The 2024-25 NBA season just concluded on Sunday, but basketball doesn’t stop. Next up: the 2025 NBA Draft, starting on Wednesday, June 25. We’ve already seen multiple blockbuster trades in the last week, with Kevin Durant going to Houston and Portland landing Jrue Holiday (again). The draft is always full of surprises, so let’s break down four bold predictions that have an actual chance of happening on Wednesday or Thursday night.
Ace Bailey falls out of the top five
This take is getting less hot by the day, as Bailey seems determined to tank his draft prospects as much as a physically gifted 6’8 sharpshooter can. Bailey has cancelled draft workouts and interviews left and right, seemingly trying to hone in on a few select teams that he’d prefer to play for.
Among those franchises are the Wizards, who currently sit at No. 6. Now, there is a chance a team like the Pelicans or Bulls could leapfrog Washington and select Bailey at No. 5, but that seems unlikely. It’s in Utah’s best interest to take the best player available given the current state of that roster, and having the likely choice between Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel and Jeremiah Fears will be too enticing to pass up. The top five teams stand pat and Bailey falls right into the Wizards’ lap at No. 6.
The Lakers land their center of the future
This feels like more of a when, not if situation. L.A. boasts one of the top duos in the league in Luka Doncic and LeBron James, along with a premier third option in Austin Reaves. However, the frontcourt is lacking talent and depth, to say the least. As things currently stand, Dorian Finney-Smith is the team’s starting center. He’s 6’7.
So, the Lakers enter this offseason with one clear goal in mind: find a center.
Three names jump out to me: Nic Claxton, Nikola Vucevic and Walker Kessler. The latter is certainly the least feasible of the bunch, as the corporate duo of Ainge and Son in Utah would demand Austin Reaves or a ridiculous haul of picks and Dalton Knecht. Claxton is certainly available for the right price, and Rob Pelinka can offer Knecht, Gabe Vincent — or a similar salary — and multiple first-round pick swaps to Brooklyn. Acquiring Vucevic would likely require even less of a package.
Either way, Dalton Knecht is likely getting traded by the Lakers for the second time in a calendar year.
The Bulls make a splash and trade up
Thwarted by a coin toss that would have landed the No. 1 overall pick and Cooper Flagg, the Bulls were instead handed No. 12 overall as an abysmal consolation prize. Given the state of Chicago’s roster, a late-lottery pick with a high hit-or-miss rate doesn’t do them much good. The time is now for Chicago to commit to building around a youth movement that includes Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey — once he is re-signed — and another high-level prospect.
The Bulls have multiple valuable trade assets they can use to move from No. 12 to No. 7, or another pick in that range. Coby White is on a steal of a deal next season, making only $12.8 million. The aforementioned Nikola Vucevic is only set to earn $21.5 million in 25-26 as a solid starting center option. Chicago also has an arsenal of valuable draft picks at their disposal.
A trade up for a prospect like Jeremiah Fears, Khaman Maluach or even Ace Bailey makes too much sense for the Bulls.
The Bulls are +10000 on DraftKings Sportsbook to win the Central Division in 2025-26.
Boston trades Jaylen Brown or Derrick White
Saving the biggest splash for last. It’s known that the Celtics have been receiving offers for both Brown and White, but the general sense is that it would take a truly massive haul to land either of those stars.
One team right near the top of the draft has the necessary assets to put together said massive haul, specifically for Brown… the Spurs.
San Antonio feels like the only “real” potential destination for the former Finals MVP. The package would look something like Stephon Castle OR the No. 2 overall pick, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and other assets. That type of return would be virtually impossible for Brad Stevens to pass up.
White, who has been in fewer rumors than Brown this offseason, actually feels like the much more logical trade candidate for Boston. At 30 years old, White is more of a win-now player, and the Celtics’ title aspirations will likely be sidelined for a season while Jayson Tatum recovers from his torn Achilles. The versatile guard is set to make only $28.1 million in 25-26 and is locked up on a very reasonable extension, making around $20 million less than Brown on a yearly basis.
Coming off the best season of his career in which he averaged 16.4 points, 4.8 steals, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 0.9 steals, White will certainly have a litany of suitors willing to part with a huge package to land him.
Those are my four bold predictions for the 2025 NBA Draft! Stay tuned to see how the action plays out on Wednesday and Thursday night.
