OKC Thunder NBA draft profile: Josh Giddey – the gifted, lengthy playmaker

Pro Comparison:

The player comparisons analysts serve up for Giddey are Joe Ingles, Kyle Anderson, Evan Turner, and Joe Ingles.

It’s a bit surprising Ben Simmons doesn’t enter the fray but his body shape and defense perhaps are the reason for his omission. Ingles and Anderson are more playmaking wings while Turner in the narrator’s opinion never possessed the playmaking chops of the young Aussie.

OKC Thunder fit:

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Giddey is yet another 2021 prospect who’ll fall in the middle ground of where the OKC Thunder make their first and second selection. He’s not someone you move up to grab at sixth, nor is he likely to still be on the board by the time Sam Presti makes the 16th pick.

Clearly, there is a necessity to find the perfect backcourt running mate for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Theo Maledon is already being developed  — likely as the backup point guard.

Cade Cunningham was the player OKC hoped to select as he represented a generational talent who perfectly fit the postionless scheme OKC is invested in developing.

Giddey would also fit that scheme and at 18 could still make massive strides. The question is how high that ceiling is believed to be particularly in terms of his ability to grow as a scoring threat.

With news, the young point guard will be in the Green Room on draft night presumably he’s received a promise, likely from a lottery team (15 players have received invitations so far). That list is likely to grow with projected lottery selections such as Alperen Sengun not mentioned for example.

While I’m eager to see how the Giddey develops it’s unlikely the OKC Thunder are the club who have made a promise to the young Australian.