OKC Thunder Rookie Dillon Jones Can Help the Team’s Front Court Depth Early On

The Thunder’s front court in banged up heading into the season, but Dillon Jones can help.

Oct 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dillon Jones (3) is defended by Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City’s front court depth will be top tier in time, but the team has had an unfortunate series of injuries to begin the season.

After making a splash signing this summer for Isaiah Hartenstein, it looked like the Thunder’s rebounding woes were over. And behind Hartenstein, Oklahoma City has Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams who both have extensive experience starting at center for the Thunder. OKC has always preached a team effort on the glass, but having size and options in the front court was exciting on paper.

Unfortunately, all three of those options are out on opening night nursing injuries. It seems none of those injuries are too serious, and the trio will be back before Christmas, but it’ll leave the Thunder with an interesting predicament to start the season.

Outside of Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City doesn’t have a true center on the roster ready to suit up on Thursday night against the Nuggets. And honestly, they might not even have a traditional forward, either.

One unique option the Thunder could tap into is rookie first round pick Dillon Jones, who is advertised to be a jack of all trades. Jones has a bigger body for a wing and has played multiple positions over the course of his college career. We’ve already seen him experiment at different spots during the preseason too. 

He showcased his skillset during Oklahoma City’s exhibition game against New Zealand by pouring in 23 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. His bulldog mentality on the glass was able to shine through the entire game. At 6-foot-5 235 pounds, Jones isn’t a small player, and he plays bigger than he’s listed too. Sometimes the smaller forwards give traditional bigs plenty of trouble in other areas — it’s how Oklahoma City made a living during the team’s play-in year in 2022-23.

Over the course of four college seasons, Jones averaged 9.6 rebounds per game in 119 total appearances. It was a notable skill of his during the predraft process and was likely something that made him appealing to the Thunder. Traditionally, OKC targets versatile players that can fill in at multiple positions, and Jones certainly fits the bill.

With Oklahoma City short on front court depth, it wouldn't be a shock to see Jones get some run in the early part of the season. For him, it could be an audition for regular minutes, too.

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