If OKC Thunder Stays Put at No. 12, Kel'el Ware Makes Sense

As Oklahoma City turns its attention to the offseason, there’s plenty of options on the table. After a run to the second round of the playoffs and a successful season securing the No. 1 seed in a loaded Western Conference, there’s not much the Thunder need to change. Just staying the course and focusing on internal improvement should bring promising results.

Of course, Oklahoma City will have loads of cap space to use this summer and could be very active on the trade market if management chooses to do so. With a few major contract extension opportunities looming, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Thunder prepare for the future salary cap situation.

The other variable, outside of free agency and trade talk, is Oklahoma City’s first round draft pick. The Thunder currently owns the No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft, a pick that the team has had success with in the recent past. Oklahoma City’s rising star, Jalen Williams, was selected at that exact spot, and Cason Wallace was picked a spot before after OKC traded up.

There are plenty of opinions surrounding what Oklahoma City should do with pick No. 12, and it feels like the majority of the fanbase expects the pick to get traded. If the Thunder has a guy penciled in, though, it makes perfect sense to add another cheap lottery talent to the current core. Seeing what Dallas has done with its two-man center rotation, could the Thunder follow suit?

Kel’el Ware feels like one of the most underrated prospects in the draft and could be a great fit in Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren is obviously a center, and the Thunder shouldn’t even think about tinkering around with his position. But like Dallas’ rotations, it would be nice to put in another true center for Holmgren when he takes a seat for a quick rest. If the Thunder faces off against a two-big starting lineup, like the Minnesota Timberwolves, maybe Holmgren and Ware can coexist.

He’s still very young and just finished his sophomore year of college. The upside is clear. The 7-footer averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game at Indiana. He was incredibly efficient, shooting 58.6% from the floor and 42.5% from 3-point range. His jumper has room for improvement, but the promise is there. In a relatively frowned upon draft class, it’s hard to find a reason why Ware isn’t pencilled in as a top ten pick.

If Ware is simply a backup center for the first few years of his NBA career, Oklahoma City would still fill a major need with his selection. If he’s more than that and pushes for more playing time, it’s a home run pick.

He feels like a player that the NBA community looks back on five years from now and wonders why he didn’t go higher. He could develop into a special player in Oklahoma City and give the team additional looks as opposed to running all five-out. If his jumper continues to improve too, his pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop potential is there.

If the Thunder stays put at No. 12, Ware makes sense.

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