The OKC Thunder just won the 2025 NBA Finals and, with their roster's average age of just 25.6 years, are believed to be in line for several other title bids throughout the many seasons to come.
Of course, in order to properly set themselves up for sustained future success, winning the offseason is a must. That means making proper free agency decisions, locking down core talents to long-term pacts, and, first and foremost, dominating Wednesday's NBA Draft.
Heading into the festivities, there are a slew of rumors going around indicating that Oklahoma City is looking to be aggressive in search of the ideal draft prospect, with NBA insider Jake Fischer recently revealing that the franchise is actively looking to move up into the lottery for a chance to snag one of the top-billed talents in this year's class.
Now, while such an idea is certainly exciting for Thunder fans to hear following their team's first title since 1979, moving into the top-14, let alone top-10, may not be the only way to snatch up a quality young talent to help strengthen their core.
In fact, staying put could very well still lead OKC to a perfect young frontcourt prospect.
Joan Beringer could be ideal target if Thunder stay put in NBA Draft
Though ESPN's Jonathan Givony may be under the impression that this Thunder team as currently constructed doesn't seem to have "any real needs right now" from a roster and rotation standpoint, they could still use for some added depth in a few particular areas on the depth chart, especially when it comes to their big man arsenal.
Let's not pretend that having the 6-foot-5 Jalen Williams serving as OKC's emergency option down at the pivot is a desirable strategy moving forward, regardless of how impressive he may have been when filling in amid the widespread injuries to Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams earlier in the campaign.
With this, perhaps a desirable approach to best utilize their current draft stock is by looking for a quality young big to fill out their frontcourt reserves, and Joan Beringer may be the perfect option for the Thunder's needs.
Boasting an elite 6-foot-11, 235 pound frame with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, the 18-year-old has caught the eyes of many ball clubs throughout the 2025 draft scouting process thanks to his mix of size, athleticism, and rim protection and heads into Wednesday's event with overall averages of 4.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 59.7 percent shooting from the floor in 2024-25.
Already viewed as the best shot swatter (8.2 block percentage) and one of the top lob threats in this year's class, Beringer is a clear fit for virtually any team that prides itself on defense and pushing the pace on fast breaks for scoring opportunities at the rim in transition.
Without a doubt, this is a perfect descriptor of the Thunder, and, in the event that the Frenchman is still available when they're on the clock (currently projected to fall to OKC if they stay at 15, according to Bleacher Report's latest mock), they'd be hard pressed to find a more form-fitting talent in the 2025 NBA Draft.