OKC Thunder 2021 NBA Mock Draft – the new era reformulation begins

One of the other GMs who was in the arena for the Olympic exhibition game between Australia and Nigeria was Bob Myers.  While Franz Wagner and Jonathan Kuminga are options for the Warriors I like the 18-year old’s fit.

As is typical of international players they don’t tend to get as much hype in season and because analysts don’t see them as frequently. That’s the case for Josh Giddey who played in Australia and won’t turn 19 until October.

When the Dubs were making constant trips to the Finals their core was the focus. The exit of Kevin Durant and injuries to Klay Thompson are what everyone focused on when they slipped from the upper echelon. Yet, what made those championship teams special was the presence of two supporting role players — Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.

The latter was key to the ball movement of the reserves and providing all the little things that often get overlooked. I love Giddey’s fit with this roster although I could also see the Raptors swapping picks with the OKC Thunder since they went to Australia to scout Giddey and as previously mentioned, he’s the type of player Ujiri would earmark as a dark horse with huge upside. The Raptors and Warriors often like similar qualities in prospects. Take a scan down their rosters in the past few seasons and you’ll find several players who’ve spent time on both clubs.

At 6’8, Giddey’s ability to see the floor and run the point is a major benefit. Like Draymond Green, he could be a nightly triple-double threat although his defense is still a work in progress.

Notably, right after that Olympic exhibition, Giddey was extended an invitation to the Draft Night Green Room so my gut says one of those GMs at that game was the team who sent out that invitation and made a promise to draft him.