Tankathon Mock Draft: Thunder Secure Frontcourt of the Future

With the 2022 NBA Draft on the horizon, the Thunder are again looking to add premier pieces to its growing core.

This season, Oklahoma City was fortunate to land a second lottery pick at the hands of the Pelicans, who ousted the Clippers in the Western Conference play-in game.

OKC currently holds the fourth and twelfth best odds, and will look to continue bolstering its roster in hopes for future success.

Here is a randomly generated mock draft presented via Tankathon:

The Result:

The Picks:

No. 1 Rockets: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga

No. 2 Trail Blazers: Paolo Banchero, Duke

No. 3 Thunder: Jabari Smith Jr., Auburn

No. 4 Pacers: Jaden Ivey, Purdue

No. 5 Magic: Keegan Murray, Iowa

No. 6 Pistons: Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky

No. 7 Kings: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona

No. 8 Pelicans: AJ Griffin, Duke

No. 9 Spurs: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin

No. 10 Wizards: Jalen Duren, Memphis

No. 11 Knicks: Tari Eason, LSU

No. 12 Thunder: Mark Williams, Duke

No. 13 Hornets: Jeremy Sochan, Baylor

No. 14 Cavaliers: Dyson Daniels, G-League Ignite

The Rationale:

The Trail Blazers lucked out and lurched forward, the Rockets came out on top and the Thunder and Pacers jumped just a few spots in this spin.

At No. 1 overall, Chet Holmgren to the Rockets feels like a strong pick after taking offensive aficionado Jalen Green No. 2 overall last year. Holmgren offers defensive anchor potential and offensive versatility without needing the ball in his hands.

After dealing CJ McCollum to the Pelicans, the Blazers are short on starpower next to Damian Lillard, and scooped up Duke’s Paolo Banchero at two.

While Oklahoma City would likely want either of the other two prospects, they’d gladly take sharpshooter Jabari Smith Jr. out of Auburn. With a smooth shooting stroke without the need have the ball in his hands, he’d be a solid fit next to Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He also offers a bit of untapped defensive prowess.

Other notable picks include Detroit securing their backcourt with Shaedon Sharpe, the Pelicans adding shooting with AJ Griffin, and New York taking on shot on Tari Eason’s potential.

At No. 12, Oklahoma City officially secured their front court with the savvy Mark Williams. The Duke big man is a smart player with great defensive instincts and touch around the rim. His free throw numbers are promising and he’d likely play a similar role with the Thunder as he did as Duke: cleaning up the glass, letting stars work and scoring when necessary.

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