Opinion: Oklahoma City Needs to Look for Playmakers, Regardless of Size

The Thunder can shift their draft philosophy to help build around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The undersized guard is here to stay.

Trae Young is just the latest point guard to prove that elite playmaking and a killer jump shot can translate to success in the playoffs, even if you don’t have the prototypical size and length man general managers yearn for.

Before Young, Chris Paul, Steph Curry and Damian Lillard have been electric in the Western Conference, even if their performances saw their teams fall short.

As the Thunder attempt to recapture their magic from the first decade of the NBA in Oklahoma City, the front office should put a premium on a player’s ability to score, and be less concerned about finding prospects who have an atypical wingspan and struggle to shoot efficiently.

Sam Presti already has his combo guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Standing 6-foot-6 and 181 pounds, the former Kentucky star has established himself as an outstanding combo guard. He proved he could play off-ball alongside Chris Paul during his sophomore campaign, and when he was healthy he was excellent as OKC’s primary ball handler. The offense flowed nicely through Gilgeous-Alexander, and while he continued to distribute the ball at a high level, he took steps forward both on the defensive end of the floor and in his shooting from behind the arc.

While a player with the size and skillset of a Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley or Jalen Green would be a dream for the Thunder in the 2021 NBA Draft, it’s looking unlikely that Oklahoma City will be able to swing a trade into the top three come July.

Should those guys be gone when it’s time for the Thunder to make their pick at No. 6, they shouldn’t be afraid to take a swing on a prospect like Keon Johnson. If they stand pat at picks 16 and 18 or move up a bit higher, Presti should take a hard look at other playmakers like James Bouknight, Tre Mann, Moses Moody or Cameron Thomas.

In this year’s playoffs alone, Young has been able to elevate his play for the Hawks. The 6-1 guard actually is averaging 4.5 more points per game in the playoffs than he was in the regular season. He’s not turning the ball over any more in the postseason than he was during the regular season either, even as teams have begun to hone in on him and try to limit his effectiveness for Atlanta.

Until the freak incident where he rolled his ankle on a referee, Young was generally the toughest player on the court as well. He had no trouble holding up to the physicality of the playoffs, saving his best play for late in the fourth quarter when the Hawks needed him most.

Lillard has also made a career on big playoff moments.

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READ MORE:

• SI Thunder Draft Big Board 3.0

• NBA Mock Draft: Thunder add talent in the mid-first round

• Watch: Keon Johnson's combine interview

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The Portland star averages one more point per game in the playoffs rather than the regular season, including this season when he did everything he could to try and will the Trail Blazers into the second round. Putting in scoring performances of 34, 42, 37, 55 and 28, Lillard did all he could to power Portland past the Nuggets, but ultimately the roster around him wilted as the Trail Blazers were ousted in seven games.

Curry was the centerpiece of one of the greatest dynasties in the modern history of the NBA, proving smaller guards can not only survive, but thrive as franchise stars in the modern NBA.

No doubt, there is still a place for lengthy athletes on every roster. Not every single member of the roster can be a superstar, and teams can’t roll with 15 guys who are undersized. But, there is no longer a height limit on superstardom in the NBA, and Presti shouldn’t shy away from taking a shot on an established playmaker to pair with Gilgeous-Alexander just because they don’t possess elite size or a spectacular wingspan.