Bailey third. Here’s the latest intel on the teams holding picks 3-10, when the drama really begins.

Our bold predictions include Bailey falling out of the top five, though that might not even be that bold of a prediction given the betting odds. I liked Colin Ward-Henninger’s bold prediction, too:

• Ward-Henninger: “Will Riley will be the steal of the draft — I legitimately think he is a top-10 talent. His range is unlimited and he shoots it with confidence, while he’s also shown flashes of some advanced playmaking — finding shooters with one-handed zip passes off of penetration. He has a midrange game and the basketball IQ that makes him a smart cutter and connective passer. Of course there are defensive questions given his slight frame (6-foot-8, 186 pounds), but he profiles to be a strong enough offensive talent to make him a net positive player.”

Riley also lands on Kyle Boone’s boom-or-bust prospects.

Here’s more:

😄 Honorable mentions

😟 Not so honorable mentions

🏀 NBA trades: Kristaps Porziņģis to Hawks; Jordan Poole to Pelicans

We knew there were more likely trades coming from the Celtics after they dealt Jrue Holiday late Monday night. As it turned out, it took under 24 hours. Boston shipped Kristaps Porziņģis to the Hawks as part of a three-team deal on the eve of the NBA Draft. Here are the details:

• Hawks get: Kristaps Porziņģis, future second-round pick
• Celtics get: Georges Niang, future second-round pick
• Nets get: Terance Mann, No. 22 overall pick

The biggest reason for the trade from Boston’s perspective was financial: Boston is now below the second apron for the 2025-26 season.

The Hawks, meanwhile, take a win-now swing with Porziņģis, a clear talent who has struggled to stay healthy. Atlanta received a “B” in Sam Quinn’s trade grades.

• Quinn: “Porziņģis is obviously a stellar shooter at center. His 3-point prowess is well-known, but the other benefit is that he effectively makes an offense switch-proof. … With Onyeka Okongwu‘s growth last season, the Hawks now have two big men that can actually space the floor a bit, yet defensively, they provide very different things. … The question marks here are in the long term. Jalen Johnson starts his rookie extension this year. Dyson Daniels will next year, and we have no idea whether or not the Hawks will be able to sign Trae Young to a reasonable extension. In other words, this team is getting expensive.”

Atlanta also lands on James Herbert’s list of lottery teams potentially ready to make the jump.

Brooklyn, meanwhile, has one-two-three-four-five first-round picks tonight. Could a move or two be coming?

That was the second trade of the day. Earlier, the Pelicans acquired Jordan Poole from the Wizards, sending CJ McCollum to Washington. Here are the details:

• Pelicans get: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, No. 40 overall pick
• Wizards get: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, future second-round pick

Sam says taking on Poole’s contract is a puzzling move from New Orleans, which earned a “C-” in his trade grades.

🏀 What’s next in NBA offseason?

The Celtics still might not be done. Teams are circling regarding Jaylen Brown, and while Boston is reluctant to move him, it could be swayed by a big offer.

What else could unfold? The Lakers have already had a big offseason with the Buss family selling the franchise to Mark Walter, a move that should pay dividends for years to come. But in the months to come, the Lakers still need to figure out what LeBron James is doing and if they can pair him with an upgrade at center, Sam writes.

• Quinn: “Walker Kessler is a name that frequently comes up. Nic Claxton does as well, though he’s on a more expensive contract. There are starting-caliber centers out there for the Lakers to trade for, but the asset cost would be steep. Move your picks for a big now and suddenly you’re without them later, when you might want to trade for Dončić’s long-term co-star. Free agency is the alternative there. … Four candidates to watch? Al Horford, Brook Lopez, Clint Capela and Luke Kornet, all of whom we’ve covered in more depth here.”

Sam’s eight biggest questions are a perfect primer for what’s already been a wild offseason.

🏈 NFL’s top 25 players (at or) under 25 … in 2025

I’ve said it before, but I mean it more now than ever: We’re in the dog days of the NFL offseason. We don’t have any workouts or minicamps to save us. There are still significant free agents available, but they’re not likely to sign until we get closer to — or even during — training camps, most of which are about a month away.

That’s why I was so hyped to see Cody Benjamin’s annual Top 25 NFL players 25 and younger, with a new No. 1 and a No. 2 that hadn’t even played a game at this time last year.

1. “Ja’Marr Chase — Chase’s former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson topped this list a year ago. It’s only right the Bengals star claims the crown for himself. Freshly rewarded with a long-term deal in Cincinnati, No. 1 is the only wideout to rival Jefferson in sheer big-play spectacle, leading all receivers in catches (127), yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17) to close his fourth season.”
2. “Jayden Daniels — Is one year enough to call Daniels one of the game’s elite quarterbacks? It is for now. The dynamic dual threat didn’t just elevate the Commanders‘ talent in an efficient and explosive rookie season; he also proved unfazed by the magnitude of the stage.”

One guy I think Cody underrated? Will Anderson Jr., who’s 18th on the list and not even the Texans‘ top player. Anderson’s 11 sacks were tied for 10th in the NFL, and he’s an absolute menace against the run.

Here’s more:

📺 What we’re watching Wednesday

⚾ Pirates at Brewers, 2:10 p.m. on MLB Network
⚾ Yankees at Reds, 7:10 p.m. on MLB Network
🏀 NBA Draft, Round 1, 8 p.m. on ABC/ESPN
🏀 Sun at Aces, 10 p.m. on NBA TV