Entering the 2023 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder is one of the brightest young teams in the NBA. After exceeding expectations and making the postseason, Thursday night’s draft is yet another opportunity to add a cornerstone piece to the already impressive roster.
The prospects selected by the Thunder tonight will be joining Chet Holmgren, last year’s No. 2 overall pick, in this upcoming rookie class. At this point, positional need shouldn’t come into play as OKC considers who to select.
How could draft night unfold for Oklahoma City?
Assuming the team doesn’t make any trades, OKC will select in the lottery at No. 12 overall. From there, the Thunder also has a late second-round pick at No. 50 overall. Oklahoma City recently traded away the No. 37 pick in a package with a 2024 first and second-round pick to the Denver Nuggets for a protected 2029 first-round selection.
Following that trade, the Thunder has two selections on Thursday night, although potential movement should be expected.
It’s unclear who exactly will be on he board when Oklahoma City is on the clock with this pick, but there should be quite a few options. Whether it’s a player that slips on draft night or a prospect that the Thunder has higher on its board than most, GM Sam Presti should have no problem finding a quality talent in this spot.
Dereck Lively II: A dominant defensive prospect with perimeter shooting upside, Lively has a lot of work to do overall on the offensive side of the ball.
Gradey Dick: Perhaps the best shooter in this class, Dick is a 6-foot-7 wing that could help impact winning immediately.
Bilal Coulibaly: One of the fastest risers in this class, Coulibaly is a jumbo wing with two-way upside, but is still relatively unknown given he played overseas and didn’t get to participate in the pre-draft process.
Cason Wallace: There’s few prospects in this class with the defensive playmaking ability of Wallace, but don’t underestimate his upside as a passer and off-ball shooter.
This late in the second round, it’s even more difficult to project which prospects will still be on the board. Players in this range generally don’t have a high chance of making it at the NBA level, but it’s a good opportunity to either select a project that needs quite a bit of development or an older prospect who might be able to contribute in year one.
Kobe Brown: An experienced but older prospect, Brown is a former point guard that’s now a physical forward prospect with an improved 3-point shot.
Mouhamed Gueye: Although he’s a prospect that will need some development at the next level, Gueye has the skillset bigs need to fit in the modern NBA.
Chris Livingston: A former five-star prospect, Livingston didn’t have a great one-and-done season but has tremendous upside if he lands in the right system.
Tristan Vukcevic: Given today’s game is perimeter oriented, a 7-footer with a smooth 3-point shot like Vukcevic should be attractive in the second round.
Again, while Oklahoma City enters the day with the No. 12 and No. 50 overall picks, there’s no guarantee that’s actually where the team selects. Expect Sam Presti to explore all options leading up to and during the draft, whether that’s moving up, down or even out.