NBA insider goes 'rogue' with Cooper Flagg draft prediction: "Let's wake up this franchise"
NBA insider Marc J. Spears said that the best possible landing spot for Cooper Flagg, the projected first pick in the 2025 NBA draft, is the Washington Wizards.
On Tuesday's "NBA Today," host Malika Andrews asked the analysts what team they see as the best fit for the Duke Blue Devils star. Spears said:
"I'm going rogue. The Washington Wizards, baby," Spears said. "Let's wake up this franchise. Let's get this some lava coming out of this volcano. It's been dormant there for a long time. ... If he (Flagg) goes there, they got a collection of young talent."
Spears mentioned that Flagg would benefit from the Wizards' young roster composed of 25-year-old Jordan Poole, sophomore Bilal Coulibaly and rookies Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Al Johnson.
Washington finished the 2024-25 season with the second-worst record in the NBA, 18-64. Per the league, the Wizards are among the three teams with a 14% chance of landing the top pick — the others are the Utah Jazz and the Charlotte Hornets. Washington also has a 52.1% chance to land a pick within the top four.
According to the mock draft released by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman on Tuesday, the Wizards are projected to land Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears with the No. 5 pick.
Bobby Marks says the Spurs are the best fit for Cooper Flagg
In the same "NBA Today" episode on Tuesday, NBA insider Bobby Marks argued that the best fit for Cooper Flagg is the San Antonio Spurs. He said Flagg could form a "formidable big three" with 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama and one-time All-Star De'Aaron Fox.
"It's gonna upset the teams Washington, Charlotte, New Orleans, because I'm gonna say San Antonio," Marks said. "If you pair Cooper Flagg with Victor Wembanyama and you pair him with De'Aaron Fox, that is a formidable 'big three.'"
According to the NBA, San Antonio has just a 6% chance of landing the top pick, and the odds for a top-four pick is 26.3%.
In the mock draft by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman on Tuesday, the Spurs were projected with a couple of lottery picks at No. 8 and at No. 14. Marks argued that the franchise could trade those picks to be in a position to land Cooper Flagg.
The first four picks will be drawn during the draft lottery on May 12. Picks No. 5 until No. 14 will be given to the lottery teams in inverse order of their 2024-25 records. The NBA draft is scheduled on June 25 and 26.