Grading OKC Thunder’s Positional Strength Heading Into NBA Draft: Wings Edition
With the 2023 NBA Draft approaching next 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 wing situation heading into the draft:
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The Stars of the Show
No one could have imagined that Jalen Williams would adjust to the NBA so quickly, but after being drafted 12th overall by the Thunder, the rookie from Santa Clara didn’t waste much time before showing fans what his game was all about. Williams’ off-ball scoring prowess, penchant for ferocious dunks, and reliable defensive motor had shined bright enough to become a fixture in the Thunder’s starting lineup, where he averaged 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals over his next 53 games. And by the time the season was over, he looked like the second best player on the team.
After building a reputation as one of the better perimeter defenders in the league and subsequently being signed to a five-year, $83.5M extension last summer, Luguentz Dort continued to lift the starting lineup throughout the season with stretches of high-effort defense, both on and off the ball. Unfortunately, Dort failed to show any meaningful offensive improvements in his fourth year as he grappled with consistently hitting 3-pointers and struggled mightily to finish anything near the rim, leaving his future in Oklahoma City in question after averaging just 13.7 points per game on just 51.3% true shooting.
Grade: B-
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The Supporting Cast
Jalen Williams and Dort certainly headlined the Thunder’s wing corp last season, but make no mistake: Kenrich Williams and Isaiah Joe were vital to the youngest team in the NBA blowing expectations out of the water last season.
After the Thunder signed Williams to a four-year, $37.2M extension last summer, the decision has definitely paid off. Affectionately known as "Kenny Hustle", the 28-year-old veteran certainly lived up to his name as he set the tone defensively, recorded the second-most rebounds per game for the Thunder, and even led the NBA in charges drawn at one point. It also didn’t hurt that he converted 51.7% of his shots from the floor and 37.3% of his 3-pointers while becoming a credible playmaking threat.
Oklahoma City seems to have found a hidden gem after finding Isaiah Joe on the waiver wire at the beginning of last season. After signing with the Thunder, the third-year guard proved to be a dangerous weapon that head coach Mark Daigneault used to breathe life back into the offense, especially in late-game situations. Through 73 games, the 6-foot-4 sniper knocked down 40.9% of his nearly 400 3-point attempts to space the floor for his teammates and gave great effort on the defensive end of the floor, too.
Grade: A-
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The Stand-Ins
Not much was expected from the 11th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft: Ousmane Dieng. However, the lanky 19-year-old made a relatively strong impression in his limited minutes, offering glimpses of what he could be. Standing at 6-foot-10 and possessing a unique amount of mobility, Dieng showed real promise as a defender while finding ways to score as a cutter, slasher, and spot-up shooter.
In his second year in the NBA, Aaron Wiggins continued to impress with his 3-point shooting, cutting, and relatively mistake-free play to turn himself into a serviceable, low-usage two-guard for the Thunder. Through 70 games, the 24-year-old scored just 13.3 points, but grabbed 5.8 rebounds, and dished out 2.2 assists per 36 minutes on 51.2/39.3/83.1 shooting splits, while almost never turning the ball over.
After starting out last season on a two-way contract, Lindy Waters' ability to come off the bench and knock down shots, especially from beyond the arc, gave the Thunder a temporary offensive boost. Subsequently, he was converted to a standard contract. However, at almost 26 years old, Waters’ overall inconsistency as a shooter and lack of versatility could lead to him having his team option declined for the upcoming season.
Grade: C-
Summary
The Thunder’s current offerings at the wing position could be described as a smorgasbord of talent, with Jalen Williams already showing star potential and Dort currently looking more like a useful roleplayer that should come off the bench rather than anything resembling a starting caliber player.
However, behind Dort sits Wiggins, the talented Joe, and Kenrich Williams who all offer very different skill sets to provide the Thunder with an abundance of depth and optionality in regards to what kind of lineups Daigneault might want to roll out on any given night. Additionally, all three players fit nicely alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey due to their combination of shooting and defense.
Dieng rounds out this group to provide another potentially high-level wing who, if he pans out, could really change the Thunder's outlook in a substantial way. Though he’s just a lanky 6-foot-10 kid from France showing flashes right now, if those flashes turn into consistency, he could shoulder the load with Williams to carry this group to an ‘A’ rating in the future.
Grade: C+
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