The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2023 NBA Draft with three selections (12, 37, 50) and a report from ESPN that the team is exploring trade-up options. The OKC Thunder have made a first-round trade each year since the 2019 draft. So it is not surprising that Sam Presti might keep that streak alive, especially with his war chest of draft assets, highlighted by four first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The OKC Thunder being active on draft night is no surprise, but what is interesting is where they are positioned. How high can they climb up the draft from pick 12, where the juice would be worth the squeeze?
Who should the OKC Thunder trade up for in the 2023 NBA Draft, as ESPN reports they are actively trying to do.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have three names that make a ton of sense to move up for in this draft that are on a different tier than the players that will likely be available at pick 12. As a note, this will not include something ridiculous. Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, and Brandon Miller are all upgrades from who should go at 12, but there is no pathway for OKC to get that high. Even the projected fourth pick, Amen Thompson, is out of the realm of possibility for an active Thunder team looking to move up.
So who are some names that are realistic for Sam Presti to go get as a trade-up target?
Jarace Walker might be the best fit in the 2023 NBA Draft for the OKC Thunder.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are in an interesting position at pick 12, and looking to move up, coming off a 40-win season and NBA play-in bid. Fans are ready for the next step in the rebuild. However, the front office is saying they need to finish their breakfast, and the Western Conference remains strong on paper with possible offseason improvements.
Moving up in this draft to grab Jarace Walker would put this roster in a great spot. Walker ranked in the 89th percentile in overall defense and 63rd percentile in overall offense a year ago.
Before March Madness, I considered Walker the perfect prospect for the Oklahoma City Thunder. But a lot can change in 13 weeks; it appears there is no way Walker falls to 12 or possibly even close to it come draft night.
Walker averaged 11 points, six rebounds, an assist, and 2.3 STOCKS per game, shooting 46 percent from the floor, 34 percent from beyond the arc, and 66 percent at the free throw line.
According to Synergy, Jarace Walker ranks in the 73rd percentile on cuts, 88th percentile in transition, and 66th percentile on post-ups. At the rim, Walker scored at a 66 percent clip, good enough for the 84th percentile, with encouraging catch-and-shoot numbers (37 percent).
If the OKC Thunder landed Jarace Walker on draft night, that would be pretty exciting.
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.
Taylor Hendricks could be a modern-day power forward next to Chet Holmgren for the OKC Thunder.
In 34 games for UCF, Taylor Hendricks averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, an assist, and 2.6 STOCKS per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor, 39 percent from beyond the arc, and 78 percent from the free throw line.
Hendricks ranks in the 90th percentile in overall offense, 95th percentile in transition, 85th percentile in the half-court, 73rd percentile in spot-up scoring, 93rd percentile on post-ups, and 98th percentile as a pick-and-roll man.
Taylor Hendricks shot 39 percent on catch-and-shoot attempts, 33 percent off the dribble, and 58 percent on runners. At the rim, though, Hendricks shot just 58 percent despite being a 6’9 210, pound big man in the AAC.
Defensively, Hendricks ranked in the 84th percentile, including the 70th percentile as an isolation defender, 98th percentile on post-ups, and defended the pick-and-roll at a high level.
Taylor Hendricks is a lot of fans’ favorite prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft, and in order to acquire him, Sam Presti will likely need to jump into the top 10 to land the UCF big man.
Who would you like to see the OKC Thunder trade up for in the 2023 NBA Draft? Let us know on Twitter.