Should the OKC Thunder Add an Experienced Atlanta Forward in Free Agency?

Right now, it's unclear who the Oklahoma City Thunder will need to add in free agency if anybody at all. It's never too early to look into the future, however, and there are minor needs you could pinpoint on the current roster that could be improved upon.

One of those is forward and center depth off the bench. If OKC has money to spend and wants to add to its depth, forking out some cash to current Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. may not be the worst idea in the world. The 32-year-old veteran has been impactful at all of his stops in the NBA and would certainly provide a physical spark off the Thunder bench.

Before suffering a knee fracture that currently has him sidelined, Nance was averaging 8.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on 51.6% shooting. This is his best scoring average since the 2020-2021 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers when he averaged 9.3 per game.

Nance is a generally physical forward who has always been a plug-and-play type of player at all of his NBA stops. Standing at 6-foot-8, 245 pounds, he uses his body to score in the post and the mid-range. He's mobile as well and can put the ball on the floor when needed.

The journeyman also added the three-point shot to his bag of tricks, shooting 44.7 from outside on 3.2 attempts per game. That's a sign of his game evolving as the game of basketball continues to change, a good sign for the aging big man.

He's also a plus rebounder and defender. He has a career average of 6.1 rebounds per game, an impressive number for a depth forward who is not over seven feet tall. Nance has a reputation as a hustle player whether he's coming off the bench or not and has made a name for himself in the NBA by doing just that.

There aren't many teams where Nance would be a bad fit. He brings pure energy when he's on the court as a rebounder and defender and though he's not the scariest offensive threat, the number of mistakes he makes on offense does not harm his team.

Again, it's hard to tell what OKC will need come free agency. However, if there's a player that would impact the team now, it might be worth giving him a look in the offseason. Nance certainly would, regardless of what role he would play on the team.

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI 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.