The Oklahoma City Thunder have amassed 36 draft picks over the next seven years, including this 2021 NBA Draft. Out of those 36 picks, 18 are set to be first-round selections, 18 will be second-round picks.
This year, the Thunder have picks No. 6, No. 16 and No. 18.
Sam Presti has done an incredible job wheeling and dealing to stockpile up on all these future selections. Is this the year he pulls the trigger with many of these picks or is there more trading yet to be done? If they plant their feet early, here are three options for the Thunder at No. 6 in the 2021 NBA Draft, ranked.
3.) James Bouknight – Connecticut
James Bouknight is one of the more intriguing prospects in this entire draft class because of where he may land. Some mock drafts have him as high as No. 8, others have him pegged to the Knicks at No. 19 or right around that mark.
At No. 6 it could maybe be stretched into being categorized a “reach” but, Bouknight has all the intangibles that scream “star player.”
Bouknight struggled with injuries last season at Connecticut but when he was on the floor, he was as explosive as it gets. He's great at creating his own shot, can go isolation and put defenders on skates and has amazing ball handling skills.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander commanding a lot of the attention for the Thunder and being a primary ball handler, it' great that Bouknight also excels at working off the ball on offense.
He's a walking bucket who figures to only get better offensively and a one-two punch of Bouknight and Gilgeous-Alexander could cement in the Thunder backcourt for years to come.
It's worth noting Kemba Walker is currently in the fold but it's hard to imagine the Thunder having Walker on the roster entering next season. He remains a prime trade candidate after OKC took him on as part of the Al Horford deal.
2.) Scottie Barnes – Florida State
Scottie Barnes can come in day one and make an impact on the defensive end. Florida State did a great job of showcasing Barnes on defense by putting him all over the floor. He can guard on the ball and stay glued to the hips of most guards. At 6-foot-7, he can battle in the post against forwards and did so at FSU as well. While the shooting is certainly a question mark, the defense is not for Barnes.
There are questions as to what the ceiling is for Barnes' jump shot. Will he ever be a cold-blooded, knockdown three-point shooter? Maybe not, but if he can just be reliable on offense with sprinkles of consistency it will do wonders for him as an overall player.
Barnes is intriguing for many reasons and one of them is that he falls outside that deemed “top tier” of prospects but is bunched right in with the second group. He will likely stay within the top 10 it's just a matter of where he goes. The Thunder could be a perfect landing destination.
With the Thunder, Barnes won't be rushed during the teams retooling of the roster but can still earn plenty of minutes early in OKC for what he does on the defensive end of the court.
1.) Trade the pick
This is the Thunder we are talking about, correct?
Sam Presti is out here still playing chess at a master level. Why not trade the No. 6 pick, the No. 18 pick and move into the top 3 and get one of those top shelf talents?
Jalen Suggs or Evan Mobley would be the splash landing that would really get Thunder fans excited. There would perhaps have to be more involved then straight up swapping the picks, but it could be as simple as that.
The Thunder have 18 first-round picks over the next seven season. Parting with two this year to move up a few spots and get Mobley or Suggs would be well worth it.
The Cavaliers have the No. 3 pick and the Raptors sit at No. 4. Both could entertain the possibility of moving back to No. 6 while also scooping up another top 20 pick.
Assuming Cade Cunningham goes No. 1, the Rockets will have their choice of Suggs, Mobley or even Jalen Green at No. 2. If the Thunder trade up to No. 3 they would be assured of having one or the other of Suggs or Mobley.
Sitting at No. 6, there's just no realistic route in which either of Suggs or Mobley drop to that mark. So trading up and getting one of the top shelf talents should be on Presti's radar for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City will hear their name called over and over again in the drafts to come and it starts with the 2021 NBA Draft. There are plenty of possibilities for Presti and the rest of the front office to work through but, trading up might prove most advantageous.
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