2025 NBA Mock Draft: Pacific Division

The Pacific Division is filled with future Hall-of-Famers and yet every team in the Pacific Division is struggling to surround their aging stars with young talent. Draft Nation will be reviewing which prospects stand out as future contributors to these teams:

Phoenix Suns

After trading away Kevin Durant, the Suns have two picks in the first round. With picks 10 and 29, the Suns need to replenish their inch-deep talent pool with willing prospects.

Thomas Sorber (C/Big, Georgetown) may be the perfect start, as the Suns need a frontcourt that isn't just salary dumps from other teams and past prime injured veterans. Khaman Maluach and Derik Queen might not be available, but that’s okay, considering 19-year-old Thomas Sorber is the most defensively ready Big out of the three. Maluach has a higher ceiling, but the 6’9”, 262 lb. Georgetown product has great agility and has shown to be a solid shot blocking, defensive anchor.

With a 7’6” wingspan, Sorber has the reach to play as a traditional center on defense. He will struggle against the top-level NBA big men that can outjump and outmuscle him, but he won’t make it easy for them. Sorber has some of the best positioning and fundamentals of big men in the draft. This leads to plenty of steals and blocks off players bigger, faster, and stronger than Sorber. On Offense, Sorber is equally adept at timing his cuts, passing to the open man, and positioning himself for easy offensive rebounds. His shot might never develop, but having a savvy scorer and passer is always valuable on offense.

Rasheer Fleming (PF/Big, Saint Joseph's) is a second option. If 21-year-old Rasheer Fleming falls to pick 29 or if the Suns can package pick 29 with some second to move up to select him, Fleming would be a great running mate to put alongside Thomas Sorber. The Suns need a defensive backcourt to deal with the only above-average defender under contract next year are Grason Allen and Dillon Brooks.

At 6’ 8”, 232 lbs, Rasheer Fleming has surprising agility and great shot blocking on defense. This is partially because of his 7’5” wingspan. While Fleming's current offense will be limited to being a catch-and-shoot stretch four that would be music to Devin Booker’s ears. Fleming doesn’t have the same projected upside but the chance of pairing him with another defensive monster would instantly juice the Sun’s defense with youth, talent, and competitive fire.

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have an aging roster that desperately needs to be traded to contenders so they can rebuild. The trading of De’Aaron Fox mid-season shows the Kings know they need to put together a new core if they want to avoid stagnating at 40-42 again.

Rocco Zikarsky (C/Big, Brisbane) might be an option here, as the Kings don’t have many choices in the NBA draft, only having pick 42. The only prospects available in the second round will be players that are older prospects with questionable games that translate, and players like Rocco Zikarsky. The 19-year-old 7’3” 257 lb. big man from Australia's NBL has lots of upside potential. The concern is whether last year’s knee injury, or the prior year’s ankle injury will hamper already questionable mobility.

Zikarsky is a very raw prospect who has been able to rely on his being bigger and stronger than the competition to dominate. He is only 19 years old, so the Kings have time to let him develop but there is a reason he will be available in the second round. For a Kings team that is desperate for young prospects, there is no reason not to take a gamble when, if Zikarsky does turn out healthy and resumes his development, they have a valuable project.

Outside the Draft, the Kings need to look at moving all of their pieces. The Kings won’t be able to trade 35-year-old Demar Derozen or 33-year-old Jonas Valančiūnas, for at least one more year. Even 30 year 30-year-old Zach Lavine is becoming a risky value proposition for teams as he ages. These players are all solid NBA players, but their contracts make them too inefficient to keep on the books for most teams. The only truly valuable player/contract the Kings have is 28-year-old Domantas Sabonis.

The Kings don’t have enough time to rebuild around All-NBA caliber Domantas Sabonis. The truth is the Kings need to bite the bullet, trade Sabonis, even if it's only for one or two first-round picks, while he is still in his prime. Additionally, they need to look for redemption projects that they can pick up around the league. 

The Kings need to take inspiration from what the Pacers did with Obi Toppin. The Pacers traded two second-round picks for a developmentally stagnant Toppin in 2023. Toppin was put in a situation where he didn’t have to be what the Knicks wanted him to be. Toppin was allowed to develop his own game and became a key piece to the Pacers team that was one game away from winning a championship.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors went for a win-now move when they traded for Jimmy Butler. Any team with Stephen Curry in his late 30s needs to maximize the window they have left. With only a second-round pick, the Warriors need to find a player who will be ready out of the box or can develop quickly. 

Yanic Konan Niederhauser (C/Big, Penn State) would be a nice fit. The 23-year-old Yanic Konan Niederhauser wasn’t on anyone’s draft board before this past season, when he led the Big 10 in blocks per game (2.3). The 6’11”, 245 lb. center is incredibly high-energy and always moving. Whether it’s to go for offensive rebounds or catch lobs for a dunk, Neiderhauser has one gear, and he has a lead foot. 

Niederhauser does run into foul trouble, and his fundamentals are still very raw. From footwork to passing out of the post, He needs to develop. However, this also means Niederhauser is a high-energy ball of clay for Steve Kerr to mold and teach his movement system, too.

RJ Luis Jr. (SG/Guard, St. John's) measured in at 6’5” 210 lbs., with a 6’10” wingspan at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. Some push for Luis Jr. to be molded into a wing, but for the Golden State Warriors, RJ Luis Jr. would fill a role they will desperately need next year. Luis Jr. is one of those handful of prospects who love being the point of attack defender. On Defense, Luis Jr. uses his frame to harass ball handlers and his great mobility to stick like glue. Luis Jr. also isn’t afraid to use his amazing leaping to chase down blocks.

The reason Luis Jr. isn’t even mocked to any team is because his shooting is very dependable and he didn’t attempt to take more efficient shots while at St. John’s. For the Warriors, they are a team with two offensive juggernauts and don’t need a ton more offensive shooting when they have Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry. Luis Jr. would step in as their Gary Payton II replacement. While it’s not 100% certain Luis Jr. can take on being the primary point-of-attack defender, his tools, his aggression, and his constant movement are something that can be molded into a solid role player.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers will need to re-sign James Harden after he showed he could still be the number one option on a playoff team. While there are still major question marks around Kawhi Leonard due to his age and degenerating knee, the Clippers have a formula to run it back again. With the 30th overall pick, the Clippers can look to add a key role player to contribute to their current playoff window.

Asa Newell (C/Big, Georgia) might be the right prospect here. In a stacked Western Conference, the Clippers need solid role players to help their starters stay fresh and healthy. Ivica Zubac asserted himself as a top 10 center in the league last year. But outside of Zubac, the only other big was 36-year-old Nicolas Batum. The 6’9”, 223 lb. Asa Newell is a prospect who can step in and provide solid minutes at both backup center and backup power forward. 

Newell is one of the rare big men who has the athleticism to stay with perimeter players. This is why Georgia implemented him as more of a big wing on defense than a traditional drop big this past year. Newell also uses his athleticism to get easy dunks and catch opposing bigs flat-footed with his cutting. Unfortunately, that's the extent of the 19-year-old’s offense right now. Newell shoots with confidence from behind the arc, but he only shot 29.2% on 2.7 attempts a game last year. Luckily, the Clippers don’t need him to be a major offensive contributor and instead can utilize him as a defensive role player who is switchable.

Ryan Kalkbrenner (C/Big, Creighton) could also be a more traditional big man for the Clippers. The 7’1”, 256 lb., 23-year-old may be the clear choice. Kalkbrenner has the lowest upside of any of the players in first-round consideration due to his age and skill set. However, he’s a known product. After playing five years at Creighton, Kalkbrenner developed a polished set of reliable moves down in the paint, works great in pick-and-rolls, and uses his 7’6” wingspan to be an effective rim protector. 

Kalkbrenner’s problem is that he has below-average footspeed on defense, and so while his technique is tuned, his ability to operate in drop coverage is limited. While Kalkbrenner won’t ever be a starter or even a 6th man but having a solid, reliable shot blocker, post scorer, and pick-and-roll threat are the things teams need. Kalkbrenner is one of the unsung key pieces to NBA teams, the players who accept their limitations and play a reduced role to perfection.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off the sort of robbery that rivals the stealing of the Mona Lisa this past year. Effectively getting a 25-year-old Luka Dončić for 32-year-old Anthony Davis, a role player and one first rounder is incredible value. The one downside is the Lakers desperately need a true center and don’t have a single pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.

Offseason Move are a necessity then. Unfortunately for Dalton Knecht, he will most likely be paired with the 2031 Lakers first-rounder and a player like Dorian Finney-Smith to find a center for the Lakers. There are a handful of options that line up in terms of salary and availability.

Nikola Vučević (34 Y/O, Bulls) is in the last year of his contract and is making 20 million dollars a year. Knecht and Finney-Smith combine for 19.3 million next year, making this a good dollar match. Additionally, the Bulls may not even need to be offered a full first-round pick and might take a pick swap instead.

Vučević is a true offensive center with plenty of stretch potential, with him shooting 40.2% on 4.4 three-point attempts per game. At the same time, Vučević averaged an efficient 58.7% on his twos. He ended last year with a stat line of 18.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, and only 1.6 turnovers a game. 

On the defensive end, Vučević has the size and experience to be an average drop big but given his age he could regress quickly. The Lakers do have the defensive talent to help Vučević with Jarred Vanderbilt as a great defensive power forward.

Jarrett Allen (26 Y/O, Cavaliers) is another possibility. The package of Dalton Knecht and Dorian Finney-Smith also matches the 20 million dollars Jarrett Allen is making next year. Allen would take more than just the Lakers’ 2031 first-round pick. The only reason the Cavaliers could consider this deal is if they feel Evan Mobley can grow even more by being the primary center. Mobley already plays 52% of his minutes at Center. The hypothetical reason to trade away Allen is that the Cavs need more spacing to open up the paint. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland predicate their games off their finishing so having Mobley and a stretch four would make the offense more efficient.

Allen’s one weakness is that he can’t shoot the ball from behind the arc. This doesn’t matter much when he leads the league in field goal percentage and scores on 70.6% of all his attempts. Luka and Lebron can space the floor from three, and both have the passing ability to truly utilize a post threat like Allen. On the defensive side of the ball, Allen is a great defensive anchor and one of the premier rim protectors of the league. This trade would be perfect for the Lakers, but they may not have enough.