Which frontcourt players could help OKC Thunder at No. 12 pick in 2024 NBA Draft?
With the NBA Draft just over a week away, the Thunder's direction remains unclear. An eerie draft that follows a 57-win Oklahoma City season has only added to the fog.
Here are five frontcourt targets that could be on the Thunder's radar:
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Tidjane Salaun (Cholet)
Considering the Thunder will likely be better off addressing its most immediate needs in free agency or via trade, it has room to swing for some upside in this month’s draft.
There are few upside bets quite like Saluan.
The 6-foot-9 forward, who won’t turn 19 until August, has an NBA frame. His shooting form, despite shooting 32.9% from deep, appears stable and capable of consistency. He was a good cutter, catching his share of lobs on the backside. Still, there’s plenty in his game that remains raw.
Roll the tape and you’ll see some gutsy 3s. Deep 3s, end-of-clock 3s, off balance 3s, plenty of which are chucked in uncomfortable positions. At the very least, Salaun possesses shooter’s confidence — some of which will benefit him as he tries to become more consistent, and some of which will be filtered out as the Thunder theoretically filters his shot diet.
He’s not exactly a pick-and-roll ball handler, perhaps a bit less aligned in that way from what feels like the vision for OKC’s power forward spot. Salaun’s handle is loose, but he’s shown glimpses of ability to attack closeouts with two or three dribbles.
Salaun’s floor reads will need to improve with time, but he already possesses so much of the competitive fire that would give Mark Daigneault goosebumps. He’s a ball of energy, so energetic it appears frantic at times.
Some evaluators believe Saluan is a star-level bet, with reports of him rising in the lottery. The median belief seems to be that he can be a missing piece, a connective tissue for a lineup like the Oklahoma City’s, as a two-way athlete with a respectable jumper. But there's a common denominator: Salaun needs to be invested in.
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DaRon Holmes II (Dayton)
Of any of the big men available in the first round, Holmes might check the most boxes inside the Thunder system.
Holmes can stretch the floor, shooting 38.6% from 3 this season. He’s a good passer for his size, often creating advantages in the short roll. He made a living screening. In dribble handoffs, in the pick-and-roll, in the pick-and-pop. He averaged 2.1 blocks, projecting as a secondary rim protector.
All of it shapes a player that could ideally play backup to Chet Holmgren and in lineups with him.
Size is the only thing hanging over Holmes’ head at the moment. He was measured at 6-9 without shoes with a 7-foot wingspan. But the skillset already exists, and it’s what any team that acquires him is after.
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Tristan da Silva (Colorado)
Perhaps he doesn’t possess the highest ceiling of the bunch, but da Silva arguably has one of the highest floors here. The 6-8 forward averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Buffaloes this past season. He's shot just shy of 40% from deep for two consecutive seasons. He turned 23 in May, and his feel is similarly mature.
Da Silva was mostly an off-ball player, equipped with good reads and a functional handle to be a connector. He's not some prolific passer, but he appears fully capable of being part of OKC's drive-and-kick mold and making the off-the-bounce reads those situations might call for. As a good shooter and off-ball player on Day 1, da Silva projects to be a high-functioning role player for some time.
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Cody Williams (Colorado)
Cody, brother of Thunder wing Jalen Williams, has tools. He’s listed at 6-8, measuring a 7-1 wingspan and 8-7 standing reach at the combine. He also weighed in at 178 pounds.
Williams’ season was altered by multiple injuries. An orbital fracture that left him in a mask, a wrist injury, an ankle injury. The ankle issue undoubtedly hindered his final stretch, but he showed glimpses of fluidity long before then. The 19-year-old averaged 11.9 points and shot 41.5% on low volume.
He projects as a possible multi-positional defender who can make plays on the ball. With added weight comes the strength to truly put pressure on defenses as a driver, but a passable handle and an affinity for finishing with his length could help in the short term. He has the attributes of today’s highly-coveted, rangy, versatile wings. But teams are also betting on some upside here.
For the Thunder, the vibes that come with a family reunion would need to also come with further proof of a consistent jumper, the handle and strength to create drives, and the defense to blend in.
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Tyler Smith (G League Ignite)
Listed at 6-11, Smith projects as a pick-and-pop big with some attributes to build on. In the G League this past season, he averaged 14.3 points while shooting 35.2% from deep. His jumper is fluid, and he loved the transition 3.
He’s not an overwhelming rebounder or screener, mostly creating advantages with the way he popped and spaced the floor out of actions. While a relatively functional handle can’t be ruled out, his isn’t advanced enough to envision a perfect in OKC’s dribble-shoot-pass mold. The upside remains, though.
The bottom line is that stretch bigs are at a premium, especially for a team like the Thunder that’s built on optimal spacing. There’s some level of intrigue in a player who’s an immediately solid, lengthy shooter.
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2024 NBA Draft
When: June 26-27
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
First round: 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 26 (ABC, ESPN)
Second round: 3 p.m. Thursday, June 27 (ESPN)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder frontcourt prospects with No. 12 pick in 2024 NBA Draft
