The Oklahoma City Thunder will have an extremely important decision to make in the NBA draft on June 20. After two straight first-round playoff exits, the Thunder need to drastically improve their roster both through the draft and in free agency. As we take a look at what their needs are, some of the players they may look to target with the 21st overall pick stand out over others.
How are the other 29 teams approaching the NBA draft? Read Forbes' leaguewide draft preview here.
Team Needs
The Oklahoma City Thunder were atrocious in both the 2018-19 regular season as well as the playoffs when it came to 3-point shooting. They were 22nd in the NBA shooting from deep in the regular season at 34.8 percent and were even worse in the playoffs at 33.1 percent. Adding a highly-efficient shooting wing with the 21st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft would be ideal for Oklahoma City. Drafting someone who can contribute immediately is a necessity as the Thunder's window of contention with Paul George and Russell Westbrook is slowly coming to a close.
First-Round Targets
Tyler Herro: In just one season at the University of Kentucky, 19-year-old Tyler Herro has shown he has the confidence and consistency to immediately be a solid shooter at the NBA level. Although his measurables aren't promising, Herro shot 35.5 percent from deep on 4.6 attempts per game. He started in 37 games as a freshman and was the team's second-leading scorer. If Herro can overcome his lack of length and improve on his footwork to become a passable NBA defender, he could be an excellent scorer off of the bench as a rookie.
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Cameron Johnson: A seasoned five-year college player, Cameron Johnson has the experience and tools to make an immediate impact on both ends of the floor as a rookie. Standing at 6'9, Johnson has the size to play multiple positions at the NBA level and be a versatile defender. After shooting an incredible 45.7 percent from 3-point range in his final college season at the University of North Carolina, he appears to be a 3-and-D player in the making. With Johnson, the biggest concern is his age, entering the draft at already 23 years old.
Kevin Porter Jr.: In his lone college season at the University of Southern California, Kevin Porter Jr. had a fairly inconsistent season. As one of the most athletic players in the upcoming draft class, Porter Jr. has shown he can score the ball in a multitude of ways and has the tools to create his own shots at the NBA level. He scored 9.5 points in 7.5 shot attempts per game at USC while shooting 41.2 percent from deep. Porter Jr. is one of the most intriguing players in the upcoming draft and just turned 19 years old last month. When it comes to late first round picks, Kevin Porter Jr. may have the most potential upside of anyone.
Second-Round Possibilities
When it comes to second-round picks, most of them are projects that do not make much of an impact as a rookie. That being said, choosing who to draft in the second round is crucial as many of these players end up filling out the bench. As of now, Oklahoma City does not have a second-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. With that being said, they should look to make a move for one in order to target yet another shooter or a versatile floor-spacing big man. Some options they should look at include:
- Jontay Porter (Missouri)
- Kris Wilkes (UCLA)
- Zach Norvell Jr. (Gonzaga)
- Grant Williams (Tennessee)
Free Agency Outlook
The Oklahoma City Thunder will not have much flexibility in free agency to bring in many impact players. Perhaps their best option to improve their roster will be through drafting a player who can play immediately. With only one pick in the 2019 NBA Draft as of now, it is even more important that the Oklahoma City front office does not strike out on this pick. Another option for the Thunder would be to package the 21st overall pick in a trade on draft night to acquire a more proven NBA player with less risk than a rookie.
Best-Case Scenario
The best-case scenario for the Oklahoma City Thunder would be to bring in a shooter who can immediately improve on their horrendous shooting last season. Whether this player is drafted, or traded for in a package including their first round pick, this would immediately make Oklahoma City a much more consistent team. As already reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Thunder have already proactively started exploring options to trade away their first round pick in effort to obtain salary relief. In an offseason in which many teams have much more cap space than the Thunder, acquiring the shooter they desperately need may be difficult to acquire through free agency.
