Grading OKC Thunder’s Positional Strength Heading Into NBA Draft: Backcourt Edition
With the 2023 NBA Draft approaching on Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s trajectory is going to look a little bit different next week as they are expected to add new prospects to their roster with the 12th and 50th pick.
But who might they take? And what kind of player might they target?
Well, something to consider when trying to answer that question is how good or stable the Thunder are, or think they are, at each position. As we’ve seen in the past, positional strength can certainly influence which prospect a team might be interested in.
Here’s a snapshot of the Thunder’s backcourt heading into the draft:
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The Star of the Show
There’s no doubt that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took a monstrous leap last season, improving as a defender and a scorer as he averaged the fourth-most points per game in the NBA (31.4) on incredible efficiency (62.6% true shooting) en route to being one victory away from taking the youngest team in the league to the Playoffs. His improvements also earned him his first All-Star appearance and a spot on the 2022-23 Kia All-NBA First-Team.
Grade: A+
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The Supporting Cast
While Gilgeous-Alexander was unquestionably, and quite literally, the driving force behind the Thunder’s offense, Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams filled in around him in an admirable fashion. Both Giddey and Williams, playing around their star guard, proved to be positively impactful in very different ways.
Giddey, in his second year, displayed an unforeseen assertiveness as he leveraged his blend of creative passing, strong finishing, and improved shooting to keep the Thunder’s offense churning, especially with Gilgeous-Alexander on the sidelines. On the other end of the floor, Giddey’s propensity for cleaning the defensive glass also went a long way towards helping the Thunder overcome a lack of size in the interior, but his lack of mobility and awareness reminded that he’s still only 20 years old.
Having just entered the NBA, Williams quickly made a name for himself with his highlight dunks, aptitude for cutting, and intriguing blend of shooting, ball-handling, playmaking, and defense that led to Mark Daigneault, at times, giving him the responsibility of running the second unit. And by time the Thunder were truly competing for a spot in the Play-In, Williams looked like the second best player on the team, averaging 19 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals on 55.0/44.6/88.3 shooting splits.
Grade: B+
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The Stand-Ins
There was much excitement surrounding what Tre Mann could accomplish in his sophomore season, but the 22-year-old point guard prospect failed to live up to the high expectations he earned after flashing moments of brilliance as a scorer late in his rookie season. In his 67 games last season, Mann averaged just 7.7 points on just 49.2% true shooting and struggled to put forth consistent effort on the defensive end despite being given nearly 18 minutes per game.
Finally, there’s Jared Butler, signed late in the season to a two-way contract. Butler only played a handful of games for the Thunder, but made the most of his opportunity as he recorded 6.2 points, 1.3 assists, and a 3.1 steal percentage while shooting 46.9% from the floor and 50% from beyond the arc in just 12.1 minutes per game. The 22-year-old also impressed in limited action with the OKC Blue, the Thunder’s G League affiliate, averaging 14.3 points, 8.8 assists, and just one turnover per game.
Grade: C
Summary
Overall, the Thunder’s main offensive engine, Gilgeous-Alexander, is productive and impactful enough to carry the backcourt to a strong ‘B+’ grade as things currently stand. And he’s still just entering his prime as he won’t turn 25 years old until July. But further development expected from Giddey and Williams pushes this group into the ‘A’ territory as it leaves the Thunder with multiple capable offensive initiators.
And then there are the wildcards: Mann and Butler. It’s hard to know how productive Mann could be in his third season, but one would hope he can realize some of his potential and finally become the offensive flamethrower he’s capable of being.
And Butler, who was once considered a first-round pick before a rare heart condition was discovered, could’ve shown just enough consistency and poise, that helped him win a national championship two years ago, to stick around and strengthen the Thunder’s depth in the backcourt.
Grade: A
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