The OKC Thunder came away from their ill-fated Western Conference Finals bout against San Antonio with a clear understanding that they could use for extra frontcourt reinforcements to better contain star big Victor Wembanyama in future playoff run-ins.
Tuesday night, they may have brought on the solution to this particular predicament by snagging Aday Mara with one of their two first-round selections.
Snatched up 12 overall thanks to the LA Clippers, the Michigan pivot is considered an absolute steal of a pick, what with his size, skill-set, and where he fell on the draft board.
Insider Jake Fischer noted soon after Mara's selection that the center has been billed as "a potential Victor Wembanyama stopper" at the NBA level, which, in his eyes, is "pretty perfect" for him to now be part of this Thunder squad.
In response to such a label, Mara stressed to reporters that while he's excited to try and live up to the hype surrounding him, getting to that point may take some time.
"Obviously, it's not a bad thing to hear. I think it's going to take more time [and] more adjustments, but I'm excited to play against him," Mara said.
Thunder may still need Isaiah Hartenstein more than many think
Mara comes into the pros with quite an impressive resume and overall player profile.
From averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in his final year at the collegiate level to playing a major role in leading the Michigan Wolverines to their second NCAA Championship, the 7-foot-3 youngster has an already established track record of being a tremendous contributor for winning organizations.
However, the NBA is a completely different beast that, for many prospects, takes some time to get used to.
Because of this, though Mara's arrival may have some believing Isaiah Hartenstein may be a goner, the transition might not happen all that rapidly.
Let's not forget that the Thunder are still heavily committed to operating with a win-now mindset. With Mara's admission that it could take him some time to get used to playing in the pros and, more specifically, serving in the high-pressure role of "Wemby stopper," holding onto the likes of Hartenstein until the rookie's comfortable could be highly strategic.
Finding the salary space to make such a plan work could prove a bit difficult, but, as shown through the recent Aaron Wiggins deal, GM Sam Presti certainly isn't averse to making cost-cutting moves this summer.
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