The 2024 NBA draft has come and gone.
Although there was not nearly as much hype for this year’s class as compared to previous years, the right addition to the right team can make all the difference for the 2024-25 NBA season.
And the Oklahoma City Thunder have always been a team to benefit from the draft. Besides Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Paul George, the most talented players to don OKC on their chests have been drafted.
GM Sam Presti’s Draft History
Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Lu Dort are just a few names OKC’s front office has drafted in recent years. Even double-double machine Domantas Sabonis, who was drafted 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in 2016, was traded to OKC on draft night.
Needless to say, Thunder GM Sam Presti, who has been with the team since 2007 when they were still in Seattle, has established himself as one of the best GM’s in the league. OKC has yet to get over that final hump and win a championship with Presti at the helm, but if there is anyone that can get them there, it’s Presti.
OKC entered the draft with the 12th overall pick, a pick they’ve held onto since 2019 when they traded franchise legend Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul and multiple future picks.
At the time it seemed like a pick OKC would need. The team was entering the first stage of their rebuild following the trades of Westbrook and Paul George. However, as we saw last year, the OKC rebuild is over and they’ve arrived as a true contender in the NBA.
And with OKC in desperate need of size, it would not have been surprising if they moved their lottery pick for an already established NBA talent that could man their front court with Chet Holmgren. However, in classic Presti fashion, the front office decided to leave fans in the dark come draft night.
Round 1, Pick 12
OKC ended up using their 12th pick on Serbian PG Nikola Topić. Topić split time between Mega MIS in the Adriatic League and KK Crvena zvezda, a professional basketball club based out of Belgrade, Serbia, before entering the draft.
While playing overseas, Topić averaged 15.9 PPG, 5.9 APG and 3.5 RPG across both leagues. Many NBA scouts have aptly compared his game to Josh Giddey with a better jumper and ability to operate the pick and roll.
Giddey, who was traded for Alex Caruso on June 21, is no longer with the team. This creates a unique opportunity for Topić to fill that void when he becomes healthy. Scouts have also seen flashes of Goran Dragic and Luka Doncic in Topić as well.
The downside is Topić is expected to miss his entire rookie season after suffering a torn ACL in the Adriatic League playoffs.
Despite the injury, OKC has just proven that they can draft a player, let him sit for a year and benefit from the resources of an NBA team, and come back even stronger. Exhibit A, this past year’s ROTY runner-up Chet Holmgren.
Besides, OKC does not need the services of Topić just yet. OKC’s current roster is very guard heavy and the likelihood that Topić would not see much playing time his rookie year is high, regardless of injury. Give Topić a couple of years to develop in an NBA system and let’s see what the kid can do.
Round 1, Pick 26 (via NYK)
OKC did not own another first round pick but ended up trading with the NY Knicks for the draft rights to the 26th pick, Weber State SF Dillon Jones. The Knicks had acquired the 26th pick from the Washington Wizards earlier in the evening.
Giving up five second round picks for Jones, Presti stated that “he’s a big fan of Jones’ feel for the game and ability to create plays for his teammates”.
Jones averaged an impressive 20.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG and 5.2 APG at Weber State in 2023-24 and has the opportunity to insert himself as a solid role player in an already stacked Thunder roster.
Round 2, Pick 8 (via NYK)
OKC also received the 38th overall pick, or the 8th pick of Round 2, from their trade with the Knicks and drafted UC Santa Barbara PG Ajay Mitchell. Mitchell is noted to be a bigger and creative guard who operates well in the pick and roll, similar to Topić.
It seems like Presti is looking for guards who can run the pick and roll well with Holmgren (who can also pick and pop).
Yahoo Sports gave the Topić pick a B and Jones pick a B-.
OKC did not need to nail this draft to compete next year. They do, however, need to go out there and sign a big man that can control the paint like Steven Adams used to. This would give them some much needed rim protection and improved rebounding.
If OKC can lock down a solid center, they’ll be a very hard team to beat next year. And I will say, Isaiah Hartenstein looks real good in Blue and Orange.
