Depth Chart: Breaking Down the Two Young Thunder Centers

The Oklahoma City Thunder had two young centers last season who earned a lot of respect from their coaching staff and front office. While they aren't stars in the NBA, Moses Brown and Tony Bradley both are solid players with many years ahead of them.

With that in mind, neither were under full-time contracts for the Thunder at the start of the season. They both worked their way onto the OKC roster in very different ways and now could have the opportunity to battle for minutes once again next season.

Who has the brighter future in Oklahoma City?

Theo Maledon End of the Season Report Card

I. Brown

Following in Lu Dort’s footsteps, Moses Brown was the next diamond in the rough for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After being signed to a two-way contract in the offseason, he would become a player nobody expected him to be.

In a strange season, Brown got the chance to start the year with the Thunder while the logistics of the G League season were worked out. With a fully healthy roster, he rarely got the chance to take the court and show his worth.

In February, the G League season kicked off in a bubble, where Brown would begin his dominant campaign. Through 14 games with the OKC Blue, he averaged 18.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 26.4 minutes per contest. After earning All-NBA G League honors, he came back to OKC to continue this hot streak with the Thunder.

Shorty after re-joining the Thunder, he fell into an increased role with their thin roster and Al Horford resting in back-to-back scenarios. After a handful of impressive outings including a 20 point, 20 rebound game, Brown would be converted to a team friendly full-time contract.

Standing at 7-foot-2, the undrafted 21-year-old was often the tallest player on any floor he stepped on. Starting 32 games, he averaged 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game with the Thunder in the 2020-21 season.

The biggest knock on Brown is his inability to space the floor. His size is certainly an advantage in the paint, but in the modern NBA, floor spacing and threes result in the most success.

It’s probably unlikely that he will ever expand his game to being an effective 3-point shooter, but Moses Brown will at minimum be a solid backup center going forward.

II. Bradley

Tony Bradley didn’t get to spend the entire season with the Thunder, but was solid in his short stint with the team. A former first-round pick, he was acquired by OKC from Philadelphia at the March trade deadline.

The Thunder would be the third team Bradley would lace up for, as he’s bounced around quite a bit early in his NBA career. Bradley hasn’t always gotten consistent playing time with the various teams he’s been a part of, but would get a big opportunity in OKC.

Through 22 games in a Thunder uniform, the 23-year-old came off the bench, producing 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He was extremely efficient, converting on 65.6 percent of his shots from the floor.

Similar to Brown, he doesn’t have the jump shot that teams want from the modern day center. However, Bradley is crafty with the ball in his hands and is an underrated playmaker.

Set to become a restricted free agent this offseason, Bradley showed enough to be considered an attractive player to look to bring back to the team on a new contract. He’s indicated that he enjoyed his time in Oklahoma City, but doesn’t yet know what his future holds.

III. Closing Arguments

In reality, neither Tony Bradley nor Moses Brown should be the long-term starting center for the Thunder. Both of them clearly appear to be quality backup bigs in the NBA at best.

With that in mind, Brown is definitely more of an unknown, whether that’s good or bad. Did he have an inflated spurt in the small sample size of the 2020-21 season, or will he develop into a starting-caliber big?

With Bradley already having four NBA seasons under his belt with three different teams, it’s easier to see where his ceiling might be.

Although Bradley is hitting restricted free agency this summer, he’s worth signing for the right price and keeping around. With Brown still being somewhat unproven and having a non-guaranteed contract, Bradley is a safe backup center going forward.

Brown is taller, two years younger, a better rebounder and a more effective shot blocker. However, Bradley is a more efficient overall player, much more proven and well-rounded.

For now, we’ll call it a toss up between these two young centers. Take your pick, whether you like Bradley’s body of work or Brown’s potential upside. Both bring value to the Oklahoma City Thunder but won’t be franchise-altering players.