Draft Options for OKC Thunder at Pick No. 30

Oklahoma City has the chance to completely change the course of its rebuild with the 2022 draft.

On top of the two lottery picks, No. 2 and No. 12, the Thunder also have the Phoenix Suns selection which comes in at No. 30.

The selection may not have the elite choices that come with the lottery selections but the pick could still provide a solid contributor to add to the roster.

Here are three prospects to watch at No. 30.

Caleb Houstan, Small forward, Michigan

The Thunder could use the first round to fill out the middle of their lineups, mainly the two forward positions, which were depleted throughout the season.

Caleb Houstan could be an intriguing option at No. 30 because of his mix of size and athleticism. He checks in at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds providing a skill set that could help the Thunder.

Houstan scored 10.1 points and notched four rebounds per game in his one season with Michigan. He also shot 35.5% from the three-point range.

Houstan would most likely be a bench contributor for Oklahoma City, but could still carve out a role at a position that could use more depth.

Walker Kessler, Center, Auburn

The Thunder will likely look to add size in the draft. Especially with the No. 2 pick likely being one of the three elite power forwards in the class.

Walker Kessler adds immense size at a different position, center. The Thunder lack of interior size was a major hindrance last season. Kessler is 7-foot-1 and 245 pounds and has some upside for an NBA big man.

Kessler is primarily an old-school NBA center but can rebound and provide a large frame in the paint. Kessler is a projected late first early second-round pick who is viewed as a project.

Kessler is a project that needs to fine-tune his game and could do that with the Thunder’s young rotation.

EJ Liddell, forward, Ohio State

EJ Liddell is another prospect who provides an intriguing skillset to NBA rosters.

Liddell is 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds as a forward and can score and rebound at high clips. In his junior season at Ohio State, Liddell averaged 19.4 points per game and grabbed just under eight rebounds per game.

Liddell is being projected in the late first or second round of the draft, making him an intriguing prospect for the Thunder’s third pick of the first round. Liddell can also shoot from 3-point range consistently, ending with a 37.4% 3-point percentage last season. That percentage grew each season he was with the Buckeyes.

The Thunder weren’t a good three-point shooting team last year. But Liddell could add that weapon to the Thunder bench if he finds his way to OKC.

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.