Nolan Traore could fit with plenty of NBA teams, and the 2025 NBA Draft could be the perfect class for him.
The 2025 NBA Draft class is expected to be one of the best rookie classes in the 21st century, with players like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and VJ Edecombe leading the way. Behind them is a solid group of players, including Tre Johnson, Derik Queen, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach.
None of those players play point guard, or at least not in the traditional sense.
The best true PGs in the class are Jeremiah Fears, Egor Demin, and Kasparas Jakucionis, although none of them are perfect prospects and all have clear faults. Nolan Traore fits in with the rest of them, and depending on what a team values, he could be one of the first players off the board.
Then again, he could slip out of the first round entirely for the exact same reasons.
Photo by David Grau/Euroleague Basketball via Getty ImagesNolan Traore key factsAge/Date of Birth: 18 (May 28, 2006)Nationality: FrenchHeight/weight: 6-foot-5, 175lbsCurrent team: Saint-Quentin2024-25 season stats: 10.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 2.5 turnovers, 37.4 FG%, 29.6 3PT%Career-highs: 25 points (vs. Élan Sportif Chalonnais, LDLC ASVEL), 5 rebounds (vs. ESSM Le Portel), 10 assists (vs. SLUC Nancy Basket)NBA comparison: Killian Hayes (floor), Ja Morant (ceiling)
Nolan Traore’s strengths
Looking at his stats, it’s clear that his passing will be the best part of his game from the start. He can find an open man in a variety of schemes, and when he can’t, he has the speed and handle to create for himself. In both the midrange and from deep, he can create space for himself.
It’s just a matter of making shots!
In the open court, he is a blur, but the vast majority of NBA offenses are run in the half court. However, he can disrupt enough on the defensive end to start his fair share of fast breaks, where he is nearly impossible to stop.
He can get to the rim and absorbs contact fairly well for a slender teenager, and his 72.3% mark from the charity stripe helps him make the most of his drives and bodes well for eventual shooting improvement.
Nolan Traore’s weaknesses
Basically everything that plagues most young point guards has reared its ugly head at one point or another for Traore.
He is prone to turnovers and tunnel vision on his drives, and the defensive miscues add up. Fortunately, he has shown improvement throughout his second season in the French League, although he will come into the NBA with plenty of work to do.
He is excellent at getting his shots off, but he isn’t great at making them. He is also not the best off-ball scorer, making only 30.6% of catch-and-shoot 3s, according to Synergy. He is also not the most efficient if he stops short of the rim, so his drives need to be all-or-nothing.
His defense and outside shot need to be worked on, and like every other true point guard in the draft, he will need time to develop. He has the speed and athleticism to be a bigger Ja Morant (is that just Scoot Henderson?), but if it doesn’t pan out, expect him to follow fellow Frenchman Killian Hayes and have a short NBA career.
Nolan Traore’s best NBA fits
Pairing a French point guard with Victor Wembanyama seems like it would make sense, but the San Antonio Spurs are likely starting a win-now plan.
The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings both need a point guard, although they will pick 29th and 43rd, respectively, and there is very little chance that he is available for either of those teams.
If the Memphis Grizzlies trade Ja Morant and add a pick this year, Traore would be a solid fit for them, although if Morant stays, there’s really no reason for them to use a high pick on him.
Other mid-first-round teams that could use a point guard include the Dallas Mavericks with Kyrie Irving out, as well as the Brooklyn Nets. For positional value, Traore wouldn’t be a bad pick for either team.