What Every NBA Team Needs From Their 2025 First-Round Pick: Atlantic Divison

With the 2025-26 NBA season right around the corner, much of the hype surrounding this year's draft class will come to fruition. With plenty of buzz surrounding the rookies, especially ones from the early first round, each player enters a unique situation.

Most of the Atlantic Division is pushing for the postseason, but that doesn't mean the first-round rookies won't see the floor much. With eight picks from the top 30 belonging to the division, each team will need something specific from each prospect (excluding the New York Knicks, who did not have a first-round pick):

V.J. Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers

What They Need: Star Insurance for Joel Embiid and Paul George

Edgecombe is in the rare situation of joining a playoff team as a top-three pick. The 76ers are knocking on the door of title contention when healthy, and Edgecombe will be a big part of that.

The key phrase is 'when fully healthy.' There's optimism within the organization that Joel Embiid will take the court and produce at a high level, but he and Paul George aren't guarantees when it comes to production and health. Jared McCain, Philadelphia's 2024 first-round pick, will also miss the start of the season with a torn UCL.

That means Edgecombe will have to step up as a star next to Tyrese Maxey, at least for the first portion of the regular season. On any other lottery team, he'd be the franchise player, and perhaps he still is. However, the 76ers will need him to be a secondary or tertiary scorer at the moment.

Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets

What They Need: Scoring and Playmaking

Many fans and analysts were scratching their heads when the Nets took Demin at No. 8. He has the potential to be an elite playmaker and scorer at his size, but there were still risks and not enough buzz to warrant a top 10 pick.

But Brooklyn can take time developing its youngsters. Demin leads the pack of five first-round picks from the Nets and will have opportunities to showcase his playmaking next to Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. The question is whether he can develop into a prominent scorer when Porter (and maybe even Thomas) inevitably depart.

Demin showcased some solid shooting and slashing during NBA Summer League, but consistency is key. He hasn't appeared in a preseason game due to a plantar fascia tear, but Jordi Fernandez will have to figure out where to play him when he returns. He was a point guard at BYU, but has shown to facilitate and score better from the wing.

Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors

What They Need: A Healthy Mix of Scoring and Rebounding

With Murray-Boyles joining a forward/center room highlighted by Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and Jonathan Mogbo, the Raptors could win games by dominating the paint on both sides of the floor.

The South Carolina product will start off the bench despite being a top 10 pick, but that gives him opportunities to shine with the second unit and develop. He has a Julius Randle-esque play style with his ability to slash and rebound as a lefty.

Toronto could be a sneaky postseason team in a weak Eastern Conference, and the depth would be a big reason for success. Murray-Boyles won't bear too many scoring responsibilities, but he can still be a low-end double-double player for the Raptors.

Nolan Traore, Brooklyn Nets

What They Need: Playmaking

Traore was another questionable pick for the Nets, considering Demin was already off the board. The French prospect does a lot of what Demin does, just at 6-foot-4 instead of 6-foot-9.

Lacking a true point guard, Brooklyn will really only need Traore to run the offense and keep the ball moving while occasionally finding shots. However, like Demin, he could find more scoring opportunities if Porter and Thomas depart down the road. For now, he'll develop in Brooklyn and the G League.

Drake Powell, Brooklyn Nets

What They Need: An All-Around Defender

Many fans and analysts believed Powell was the most versatile defender in this year's class. That makes him stand out in a Nets draft class dominated by playmaking. The 6-foot-6 wing can still score, but he doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective.

Powell could get rotation minutes right off the bat as a point-of-attack defender. His athleticism, frame and instincts allow him to guard one through five. Expect a 3&D role from the North Carolina product this year.

Ben Saraf, Brooklyn Nets

What They Need: Playmaking

Saraf has stood out this preseason, emerging as a poised playmaker for the Nets. His 11-assist performance against the Phoenix Suns was certainly impressive, and that may have separated him from Traore in the point guard room. If Demin start the season out, Saraf could be the man at the one.

The Nets will experiment with plenty of lineups throughout the season, but Saraf's main job will be to create space for others as a 6-foot-6 floor general. His expectations align with Traore's at least this season. With good slashing abilities and the number of wing shooters on the Nets, he can find many ways to get people open.

Danny Wolf, Brooklyn Nets

What They Need: A Nic Claxton Replacement

Claxton has been in the Nets trade rumors for a while, and this season could finally be the one where Brooklyn moves him for future assets. Like Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith last season, he doesn't really fit the direction right now.

Wolf will come off the bench for now, but a Claxton trade could open up big minutes down the road. He has displayed all-around offense through the preseason, being able to score, rebound and facilitate as a seven-footer. With the right development, those strengths can be accentuated.

If Claxton isn't traded, Fernandez could experiment with the double-big lineups that have taken over the NBA. Playing an offensively gifted big man like Wolf next to a defensive anchor like Claxton could crowd the paint for opponents and balance the offense on the other end.

Hugo Gonzalez, Boston Celtics

What They Need: A High Motor

Normally, Gonzalez would be a draft-and-stash for the Celtics, and maybe he still is. However, with the moves they made this offseason, the No. 28 pick could get minutes for a team still expected to compete for the postseason.

The Spaniard has two-way abilities that could shine in Boston's rotation. The 6-foot-6 wing's offensive role will be limited, but he displayed a high motor in the preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies. Gonzalez put up eight points, three rebounds, three blocks and a steal.

With the wing room a little more open after Jayson Tatum's injury and Boston's offseason moves, Gonzalez has the chance to separate himself as a high-motor defender and someone who can run the floor in transition. Again, he may be a draft-and-stash, but there are so many question marks regarding the roster.