‘I’m Fine With Keeping Our Pick’ – Hoops Fans React to Raptors Promoting Derrick White Trade in 2025 NBA Draft Over Projected Duke’s Khaman Maluach

The Toronto Raptors might be cooking something big ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, but not all hoops fans agree. Rumors are swirling about the Raptors dangling their No. 9 pick to land Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, and the backlash is real.

Multiple Eastern Conference stars, such as Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton, are sidelined due to Achilles tears. Thus, the Eastern Conference could be wide open next season. However, fans aren’t convinced flipping a top-10 pick for White is the way to capitalize.

[Siegel] The Toronto Raptors recently made an offer involving the 9th pick for Derrick White.
byu/goso- inNBA_Draft

“I’m fine with keeping our pick,” one fan posted.

“Not enough. 9th overall pick won’t come close to a player like Derrick White. RJ Barrett is useless too,” another said. 

“White is worth more than the 9th,” another fan said.

“As a raptors fan we aren’t close to competing, so why do this? Unless this is part of something bigger….,” wrote another.

“Hell no,” one user said.

“Imagine giving up D White for the 9th pick,” one fan sarcastically wrote. 

“Oh that’s crazy, they might take a second opinion on this one if true,” said one more.

Meanwhile, college basketball diehards are hyped about possible additions like 7-foot-2 Duke star Khaman Maluach or rising French star Noa Essengue. Both are seen as high-upside prospects, and more future-facing than a win-now move like White.

Khaman Maluach’s thoughts on his development curve ahead of NBA Draft

Khaman Maluach isn’t just another tall lottery prospect, he’s a 7-foot-2 blueprint for what the modern NBA center could become. The South Sudanese native is one of the sought after prospects of the 2025 NBA Draft, and the Raptors are heavily linked to him at the No. 9 pick.

Maluach earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors at Duke, stuffing stat sheets with 8.6 points, 6.6 boards, and 1.3 blocks per game. However, the 18-year-old is keeping it real about his development curve.

“It’s just like probably my IQ, my understanding of the game,” Maluach admitted 10 days ago in an interview with Andy Katz. The Duke star views his mental processing as the next step in his evolution. “It’s a faster decision-making in the NBA than college.”

That level of self-awareness is rare for a teenager who only picked up basketball at 13. His defensive instincts and 95% lob finishing rate already scream NBA-ready, but it’s his commitment to growth that’s got teams drooling to have him on the roster.

If he’s still on the board at nine, the Raptors could be getting more than a rim protector, they could be landing the franchise’s next defensive anchor.

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