Analyzing DaRon Holmes II, Kel'el Ware and Kyle Filipowski's Fit with the OKC Thunder

There are a handful of solid big men in the 2024 NBA Draft who could potential be a good fit in Oklahoma City.

Mar 31, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

With a small frontcourt and only two players getting real rotation minutes at center all season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team's size and rebounding was a concern heading into the postseason.

In the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks, OKC struggled to get rebounds and defend against lobs. While Chet Holmgren held his own defensively and on the glass, Mark Daigneault's squad got pummeled by Dallas when the rookie center was off the floor.

After the team's rebounding numbers last season and a tough loss to the Mavericks, most NBA observers agree that Oklahoma City needs to add a big man over the summer.

While Sam Presti and company won't rush into adding the wrong piece if there isn't a player available who fits with the Thunder's current system, there are a few intriguing options in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Recently, the idea that OKC could target DaRon Holmes II later this month has started to pick up traction. Measuring a quarter of an inch under 6-foot-9 without shoes and 236 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Holmes has ideal size to play backup center or forward for the Thunder.

In his third season at Dayton, the Flyers' star averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 54.4% from the field and 38.6% from 3-point range on 2.5 attempts per game.

In his college career, Holmes earned A-10 Player of the Year, A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and All-American honors.

With good defensive and rebounding production, decent passing ability and a serviceable perimeter shot that could still improve under Chip Engelland, Holmes seems to fit all the requirements to fit well in Daigneault's system.

Despite spending three seasons in college, the former 4-star recruit will be only 21-years-old on draft night.

Another player with solid collegiate production is former Oregon and Indiana center Kel'el Ware. After a lackluster freshman year with the Ducks, Ware went to play for the Hoosiers, where he put his 5-star talents on display.

As a sophomore in 2023-24, Ware averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 58.6% from the field and 42.5% from beyond the arc on 1.3 attempts per game.

Despite Ware's individual success, Indiana didn't have a very good season as a team, missing the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Ware shot just 63.4% from the free throw line in his lone year with the Hoosiers.

Still, the former 5-star prospect measured a quarter of an inch under 7-feet tall without shoes and 230 pounds with a wingspan longer than 7-foot-4 at the NBA Combine. Ware is also an elite athlete for his size and could go higher in the draft than some are anticipating.

With great size, mobility, athleticism and the potential to be a good perimeter shooter, Ware is also an intriguing option for the Thunder.

Finally, Duke center Kyle Filipowski could be another option for OKC after two seasons with the Blue Devils.

A consensus All-American, Filipowski started all 72 games in his Duke career, averaging 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 34.8% from 3-point range.

While Filipowski also has a very versatile skill set for a center, the former 5-star recruit hasn't proven to have a consistent perimeter shot at the collegiate level despite some scouts believing he could develop into a decent shooter.

Additionally, Filipowski isn't a great finisher around the rim, but is still able to score at an efficient rate and pass the ball well. At the NBA Combine, Filipowski measured a quarter of an inch under 6-foot-11 without shoes and nearly 230 pounds.

While there is a decent chance none of the aforementioned players are the Thunder's primary targets in next week's NBA Draft, each player does have an enticing aspect of their game that would add a new element to Oklahoma City's roster.

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