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The Oklahoma City Thunder had a solid 2018-19 NBA season, even though it ended in a first-round playoff loss to the Portland Trailblazers.
The loss exposed some of the Thunder's weaknesses; a top-heavy roster that lacks three-point shooting ability and needs scoring help. To address this problem, the team should seriously consider drafting Cameron Johnson out of the University of Northern Carolina with the 21st pick.
Johnson could help the Thunder address all three of the problems above and give them a valuable young piece for years to come.
Here are the three reasons the Tarheel is a perfect match for Oklahoma City:
3. Three-Point Shooting
During the regular season, The Thunder were 22nd in the league in three-point shooting percentage.
They had the lowest percentage from distance of any playoff team. Only three of their players shot better than the league average of 36 percent from three.
Cameron Johnson could immediately contribute as a shooter to space the floor for Russell Westbrook and Paul George. He shot an impressive 45.7 percent from three in his senior year, and scouts have claimed he has one of the most NBA-ready strokes in his draft class.
It is more than likely that he will be one of the top shooters left on the board by the 21st pick, and the Thunder shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on someone who could develop into an elite shooter.
2. Scoring Ability
The Thunder rely too heavily on Westbrook and Paul George to score most of their points.
When one of them goes cold, as we saw in the playoffs, the Thunder struggle on the offensive end. The team badly needs a third player to pick up the scoring slack and assist their two All-Stars.
Johnson was not just a shooter, but a good scorer as well. He showed the ability to score off the dribble in UNC, as well as take advantage of smaller wings that switch on to him.
At 6'9, he can score with a variety of post moves and knocks down his free throws when he is fouled. He averaged 16.9 points a game on 51 percent shooting from the field while hitting 82 percent of his free throws.
Hopefully, the Thunder could develop him into a double-digit scorer who can play a similar role as Paul George when George goes to the bench.
1. Immediate Contribution
As a senior, Johnson doesn't have a sky-high ceiling like some of the younger players in his draft class.
However, he has proven that he can consistently play impressive ball and any team that picks him has a good idea of what they're getting. This is exactly what the Thunder need right now.
The team is in win-now mode and believes it has the talent to make a championship run behind George and Westbrook. All they need is one or two more solid players to really push the team to the next level.
If Kevin Durant leaves the Golden State Warriors as he is rumored to do, the Western Conference becomes more open.
OKC should seriously consider taking one of the safer bets in the draft and acquire a talented shooter, scorer, and wing to get them closer to winning now.
