DaRon Holmes Provides Size as Potential Second-Round Pick for Thunder
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Looking at second round picks that the Oklahoma City Thunder could take, some of the better options are floor stretcher or swiss army knife forwards, but that’s not quite what Daron Holmes provides.
The Thunder have found success in recent drafts when taking players in the second round. The likes of Aaron Wiggins, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jaylin Williams have all come from the second round. Holmes could very well be added to that list.
Being a second-round pick, the Thunder aren’t going to be able to find a player that can do a little bit of everything. Finding a player who can excel in their role will be key though, as the Thunder have seen in their recent second round picks.
Holmes is a big body in comparison to most Thunder players, as he comes in at 6-foot-10 and 225 lbs. Now, Holmes uses his size effectively, as he primarily scored in the painted area, not having much of an outside game. The Thunder could get around his inability to space the floor, though.
Given that the Thunder have solid shooters off the bench, the 20-year-old from Dayton could easily complement the Thunder’s drive-heavy offense as he has solid vision out of the paint and great finishing skills. He would be a great fit for the Thunder’s second unit and would be put to use early in that role if the Thunder would choose to draft him.
Again, Holmes isn’t going to be an engine or a motor offensively for a team, but he can certainly compliment this Thunder squad and more specifically the second unit.
That’s all offense, though, and Holmes provides much more than just that end of the floor. When the Thunder finally bring Chet Holmgren to the lineup, they’ll see an increased paint presence defensively, and they could replace that off the bench with more defense if Holmes is the choice. He’s a great system defender with a knack for making plays as the help defender. He could do wonders for the Thunder defensively, as they’ve already got a system in place.
Holmes isn’t a first-round guy, and that’s normal for a defensive, undersized big man that doesn't have an outside shot. However, he could make some noise as a second round pick with a designated bench role early on, and the Thunder holding a strong system would help pull the best out of Holmes early.
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