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NBA Draft 2025 Round 2: Three Landing Spots For Ryan Kalkbrenner

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
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Ryan Kalkbrenner stands on the court.

After a sensational college career, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner will be one of the names called in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Which team will take the experienced center? Here are three potential landing spots.

Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets need some frontcourt help and have two picks (Nos. 33 and 34) to address this need.

The Hornets traded center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for a 2025 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick. The Hornets drafted Kon Knueppel with the No. 4 pick and used Phoenix’s No. 29 pick to take UConn’s Liam McNeely.

With Williams in Phoenix, there is a massive hole at center. Jusuf Nurkic is the starting center for now.

Kalkbrenner does not possess the athleticism of Williams. However, he’s a 7-footer who averaged 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks last season.

Kalkbrenner is an old-school big man who can protect the rim. He’s the perfect candidate to play backup center.

Toronto Raptors

Kalkbrenner likely won’t make it to the Toronto Raptors at No. 39.

If he somehow does slide, the Raptors should consider adding a backup center for Jakob Poeltl.

If you’re someone who loves wings, the Raptors have plenty. Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, and Ochai Agbaji are on the Raptors’ roster.

Toronto used its first-round pick on Collin Murray-Boyles, another athletic wing who can guard multiple positions.

With the rising importance of the backup center, Kalkbrenner could come off the Raptors’ bench and provide an offensive boost and rim protection.

Boston Celtics

The 2025-2026 Boston Celtics are going to look much different than the team that won the championship two seasons ago.

Brad Stevens is working his magic to bring the Celtics under the second apron and to a place to avoid the luxury tax.

Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks, respectively.

There is still more work to be done. Sam Hauser is another name expected to be traded. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are expected to remain with the team, but Stevens would have to consider the deal if a team significantly overpays for one.

With Porzingis gone, the Celtics do not have a starting center. Al Horford and Luke Kornet are free agents. All signs point to the Celtics trying to re-sign both big men.

Drafting Kalkbrenner provides the Celtics with insurance in case Horford or Kornet sign elsewhere.

Round 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 26, on ESPN.

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
Dan is a multifaceted content creator who specializes in sports, pop culture, and entertainment. His entertainment work has been featured on Digital Trends, where he has interviewed Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alison Brie, Adam DeVine, Sadie Sink, Chris O'Dowd, Machine Gun Kelly, and Frank Grillo. Dan's entertainment work has also been featured on Coming Soon, Hidden Remote, and WatchMojo. Dan's other passion in life revolves around sports, graduating from Marist College with a degree in Sports Communication and Journalism. From columns about the latest in New York sports to gambling predictions, Dan continues to find success in written and broadcast journalism. Previous written work can be found at Unafraid Show, while broadcast clips can be seen on WAVE.tv and CBS Sports.
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