Thunder Role Player Marks First Pick of Expansion Mock Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Jaylin Williams become the top pick in the Expansion Draft according to ESPN's mock draft, what would that mean for the OKC Thunder?

May 13, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a loaded roster which many project to be good enough to win the Western Conference and contend for an NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics. From media pundits, former players, fans and even the Vegas odds, the Thunder are the favorites to make it to the Finals out of a loaded West.

This is in large part due to their depth complimenting their top-end talent. The Thunder have 10-to-12 players that will rightful deserves minutes on any given night with a boat load of future draft picks on the way as well. So when the NBA discusses expansion, it seems like a lock that Oklahoma City will lose a player to the draft.

During the week, ESPN laid out how expansion will look league-wide and wrapped up that series of reporting with an NBA Expansion Mock Draft - the Expansion draft allows for teams to protect eight players and as the two expansion teams rotate selections the moment one of them takes a player from an NBA team that team can not lose another player.

With the No. 1 overall pick in the expansion draft, the ESPN pundits had OKC Thunder backup big man Jaylin Williams fly off the board. This came as a shock to many, but the pathway to get there is plausible as their front office insiders explained.

Originally the Mock Sonics were going to take the Thunder's No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft NikolaTopic - a once thought of top two talent in that class - however, the faux Thunder General Manager worked out a trade sending the Sonics a 2025 NBA Draft pick to ensure Seattle would select the former Arkansas Razorback.

The Thunder only lose Williams in the expansion draft which will prove to be a big blow to not only their front-court depth with the loss of their projected third-string center but also a loss in the locker room as the Arkansas product has a case for the best teammate award.

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