The OKC Thunder already seem to have a roster good enough to win an NBA Championship. That said, as we've seen during this year's campaign, they are far from a flawless team.
Throughout the season, a number of weaknesses and on-court limitations (secondary scoring, big man depth, etc.) have presented themselves that many hope will be addressed during the upcoming offseason.
And while there are those who are hoping to see Oklahoma City strike on some splashy blockbuster trade to tackle some of these sore spots, the more likely course of action the franchise will look to take is by way of being active during the NBA Draft.
Thanks to the wheeling and dealing ways of GM Sam Presti throughout the years, OKC holds the rights to more than 30 picks through 2031. In this upcoming June's draft alone, they could find themselves with as many as four first-round selections, three of which could possibly fall into the lottery.
Assuming they plan on cashing in on these assets, March Madness could provide the Thunder more insight into who should be prioritized during the 2025 NBA Draft and, heading into Tuesday's tip-off to the NCAA Tournament, there are a few players, in particular, who should be on Presti and company's radar.
Egor Demin (BYU, PG/SF)
2024-25 season averages: 10.3 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Over the years, Sam Presti has established a reputation for being drawn toward long, lengthy, and highly versatile young prospects who can fill several roles and slot into multiple positions within a rotation.
Without a doubt, Egor Demin fits this description to a tee.
His impressive ball-handling skills and elite-level court vision allow him to slot in at both backcourt positions, while his 6-foot-9 frame and 7-foot wingspan, coupled with his underrated finishing skills, give him the ability to slide in anywhere from the one all the way down to the four.
Though his shooting stroke (47.6 effective field goal percentage) and questionable turnover frequency (3.0 per game) may make some interested teams a bit hesitant in pursuing his services, considering the fact that he only recently turned 19, it's rather realistic to believe that a team as well positioned as the Thunder would be willing to take a swing on the massive upside the youngster has.
Jase Richardson (Michigan State, SG)
2024-25 season averages: 12.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 51.2 FG%, 41.2 3FG%
While literally the complete opposite type of prospect to Egor Demin's multi-positional, playmaking archetype, there's a case to be made that someone of Jase Richardson's ilk would be more beneficial to add to this Thunder rotation based on their current needs.
As noted earlier, one of the biggest weaknesses of this OKC squad in 2024-25 has proven to be their lack of ability to generate secondary offense, particularly outside the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Registering in with a putrid 108.2 offensive rating and an effective field goal percentage of just 52.9 without their star guard on the floor, even with the fact that they have 21.3 and 15.0 point-per-game scorers in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, respectively, both the numbers and sheer eye test suggest that they could still use for more help in the shot-making department.
Throughout his freshman year with the Spartans, Richardson has proven to be quite a reliable bucket-getter, as he's averaging 12.0 points on a highly efficient 51.2 percent shooting from the floor and 41.2 percent shooting from deep.
Just as trusty on-ball as he is off of it, bringing on a spark-plug scorer like the 6-foot-3 Michigan State guard in the first round could be a steal of a move for the Thunder to execute. Pairing his shot-making skills with red-shirt rookie Nikola Topic's set-up abilities could make for a lethal second-unit combination.
Asa Newell (Georgia, PF/C)
2024-25 season averages: 15.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 54.1 FG%
Last offseason, the Thunder went about and addressed their lack of size down in the frontcourt by signing former Knicks big Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million deal.
Throughout his first season in the Sooner State, it's become more than evident that the 26-year-old was well worth every penny spent on his services, and he and fellow big Chet Holmgren are slowly but surely developing into one of the more ferocious one-two frontcourt punches in the game.
However, as OKC and their fans have learned the hard way, the team is still void of any real size behind this tandem on the depth chart, which, though is a disadvantage coach Mark Daigneault has managed to navigate through, should be something Presti and co. look to address this coming offseason.
Georgia product Asa Newell is someone they should have their sights on.
Measuring in at 6-foot-11, 220 pounds, the 19-year-old has the ideal build of a tweener forward, while his offensive game and quick reaction time suggest he has the potential to be a quality two-way presence in the NBA.
What he currently lacks in consistent long-range shooting (boasts a mere 29.9 percent clip from deep) he makes up for with his solid mid-range game and free throw success rate (74.4 percent), both of which provide hope for potential development in this area of his game.
Add this to his elite athleticism, ability to put the rock on the floor, and natural drive to move while off the ball, and you have one of the more intriguing big man prospects slated to enter the 2025 NBA Draft in Asa Newell who, based on recent projections, is bound to be available while the Thunder find themselves on the clock.
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