Ideal Fits for OKC if the Thunder Elect to Trade Down on Draft Night

With the 2024 NBA Draft less than three weeks away, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have its first chance to address the roster since the end of OKC's season.

While Mark Daigneault's team had an incredible run and is set up for success for the coming years, the Thunder still need to fill a few deficiencies on the roster.

While some observers wonder why Sam Presti and company didn't make a move at the trade deadline to address the team's lack of size and other issues, the organization wanted to get a look at how last year's roster would perform in the playoffs to truly analyze roster needs.

In the draft, the Thunder will have a chance to select a prospect who could fill some of these holes. Tidjane Salaun has been a frequent pick for Oklahoma City in mock drafts while names like Jared McCain have also picked up buzz around OKC this cycle.

There is a chance, however, the Presti elects to trade out of the No. 12 pick and move backwards in the draft to stockpile even more picks while still getting a player who fits in the Modern Frontier. Draft analysts seem to agree that the 2024 class doesn't appear to have any true stars at the top, but could have plenty of good role players and contributors throughout the draft.

If the Thunder do elect to trade back, here are three prospects who could fit well in OKC.

Baylor Scheierman

After an incredible college career that spanned five seasons at two different schools, Creighton wing Baylor Scheierman is finally headed to the NBA.

In his final year with the Bluejays, Scheierman averaged 18.5 points, nine rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 38.1% from 3-point range on more than eight attempts per game.

At the NBA Combine, the Aurora, NE, product measured just over 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds. With good size on the wing, decent passing acumen, great rebounding ability and a solid shot from beyond the arc, Scheierman has multiple traits that would seemingly make him a great fit with the Thunder.

Harrison Ingram

Another prospect who played at two different colleges, North Carolina product Harrison Ingram would also be an interesting target for OKC.

Measuring in at just over 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds, Ingram can play on the wing but operates better as an undersized forward, a player archetype that Presti and company are very familiar with. The All-ACC honoree also has a seven-foot wingspan, giving him ideal length for OKC's defensive scheme.

In his third and final collegiate season, Ingram averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc. Ingram's blend of solid defensive ability, good length, rebounding prowess and a decent shot from the perimeter, the former 5-star recruit could also be a good fit in OKC.

Enrique Freeman

If the Thunder elect to trade back deep into the second round, Akron forward Enrique Freeman could be a solid choice for Presti and company. Measuring a shade over 6-foot-7 and 212 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Freeman also has enough size to play forward for Oklahoma City.

A four-time All-Conference Defender and the reigning MAC Player of the Year, Freeman averaged 18.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game in his fifth and final collegiate season.

Prior to his redshirt senior year, Freeman had never been much of a 3-point shooter, but the Zips' standout was able to knock down 37% of his shots from beyond the arc in 2023-24. While this percentage came on very low volume, Freeman showed enough potential as a shooter to be in consideration for OKC.

With renowned shooting coach Chip Engelland on staff, Freeman would theoretically be able to improve his shot become more consistent.

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