Could OKC Thunder Look to Trade Up for Coveted Center?

Oklahoma City has the assets to shake things up on draft night.

Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) blocks Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) in the first half in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 8, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

As the NBA Draft is just days away, there’s not as much anticipation surrounding the Thunder this time around. Over the last handful of seasons, Thunder fans have anxiously awaited the draft, hoping to add a centerpiece to the team with a Top 10 pick. Because of smart management and asset accumulation, Oklahoma City is still relevant in the lottery with the No. 12 pick, but the team’s core is much more set than it has been.

Like most years, nobody has a clue what Sam Presti and company will do on Wednesday night. With the team extremely close to contending for a championship, many have suggested the Thunder trading out of No. 12 for a win-now player. While there are many avenues that make sense, there’s one that hasn’t been talked about much: Oklahoma City using future draft capital to move up and select a win-now, top prospect.

The Thunder could keep adding to its collection of youthful talent, and on Monday morning, ESPN reported Oklahoma City had interest in UConn big man Donovan Clingan. Instead of trading for front court depth, the Thunder could solve a hole by adding one of the top available prospects. Jumping into the Top 3 would be a tall task, but Oklahoma City is well equipped.

“Several of the teams rumored to be exploring the cost of moving up in the draft -- for example, the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder -- appear to have interest in selecting Clingan (the No. 3 player on the ESPN Top 100 Big Board), who has not worked out for the Rockets,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo reported. “Clingan getting selected at No. 3 would have a cascading effect, sending the draft in an entirely different direction than the one we have mapped out below.”

There’s a lot that goes into this report, but on the surface, it feels unlikely. Clingan’s name has been mentioned in connection with the No. 1 overall pick, as Alex Sarr has yet to work out for the Atlanta Hawks. There’s no real guarantee he slips to No. 3, making it a risky deal. If anything, this feels like a draft night trade.

If Oklahoma City is able to find a way to secure Clingan, he would obviously be a game changing add. The 7-foot-2 center would give the Thunder plenty of depth in the front court and would be the perfect option to backup Chet Holmgren. With Holmgren’s shooting ability and progressing guard skills, the duo could even play together.

He fits the Thunder’s mold as an elite defender and can pass better than most traditional big men. Clingan averaged 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists while adding 2.4 blocks on the National Championship team.

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