Sam Hinkie walked so that the Oklahoma City Thunder could run.

And run they have.

Building their team primarily through the draft, the Thunder have managed to put an affordable yet ultra-competitive roster together. To that point, all it takes sometimes is one or two lottery picks to display real star potential.

Most teams aren't afforded the number of opportunities that Oklahoma City has, with six lottery picks that will be on their roster — and likely in their rotation — in 2022-23.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already exceeded expectations and has excelled as a primary playmaker.

Josh Giddey is a versatile piece that every team would go out of their way to find a way to utilize.

Jalen Williams has the makings of a star himself, with easy athleticism, great scoring instincts, and a legitimate defensive upside as well.

Then there's Chet Holmgren, the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Although Holmgren missed what should have been his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury, he has a chance to prove he's every bit of the dynamic frontcourt piece that he's been throughout his basketball career.

Yet, if the Thunder want to reach the 2024 NBA Playoffs and not fall short, there a couple of major — but simple — fixes that they must make.

3 major offseason fixes Thunder must make to reach 2024 NBA Playoffs

It's time to throw money at some veterans

In order to elevate their team, it's time for them to go out and add some veterans that already know their identity. Aside from the six lottery picks that could be in their rotation next season — the aforementioned players in addition to Ousmane Dieng and their top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft — their best perimeter defender in Lu Dort will also be in the rotation.

That leaves two potential rotation spots that the Thunder need to address in free agency this offseason.

However, considering their lack of true depth of position and the length of time that it takes young players to get used to the position the NBA level, the Thunder need to explore signing a center in free agency.

The primary target may need to be Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls, a big, burly, skilled center that will both be an insurance policy and test for Chet Holmgren. Vucevic, 6-foot-10 and 260 pounds, averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 52.0 percent shooting from the field last season. Though there are better defensive options, there are few better option ones.

So long as OKC feels they can use their length and athleticism to make like easier for Vucevic on the defensive end, they should be fine. That said, there is something to say about having a four-time All-Star who's enjoyed a long and successful career in the NBA, as he can be a necessary voice on the floor and in the locker room.

As well as the fact that a player with his physique comes in handy against players like Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.

Signing Vucevic to a one- or two-year deal would work well for him, especially if it comes for a high salary.

Shooting is key

The Oklahoma City Thunder were a poor shooting team in the 2022-23 season, only converting 35.6 percent of their 3-point looks, ranking 17th in the NBA.

Adding a player like UConn Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins with the 11th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft would be a wise decision for the Thunder.

Not only does Hawkins not have to be under immediate pressure, playing behind an All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and competing with a former first-round pick in Tre Mann for minutes. He also has the ability to play beside both SGA and Josh Giddey with his length and build at 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds.

Hawkins, who shot 38.8 percent from 3-point range for the Huskies during their championship run, has elite range and a high level of confidence as a shooter. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault will have plenty of fun running Hawkins off screens in a variety of ankles with playmakers like SGA and Giddey on board.

If the Thunder were to sign Nikola Vucevic, it would a worthwhile move for the organization from that standpoint as well. Though Vucevic only shoots 34.8 percent from 3-point range over his career, he's still a pretty solid shooter so far as centers go.

End of the Poku Era?

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Aleksej Pokusevski is a fun player but an experience to watch as he tries to convert his raw potential into consistent NBA production.

However, with just one season remaining on his contract, there's a question about whether Pokusevski will want to stay with the Thunder and if OKC wants to continue investing heavily in Poku as a player. Poku had his best season in 2022-23, averaging 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from 3-point range.

The 17th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Poku isn't even necessarily failing to meet expectations even if his production is modest relative to the main players on the roster. Nonetheless, there's going to be a question about how much he can keep being prioritized with Chet Holmgren returning, Jalen Williams excelling, and a first round coming in that can really be anybody.

That's without even acknowledging the organizations fondness of players like Kenrich Williams and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, forwards who will likely take reps and thus develop opportunities away from Pokusevski.

There's also the simple question of just how much the Thunder should pay Pokusevski if he does happen to have a breakout season.

It may best to move Pokusevski for either a player or draft capital, for both him and OKC.