How Brandin Podziemski Fits with the OKC Thunder
With the Oklahoma City Thunder entering the offseason, it’s officially time to time to switch gears to prospect evaluation mode.
And this year’s impending draft has plenty of players that can help bolster the OKC core.
No matter how unlikely it is Oklahoma City lands certain prospects, the Thunder Fit series will take a look at how they would fit with the current team’s configuration. And with a war chest of assets, you never know how far the front office could move up to acquire a player.
The next prospect up in the series is Santa Clara guard Brandin Podziemski, who shot up draft boards in his sophomore season.
Here’s how Podziemski could fit alongside the rest of the Thunder core:
Offense
Offensively, Podziemski was spectacular for the Broncos, averaging 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor and near-44 percent from beyond the arc.
At 6-foot-5, Podziemski is bigger than most point guards, and can thrive on on and off-ball, using his strong facilitation and shooting to his advantage.
Though the Thunder are already a guard-laden squad, Podziemski would have no trouble inserting himself into most lineups. His shooting, elite positional rebounding and creation skills should plug in seamlessly next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams and more.
Defense
Defensively, Podziemski’s size allows him to guard a variety of positions and, when mixed with his quicker movements, makes him a fine positional defender.
He’s was a phenomenal defensive playmaker for the Broncos, averaging 1.8 steals per game and 0.5 blocks. He isn’t liable to be above-average in the NBA, but should be able to hold his own well, especially on smaller guards.
Alongside plus defenders like Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren and more, Podziemski would fit the Thunder mold well.
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