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The 2025 NBA Draft day brought forth a range of surprises. While nobody doubted Cooper Flagg would be selected by the Dallas Mavericks, the Memphis Grizzlies rose as high as the No. 11 pick to select Washington State star Cedric Coward.
In order to do so, they initially traded their No. 16 pick, a 2028 first-round pick (via Orlando Magic), and two second-round picks to land their man. The Grizzlies were not done there, and they also took Javon Small with their No.48 pick and landed Jahmai Mashack with the No. 59 pick.
On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers seemed content as well. They took on Chinese center Hansen Yang. General Manager Joe Cronin stated that the team had been tracking the Qingdao Eagles ‘for years.’
As we break down what both teams got out of this draft day trade, all eyes will be on Coward, who had initially commited to Duke for another year, but chose to remain in the draft pool.
Grizzlies bet big on Cedric Coward
The Grizzlies were always going to have a busy draft night. They had the No. 16, 48 and the 56 picks beforehand. However, they bet big on Cedric Coward and moved considerable assets to reach up to the No. 11 pick.
Coward is a versatile wing who played only six games for Washington State last year after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury at the start of the season. Through six games, he was averaging 17.7 points and seven rebounds per game.
This was an improvement from his previous year’s 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for Eastern Washington. Coward is a two-way player and an efficient scorer with a solid jumper. However, it might be his qualities on the defensive end that convinced Memphis.
Cedric is a gritty defender with a 7 feet 2.25 inches wingspan and a standing reach of 8 feet 10.00 inches. An athletic presence in the vein of a Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies might already view him as a potential replacement for a player they only recently sent to Magic.
That also makes him a potentially ideal fit alongside the likes of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson. However, while Memphis may develop him as a long-term star, his potential does not seem to explain the price they ended up paying.
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The Grizzlies gave up a future first-round pick along with two second-rounders, which may in the future seem like a bad move. Alongside Coward, the Grizzlies also got combo guard Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack from the draft, two players who can be expected to act as rotational pieces immediately.
Their draft strategy showed a commitment to surrounding their core with defensive-minded, versatile players. The Grizzlies clearly wanted to upgrade their perimeter length but may have given up too much to get there.
Grade: B-
Trail Blazers go for Hansen Yang, cash in on future picks
While the Grizzlies got what they wanted, it was not to say that the Trail Blazers were on the losing side of this deal. Their trade-down to the No. 16 pick got them multiple future picks. At the same time, they took on Hansen Yang, a player Joe Cronin claimed Portland had been scouting him since the under-18 level, per KGW8.
“We’ve been scouting him deeply for almost two years now. We had a scout identify him during one of his under-18 events, and then we sent Mike (Schmitz) and Sergi (Oliva), our two assistant GMs, over to China that fall to scout him live,” Cronin said.
Yang has played two seasons for the Eagles in the Chinese Basketball Association. Last season, the 7-foot-1 center averaged 16.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while scoring at an overall 58.6%. Already a Chinese International, Yang led the CBA in blocks last season and was largely not expected to be a first-round pick.
The 20-year-old was not among the 24 players invited to the draft’s green room. He joins a crowded frontcourt that already boasts of Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams III, and Duop Reath.
However, that may prove to be a blessing as he attempts to settle down in the NBA. Yang can easily prove to be a huge steal from the draft, something Portland will be hoping for. That, in addition to the second-round picks they got out of the deal means that the Trail Blazers might be better off after moving down to No. 16.
Grade: A
