OKC Thunder: Jalen Johnson heading to Sooner State in recent mock

With the fact that they have a total of 34 draft picks through 2027 and a franchise player already in place in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the OKC Thunder are seemingly in the best situation a rebuilding team can possibly be in.

Based on how their first half of the season was going, if Mark Daigneault’s squad actually wanted to find themselves vying for a play-in tournament spot come year’s end they certainly could. However, the team’s recent decisions point to the franchise leaning heavily into the tank, with their sights solely set on the future.

Step one of nabbing a building block can already be checked off their “to do” list, thus leaving the hard work in the rearview. Step two, of course, should be to try and surround their budding star with quality talents, which will likely be accomplished via the draft through the next several years.

This year, in particular, the Thunder find themselves with a tremendous opportunity to stockpile a few quality players via the draft, as they could come away from the illustrious night with as many as three first-round picks.

As things currently stand, with their 20-33 record, OKC has the best odds of landing at the seventh overall pick in the lottery and, in a recent Mock Draft from Bleacher Report, they are seen selecting standout power forward from Duke, Jalen Johnson.

OKC Thunder linked to Jalen Johnson in B/R’s most recent Mock Draft

Being that the OKC Thunder could seemingly use a bit of everything in their rotation, writer Jonathan Wasserman believes the do-it-all four could be an ideal grab for the team with their first selection:

"His ball-handling and athleticism for a 6’8″, 220-pound forward could look even more dangerous in a faster NBA. A playmaking 4, Johnson will cause problems with his ability to grab-and-go, face up and drive or pass on the move.And he projects favorably on defense with the tools to guard different positions and play-make.Johnson isn’t a shooter, which will cause more hesitation from teams than his decision to leave Duke early after returning from an injury. He still made 8-of-18 threes in 13 games, leaving some room for optimism."

In an envious situation with SGA and a few other quality pieces already in tow, the Thunder have the ability to go in many different directions when it comes to decision-making during the 2021 draft.

In Wasserman’s opinion, bringing on the one-and-done power forward could prove to be a solid move for Sam Presti and co. to make.