Oklahoma City Still has Viable Options with Sixth Overall Pick
The disappointment was palpable when the Oklahoma City Thunder landed the No. 6-overall pick in last week’s NBA Draft Lottery.
Dreams of Cade Cunningham donning a Thunder uniform were dashed barring a major trade on draft night, but there still should be plenty of players available at six who could be great role players for OKC.
Scottie Barnes, an exciting 6-foot-7 wing prospect from Florida State, is currently pegged as the consensus sixth pick, and would be a nice addition to the Thunder core.
Florida State forward Scottie Barnes.
Matt Cashore / USA TODAY Sports
Barnes utilizes his length and athleticism on the defensive end of the floor, projecting to be a great on-ball defender at the next level. His court vision and passing ability are a boost to his offensive game while he works to develop his jump shot, overall giving Barnes a pretty high floor for the kind of pro he should become.
In fact, Barnes’ skillset has recently seen him projected all the way into the top five, which could allow Sam Presti to scoop up one of the top talents in the draft, potentially even Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga would be a home run for OKC at the sixth pick.
Another wing with a massive frame, Kuminga will be a matchup nightmare for almost any team in the NBA. Kuminga has a great handle on the ball, meaning he can get almost any shot he wants when he puts the ball on the floor.
As Kuminga continues to get more consistent with his jumper, it’s easy to see why he captured the imagination of so many scouts during the G League Bubble in Orlando.
If Presti wanted to go off the board, there’s another great option in Tennessee guard Keon Johnson.
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After setting the NBA Draft Combine record with a 48-inch vertical leap, Johnson proved just how elite of an athletic prospect he is.
Another great on-ball defender, Johnson also uses his explosive first step to get to his spots and knock down mid-range jumpers.
Johnson has some work to do to be a more consistent shooter from deep, but his playmaking ability is what the Thunder should be looking for out of the sixth pick.
Unless he can trade up, Presti won’t get his shot at one of the generational talents at the top of the draft, but he’ll still have a chance to add a key piece to Oklahoma City’s future.
