If Oklahoma City Wants To Trade Up, The Timing Is Right
In this story:
There’s no denying that the 2023 NBA Draft class is stacked with talent — especially in the top ten. Of course, the top two prospects are seen as some of the best in the last ten years, with Victor Wembanyama generating LeBron James-type hype. There will surely be steals, and future stats outside of the top ten, which is where the Thunder will try to swing for the fences. Oklahoma City is slotted to pick twelfth.
If there was ever a time to aggressively move up the draft board, though, it seems like a prime opportunity for the Thunder. There are teams in that range that would likely be willing to move back, and with a roster crunch potentially on the horizon, Oklahoma City could make a move before they really have to.
The Thunder’s roster is already somewhat crowded, and guys like Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokusevski and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl — who all had stretches of promise and heavy playing time — could be on the outside looking in. Oklahoma City improved in a hurry a season ago, and the team’s mad dash towards the postseason took all three of those players out of the rotation. Now, they could easily enjoy a bounce back season, but if there’s a prospect inside the top ten that puts the team over the edge, it’s worth the gamble.
Oklahoma City could wind up with four first round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, and while it’s a good problem to have, there’s simply no way the Thunder can add four new players to this roster a season from now. If the Thunder go after anybody on the open market this summer — the team’s last summer to sign a free agent before committing to re-signing it’s current core — that’s a guaranteed spot down. Add in the fact that the team will also be adding a lottery pick, there’s already going to be tough decisions to be made. Selecting four first round picks in 2024 seems off the table.
If Oklahoma City is serious about moving up in the 2023 draft, all 2024 first round picks should be on the table. It’s a weak draft class in the eyes of scouts, and the team feels ready to take off. If the young core keeps improving at this rapid rate, it’ll be hard to integrate new, raw projects into the rotation down the line — especially without extended opportunities on the court.
Mann certainly struggled a season ago, but the biggest reason why is because he couldn’t play through those struggles. Even on a championship team with highly respected culture like the Golden State Warriors, it’s hard to let young talent develop when trying to win games. James Wiseman, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga fell victim to lack of opportunities and the team going all in on competing — which was the right move for the Warriors.
If there was any year the Thunder could package picks to move up, it feels like now would be the time. Add the last piece to the team’s young core and fill out the roster with a veteran or two in free agency, and it could be a recipe for success.
Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the 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.
