This isn't the ideal year to have three of the first 32 picks of the NBA Draft. As ESPN analyst Chad Ford put it this week: "The best players in this draft are either big guys who are injured or they're wings that have some interesting limitations."
It's the job of general manager Sam Presti, then, to work through those injuries and limitations and mine his Oklahoma City Thunder some talent Thursday night.
Presti works from the No. 12, 29 and 32 overall positions, assuming he doesn't trade those picks to move up,. It is widely believed he is after an offensively skilled big man, a backup point guard and/or the tried-and-true best player available.
Here is a look at possibilities at each of those spots.
NO. 12 PICK PROSPECTS
Steven Adams
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 7-0 |
255 |
Center |
Pittsburgh |
The breakdown: Adams has surged in recent weeks, meaning he might not be around for the Thunder here. What is Sam Presti getting should Adams fall to him? "A back-to-the-basket defensive rebounder and shot-blocker with a lot of upside," ESPN draftnik Chad Ford said.
Cause for concern: Adams played in New Zealand before spending a year at a Fitchburg, Mass., prep school. He spent just one season with Pitt, averaging 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. You pick Adams, you're banking on potential.
How he fits: Adams could eventually give the Thunder a younger, sturdier low-post defensive presence than Kendrick Perkins, while developing his offensive game along the way. He can't be much worse than Perkins in that regard.
Michael Carter-Williams
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 6-6 |
184 |
Point guard |
Syracuse |
The breakdown: "He can get past his guy," Ford said. "He finds guys. He's a creative passer. He's also a nightmare on the defensive end, one of the best defenders in this draft on the perimeter." That's a lot to like, which is why Carter-Williams might not fall to No. 12.
Cause for concern: Carter-Williams averaged 12 points as an Orange sophomore last year. Not bad. But he shot 39 percent from the floor, and 29 percent from 3. Quite the double whammy right there.
How he fits: Don't the Thunder have about 10 guys who can score? Right. Carter-Williams can start his career by being a defensive pit bull and offensive creator, working on his shot along the way as he replaces Reggie Jackson as Russell Westbrook's backup.
Kelly Olynyk
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 7-0 |
234 |
Center/PF |
Gonzaga |
The breakdown: Olynyk doesn't have Adams' classic 5-man build, but possesses a more polished, versatile offensive game. Here's Ford's scouting report: "Olynyk might be the most efficient big man in basketball this year. He's a face-the-basket big. He can create off the dribble and shoot the three."
Cause for concern: If he's too small to defend posts, Olynyk will have to guard power forwards. Is he athletic enough to do that reliably? Others have picked on Olynyk's lack of rebounding prowess.
How he fits: Presti would be drafting Olynyk for his offensive skill set, not his board work. For his range. And for his smarts - Olynyk was a first team Academic All-American last season.
C.J. McCollum
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 6-3 |
197 |
Combo guard |
Lehigh |
The breakdown: As with Carter-Williams, it's a stretch that McCollum will drop into the Thunder's lap at No. 12. But if he does, Presti will be a very happy GM. McCollum averaged 24 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists and became the Patriot League's all-time scoring leader as a Lehigh senior.
Cause for concern: It's a decent bet McCollum has a major adjustment ahead in terms of defense. That's the downside of spending four years in the Patriot. Of course, that level of competition didn't prevent him from dropping 30 on Duke in a 2012 NCAA tournament upset.
How he fits: Assuming Jackson is on the verge of pricing himself out of Oklahoma City's market, McCollum makes an ideal eventual replacement. Not as dynamic as Carter-Williams, perhaps, but certainly more polished.
NO. 29 PICK PROSPECTS
Ricky Ledo
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 6-6 |
197 |
Combo guard |
Providence |
The breakdown: Ledo is talented enough that UConn, Syracuse and Kentucky came after him out of high school. And even though he sat out his one season at Providence (he was academically ineligible), Ford considers him a "top 10 or 15 talent in this draft... People love his shooting and his size for his position. He's a scorer. Those guys are hard to find."
Cause for concern: Ledo never suited up in college, and carries some baggage into Thursday night. "Every team I have spoken with has a lot of apprehension about drafting him," Ford said, "based on what they know about him and his personal life."
How he fits: Presti takes a chance on that baggage, surrounds Ledo with the positive influences of a stable, successful franchise, and in three years everybody looks back on the Thunder's steal of the draft.
Gorgui Dieng
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 6-11 |
230 |
Center |
Louisville |
The breakdown: Dieng set a school record with 184 blocked shots two years ago as a sophomore. He once went five straight games with at least 12 rebounds. So while he's not going to get you 20 points, Dieng is a tantalizing defensive prospect.
Cause for concern: His health. Dieng's knees, ankle and wrist have all been injured, or come into question. Thus the possiblity he could fall toward the end of the first round.
How he fits: If Presti takes a guard at 12, he'll be glad to scoop up a big man of Dieng's potential here. Think Serge Ibaka 2.0, provided the kid's body holds up and he works to develop an offensive skill set.
NO. 32 PICK PROSPECTS
Mike Muscala
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 7-0 |
230 |
Center |
Bucknell |
The breakdown: McCollum might be the Patriot League's alltime scorer, but Muscala was the conference's two-time Player of the Year. "He has the ability to block shots, rebound and shoot the ball," former Minnesota coach Jim Dutcher said of Minnesota native Muscala in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Cause for concern: Muscala doesn't quite have the NBA-ready body of Adams. He doesn't have the NBA-ready versatility of Olynyk. Unlike McCollum, he did not help himself under the brights lights of the NCAA tournament.
How he fits: There's no rush for your second-round pick of any draft. The Thunder could take Muscala here, stash him in Tulsa for a while and hope he develops into a serviceable NBA center faster than Cole Aldrich.
Tony Snell
| Ht. |
Wt. |
Pos. |
School/Team |
| 6-7 |
198 |
Small forward/Shooting guard |
New Mexico |
The breakdown: Averaged 12.5 points and 2.6 rebounds as a Lobos junior. Not great considering he plays a traditionally productive position. So why draft him? He shot very well during workouts, and he is a potential stopper along the lines of former high school teammate Kawhi Leonard.
Cause for concern: Again, the numbers don't exactly stack up for a player at his position.
How he fits: You draft him and hope he reaches the potential he showed while winning MVP of the Mountain West Tournament, where he shot 60 percent from 3 and averaged 17.6 points. Presti is in a position to take that chance.
Original Print Headline: Who's next?
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