Who should the OKC Thunder trade up for in the NBA Draft?
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder need shooting, and Gradey Dick fits right in as a drive-and-kick partner for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Oklahoma City Thunder need shooting this offseason. We have seen how shooting opens up space for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to operate and allows Mark Daigneault’s squad to thrive as he sometimes pulls out the “all shooting lineups,” Gradey Dick would improve this team.
At Kansas, Gradey Dick averaged 14 points, five rebounds, an assist, and 1.7 STOCKS per game while shooting 44 percent from the floor, 40 percent from beyond the arc, and 85 percent at the free throw line.
According to Synergy, the Kansas product ranked in the 74th percentile as a spot-up scorer, 86th percentile in transition, 96th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler, and really good coming off screens. On jump shots, Dick shot 40 percent, his catch-and-shoot percentage was at an impressive 38 percent clip, and shooting off the dribble was 46 percent from the floor. At the rim, the only a shooter-branded prospect shot 58 percent at the cup.
Gradey Dick’s connective playmaking, relocation off-ball kills, and shooting ability makes him a perfect fit for the Oklahoma City Thunder. While many are concerned about Dick’s defense, the Jayhawk ranks in the 52nd percentile of overall defense and has good off-ball defending traits to fit without a team construct and not be played off the floor. While he will not be a point-of-attack defender, he is not a traffic cone on that side of the floor.