OKC Thunder's First Round Picks Reaffirm Confidence in Jaylin Williams

The Thunder went through the first round without adding a big man, which could signal their comfortability with Williams off the bench.

May 11, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) and Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault react during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during game three of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma City’s newest first-round picks might not be contributors next season, but one player on the roster might be impacted more than any other.

On Wednesday night, the Thunder selected Serbian guard Nikola Topic with the 12th pick and traded back into the first round to take Weber State wing Dillon Jones with the 26th pick. As a high-upside player, Topic is unlikely to display his elite playmaking next season as he recovers from a knee injury. Meanwhile, Jones will look to break through the Thunder’s abundance of wings. 

After much discussion about the Thunder’s need for size, they opted not to take any bigs with top prospects such as Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey off the board at 12. Although the Thunder will have other opportunities to add size inside, Sam Presti has at least temporarily reaffirmed his confidence in Jaylin Williams as the backup center moving forward.

Last season, Williams averaged four points and 3.4 rebounds while playing 13 minutes per game. After starting throughout his rookie season, Williams never did in year two. However, he did play critical fourth-quarter minutes for the Thunder in the playoffs alongside Chet Holmgren in the frontcourt. In the second round against the Dallas Mavericks, Williams played at least 10 minutes each game, including 18 minutes in the Thunder’s Game 6 loss. 

Williams’ ability to shoot from outside and be a solid team defender has helped him stay in the rotation. However, his 6-foot-9, 240-pound frame has raised questions about the viability of him as the team’s long-term option to back up Holmgren.

Of course, Williams’ safety on the roster and his role for next season is far from secured. Oklahoma City might not have found his replacement in the first round of the draft, but with free agency and plenty of assets to make trades this offseason, a new backup center is still a possibility for the Thunder going into next season.

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