Value of No. 12 for OKC Thunder? 2024 NBA Draft Preview with Nick Crain

Value of No. 12 for OKC Thunder? 2024 NBA Draft Preview with Nick Crain

on today’s lockdown Thunder podcast it’s the 2024 NBA Draft preview who are some targets at 12 should the Thunder move up in this draft or trade trade back into the draft plus we’re going to predict the pick you are locked on Thunder your daily Oklahoma City Thunder podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day let’s get it going on the lockdown Thunder podcast on the lockdown podcast Network your teams every day I am your host me member and thunder on SII beat Rider Ryland Styles follow me on Twitter Ryland Styles joining me today is Nick crane Nick crane uh Thunder extraordinaire draft extraordinaire at draft digest the uncontested Pod pretty much everywhere on the face of the Earth Nick how you doing today I’m doing great Ryland it’s a pleasure to be on locked on Thunder uh you’re one of the the greats in the industry so thanks for having me on thanks for joining us I know you’re very busy let’s get into the 2024 NBA draft which has seen uh some ugly superlatives about this draft throughout its cycle bad draft weak draft get out of this draft it’s no good what is your overall Vibe check on the 24 class yeah I think a lot of that’s due to the lack of a superstar at the top right and that’s like what makes any draft class sexy like you think about any class the past 10 20 30 years whatever it is um you naturally think about like who the top guy was um but a lot of times you look at drafts that even if they lack a top guy or the top guy is not like a future face of the league they’re still depth um I know some people would say this this draft class lacks a top level talent and it’s not deep I would just agree like I think if there’s any class where you can get value at a pick that’s not near the top of the draft this is to one to do it this is the draft where really good scouting departments will shine I think Oklahoma City is one of those um I think that it’s overblown a bit that it’s a weak class like you evaluate some of these prospects especially the guys that are kind of the three to 15 to 20 range there’s a lot of guys that I’m like in a lot of draft classes they would be in that exact same range so I’m not as down on this class I think that it’s a class where you can actually get a lot of players that can help you now um there’s some upper classmen that are making some noise it’s not just like a whole bunch of oneandone players um I don’t know I I’d love to hear your thoughts too but I I don’t fully buy the weak class is it weaker than some especially last year sure that was a Bonkers class um but I last time people said oh my gosh it’s a weak class is this guy worthy of number one we saw Anthony Edwards go number one leel Bal go number two like it was a solid class so I I don’t buy it being like a class that you want to be out of like go in there show your scouting chops and get the steel right yeah I think that this draft class like it’s a terrible draft if you need a franchise Cornerstone if you need a superstar it is bad like it is not a good class if you need literally anything else I think even if you need number two like you can get a number two in this draft class uh if you need especially NBA contributors like the sport is too evolved the the the just amount that we play basketball internationally and and of course in America like you’re always gonna find NBA contributors and there’s going to be too many uh to to you know have like you’re going to have guys overfilling in the G league and in other leagues that can play in the NBA that just there’s not enough spots for you uh in in this league so I think that this draft if you need rotation field out if you need a starter if you need even a number two possibly it’s a draft for you anything past that though it’s not a good draft which is what people look at like people want the Marquee name people want like who’s the who’s the face on the ESPN graphic to promote the draft tonight it’s not gonna be a a Victor Zion type of guy which really sucks for the first 10 minutes of the draft then I think it’s it’s right back to normal if not better uh you know than than previous classes just at that range it’s just that it’s it’s not going to be good if you finally got your lottery Luck win as the Hawks and some of these other teams did but with that being said that leads to a lack of consensus that leads to us not being able to predict what’s GNA happen and I think it leads to a more fun draft night these names might not be as flashy as before but the fact that if you really wanted to if you really wanted to lock your phone away and not look at notification and not look at you know the spoilers on the TL you’d be shocked by many of picks just like wow I didn’t know that was going to happen with that comes a lot of smoke screens how real are they Nick is is is a guy of the caliber of Ron Holland or Cody Williams truly going to Tumble down draft boards it’s a great question um I think that there’s there’s players that will fall relative to consensus um but for that to happen there’s guys that are lower in consensus that rise right like for a Ron Holland or Cody Williams or whoever it might be like a Rob Dillingham with another name that we hear is falling other guys that were previously projected like if we’re going to use the Thunder at 12 for example it would take for for a Ron Holland or a Cody Williams to fall to 12 it would take somebody that’s consensus mocked to 18 or 20 to rise right so I I think that will happen I don’t think the fall will be as as sharp I don’t think we’re gonna see although this was a different case last year and there was like knee concerns like I don’t think we’re gonna see a cam Whitmore who is a potential like top three pick fall all the way down to like the 19 2021 range I don’t I think it’s gonna happen um Ron Holland will be on record now if he falls to thunder at 12 good luck to the other 29 teams because the Thunders defense is already absurd if he falls to 12 like that is match made in heaven he has no jumper to be clear like that that’s got to be fixed um I think Riley you know better than anybody going to thunder practice all the time and saying chip England put in work if there’s a single team where Ron Holland would fit best where it’s like you played a year in a Pro system in the G League you’re an insane perimeter Defender um you average 20 points a game although inefficient there was turnovers like just to plug into a contender and like play a role and all you need to do is just work on your jumper for the first year like help the team in other ways for Ron Holland’s sake he’s he should be hoping he falls to OKC for the betterment of his career to be honest yeah and I mean guess who needs a new project that’s chip England he just traded away Josh giddy he needs someone to mold he’s been working with Usman Jang all throughout last year the process of like what chip England does for Usman Jen and and of course Josh and everyone else it’s crazy like what they go through like taking taking a billion shutter pictures of every inch of his jump shot and breaking it down it’s crazy if if Ron Holland got that attention and the structure like I think that people Miss like this the g-league structure for the ignite team has not been good ever ever since ever since Brian Shaw left has not been good uh getting that with this group that has such organizational Synergy from the terminology to the personalities to uh you know just what you’re what you’re ask to execute and how and how like you’re not going to go down the g- league and play a certain style that you never were going to play in the NBA like that kind of relationship between Kim woods and from Mark uh it would do wonders for his career it would it would like you said put the rest of the league on notice that would be the the best case scenario for Oklahoma City is to somehow have that happen I’m not necessarily buying in on the fall because I mean I have Ron Hollen number one on my big board I think he is the best prospect that the draft has I have Cody Williams in the top five and so H for them to fall like like you said it would take some some risers and I think that there could be risers that push them to say like eight or seven but risers to get them to 12 and Below that’s really tough to Envision I think that the follower could be like you mentioned Rob Dillingham just because who needs a very tiny scorer who like you might be scared of now in the modern NBA I think that his fall could be serious but I don’t think that it’ll come from from Williams or Ron Holland as much as we would love the dream like Elvis and the 68 Comeback Special yeah I the other thing is like if those guys do fall you have to consider like who’s right above okoma City in the draft order like they the Thunder could trade up for sure but you have a team in the Bulls who who knows what direction they’re going like you can make a case that the Bulls would like to draft a player that helps them now you could also argue the Bulls might take a player who is like a project if they’re going to reboot this thing right so that’s that’s 11 right in front of the Thunder above them you have Utah who’s kind of similar where it’s like some of the stuff you hear is Larry marinan is their guy and they want to add a second star and they want to compete now but then they also hear like they trade Walker Kessler could Larry marinin be on the trade block and it’s like what direction are you going above them is Memphis who needs a wi now player above them is San Antonio who’s like building around wmy knowing that San Antonio Memphis Utah and Chicago are of Oklahoma City and what they need and what directions they could go whether you want upside or win now you can make the case that Cody and Ron are like kind of The Best of Both Worlds and so I just if the if those guys do fall the the teams ahead of Oklahoma City it’s just really hard to Envision that they fall to 12 yeah I mean you look at those teams and it’s like I I think that some names that are very talented and like I think are worthy of top 10 you know viewers is like Devin Carter and Jared McCain but it’s like Chicago they just traded for Josh gidy they have Kobe white like are they gonna invest in Carter or McCain you know the Jazz they they have uh you know they have can’t George they have like these guys that they might Pi one those guards you know of course Memphis has the connections to dein Carter potentially if like kling’s off the board and they have to stay at nine maybe but it would take like those guys jumping in uh plus you know ton Salon jumping in uh and it’s like you start to unravel it and it’s like could one of those things happen probably I think it’s likely that at least one of those things happen but to get a recipe of like every single guy jumping that that becomes tough just like you’re looking at Lottery odds of it becomes tough to see uh the double jump which we saw this year so maybe this is the year that all the stars are lined but with that being said Nick coming up let’s get your top targets at pick number 12 for Oklahoma City uh who you like the best and then call your shot on who you think will actually be the pick for OKC but first Nick want to say you right now but I good friends over at FanDuel check out FanDuel because it’s America’s number one sports book I love sports I love them so much that I never want them to stop but as the playoffs wind down in all sports as the Stanley Cup finals ended the college BAS basb World Series ended we have fewer games and sports just aren’t sportsing like I want them to but FanDuel lets me continue to get my sport on wherever I’m at whatever time of year it is you open the up app you dream about bets and you take the time and put in your bets this summer either with Major League Baseball but you can also with all customers new or returning you get a boost or bonus daily that’s right there’s something for everyone every single day all summer long when you go to f.com on to get started today of course Major League Baseball which is their official partner at fanuel uh but you can also if you’re only an NBA guy or gal you can also bet on the NBA still how can you do that Nick well you can place future bets you can bet on who’s going to win the NBA championship next year which the Thunder see themselves with top five odds SGA has top three odds for the MVP award you can even bet on the draft and where bronny James will go which the Thunder are also in the sweep Stakes for that so go there right now to f.com lockon to get started we’re back on the lockdown Thunder podcast on the lockdown podcast Network your teams every day joining us today is Nick crane uh Thunder on SI draft digest and everywhere in the world talking about the NBA at crane NBA on Twitter Nick Bry James is not a Target at 12 but who are some of your favorite targets at 12 for Oklahoma City speak for yourself uh no I’m kidding Ronnie James at 12 would be one of the most shocking picks that you could ever dream up um I kind of want to go off the off the beaten path here I don’t know if I want to give intentionally I don’t want to give some of the consensus names or the guys that have been mocked there um I like khil wear a lot I don’t get the sense that he’s on the Thunders radar in terms of like their big prospects right I think there’s a few guys like better I like him a lot 71 has the shooting touch from Beyond The Arc has a really nice like watching film what sticks out with him is like the mid-range game they’ll catch in the mid post a lot of guys like back down or kick it back out he has like a good mid-range turn on number like really interesting um shot blocker great in transition the question with him is motor right and similar to Ron Holland where it’s like he has one glaring flaw and like maybe the best place for him is Oklahoma City I almost feel the same way with we like if the motor and the desire is the problem a place like Oklahoma City who is competitive and he’s not gonna like be down on himself in the 82 Game season when the teams lost 25 games in a row like it feels like a place where if he’s going to thrive it would be in Oklahoma City um so he’s won I would go connect as another one again I’m trying to go off consensus here um I like what he does as a three-level scorer he’s not going to be what he was at Tennessee in Oklahoma City um he’s not going to be this high volume M Advanced shots kind of guy but like the same way I envisioned Gordon Hayward I don’t know Ry maybe you have a different opinion on Gordon at least when the trade happened obviously we we know how it ended not great um but when I envisioned what Gordon Hayward could have done in a vacuum when he was traded for like the the best version of Gordon I almost think like connect could give you that by year one or two like give you 11 12 points a game um be a tertiary shot maker Off the Bench um whenever you don’t have other Playmakers on the floor he can get his own shot it’s interesting to me right um topic the knee is really concerning I don’t know Sam would even like flirt with a guy that has a knee injury but if he ends up being a stash Prospect they just traded Josh giddy I think Caruso is obviously part of the long-term plans like they wouldn’t have traded for Caruso if he wasn’t like there’s tampering you can’t like directly talk to a guy and say hey are you going to resign if we trade for you sure but I think there’s a consensus like Caruso is probably going to resign on that four for 80 um but in the meantime like you could draft toit who pre-injury was like being considered top five and let him rehab and he could be like that if you if you miss Josh Giddy and that creation and the assists and the jumbo guard size you get that next year right it’s almost like next year when the Thunder have four picks already like you have this guy from the previous draft that’s maybe a top five player in the class um and then I’ll I’ll finish with kesan George Who is older I think than most people realize like he was a one and down at Miami and I think a lot of Thunder fans think he’s this like 18-year-old kid he’s he’s 20 like he’s an older player um from overseas like he’s got professional experience something about Sam presty when you think about Usman Jen and Jaylen Williams like he has this clear desire for guys that were smaller guards growing up that have the instincts and and the play and the dribble pass shoot and they this growth spurt and he’s like they’re a little uncoordinated they haven’t grown into their bodies they’re kind of a weird positional fit because they’re a guard that grew and they’re trying to figure themselves out he clearly has a type right and kesan George is that guy in this class 69 he’s grown a ton 40% from three I think defensively once his feet catch up to him he’ll be really good defensively I just can’t help but think although he’s mocked well beyond the Thunder range that whether it’s a tradeback or even at 12 because Sam’s a guy that he’ll take players that were not in range because Scout of Department thinks differently than public mock Kean George is a guy that I I’m just enamored with for Oklahoma City yeah I I think that CL we like to me if the thunder on on Wednesday give that selection I’d be instantly all in only because like that means that this organization has done their due diligence saying signed off on the concerns but but from the outside the king in right this moment I’m out on kware just because of what you hear about him and like the real legitimate concerns about like his motor and just about everything that goes with him now again on the court and just looking at the tape he put out in with the hooers love the fit love the pick for Oklahoma City it’s all that baggage like like the show that uh Mr springier hosted on uh on a trashy television it’s that stuff that throws you off with to [ __ ] it’s a fun idea it’s a very fun idea my only quibble with that is that the Thunder are going to be in this unique position so many more times where they’re the one seat in the west or they’re close to it they’re contenders and yet they have a lottery Pick and I think that there’s an argument to be made for this year you go get your contributor you go get like a certified High floor maybe low ceiling contributor because in the future drafts like next year which is a loaded draft class it’s way easier to take a swing that could be a home run but most likely ends up a double whereas in this draft class you’re taking a swing that you’re hoping finds a gap but it might be a can of corn fly out and just over with so I I think that this might be the year to be conservative versus uh taking that swing massive swing next year in a in a way better draft class with some depth that as we talked about at the top of the show you look at next year’s draft class if all these guys pan out which rarely happens but if they do you won’t help but be able to find talent in this range like there’s going to be over flowing an abundant of talent in this range so I I would wonder if you’d rather be safe and and get a cost controlled guy now than to risk it on a red shirt with top pitch who who even if you know even if he’s healthy we just saw that archetype of like what can you make it work with this squad yeah any thoughts on George you enter out on on George because he he’s the guy that I know I was trying to get some new names you may not have talked about a whole lot um because they’re not like thunder guys but like may there’s an argument for all those guys that like if Sam drafted him you could see why like there’s there’s that loophole to squint for George to see why he’s a thunder guy now dton connect I’m with you that like for this Thunder team I think he could be perfect and and the Gordon hward comparison is one that I like to use a lot too of of what you were hoping to gain out of Gordon hay with the deadline you gain immediately with dton connect this year to help your scoring LS and part of the reason why you acquire these Defenders is that you can hide guys and he has enough enough athleticism he has enough off ball awareness to hide him especially whenever you have a team that is built around Defenders who can who can fight over screens and and make sure that you can’t Target someone just because of how hard they work going around screens and getting you back to your original shell so I would love don’t connect it would be certainly a massive Buck of the trend for Sam prey though to take a a guy who’s been playing since the Poke Administration in the lottery so like I I don’t know that he would be a thundery pick although I would give it an A+ on a thunder on SI yeah yeah he he’s one that like doesn’t fit the Sam mold but something so the reason I like him so much for not for the Thunder for anybody there’s a real I don’t know if it’s a trait or or what it is about prospects when they elevate the level of competition they rise to the occasion and don’t connects a guy that plays really really small college ball then he inched his way up through the years till he got to Tennessee as a fifth year and every stop along the way I guarantee you you can go find articles Dalton connect was great in in aiaa or in Jo or in the small school he can’t do at the next level and he does and and that kind of guy even if you make the jump from Tennessee to the NBA I just I buy that like there’s something about a guy that was like a no-name recruit that every time he elevates the competition he’s better I buy that I buy him a lot and I think that these were some very fun names to talk through and to work through coming up you got to make your official prediction which could or could not go against consensus we’ll see what happens there plus how aggressive should the Thunder be both in this draft and also this summer Nick we have a lot to discuss about what could happen this summer for OKC we’re back on the lockdown Thunder podcast on the lockdown podcast Network your teams every day I’m your host Ryland Styles follow me on Twitter rinor Styles check us out at Thunder onsi draft digest uh the uncontested podcast lockon Thunder crane NBA on Twitter Nick crane draft extraordinaire Thunder extraordinaire call your shot what what will happen as Pick 12 is put on the clock what’s going to be going down with the Bricktown boys I believe that the first pick maybe the only pick maybe they acquire another pick like if you trade back there’s a chance to do that you could also just like buy into the second round I think their first pick wherever it is will be a front Court player um I believe the report that Oklahoma City is is in on kinging I also believe that there’s like seven other teams in on kinging I think it’s going to be way too high of a cost relative to what you’re getting which is a rookie 7 foot2 big that has a real case for being a really really good player but like could just as easily just be a backup big his entire career I think that Sam will try to move up to get kinging I think what will actually happen is he’ll realize the price is too high if he hasn’t already and he will move back to acquire Don Holmes okay I don’t think he’s the guy at 12 I I would I be shocked if Sam just straight up took him at 12 no but I think that if he can’t move up to get his guy this is assuming again like a Ron Holland or a Cody didn’t follow to 12 because I think at that point you scratch your your your desire to get a big and you just take that guy if you can’t move up to get clinging and The Godfather player doesn’t fall to you at 12 I think you’re looking at moving back and Don Holmes is just the easiest move back candidate that like does help you year one so I love Don Holmes I have him on the AL juice team this morning I think he’s awesome I think he’s the perfect modern big man for any team I love him for the Thunder specifically I buy the jump shot I buy everything about him uh my question would be moving back not because I don’t think he couldn’t be there but in a draft or at seems like everybody wants to go backward uh is it harder to move back and to gain additional assets from that whenever you could just take your guy uh right there at 12 I would be curious like what that looks like but in general the Thunder if they can pull it off to move back and get homes would be one of the best case scenarios for the team because you’re going to want as much draft Capital as possible as the years go by I know that when the when the W tweak goes out everybody will rush to try to get Twitter likes and Twitter Cloud because that’s all we care about and not like rational basketball opinions and just be like Sam prey gets another draft pick fellas unbelievable huh yeah yeah like you’re gonna need these draft picks for abundance of things for Drafting and and getting cost controlled players we see how valuable they are at the deadline and and throughout you know the off season and stuff to trade for proven NBA players who are on Friendly Deals like you’re going to need them to fill out your roster because this stuff is going to accelerate quicker than you think where you’re paying Chay Chad j these extensions that kick in in a couple years like you’re going to for sure need to hit and for as good as Sam pry is he’ll take no bones with me saying this should he ever hear it he’s not gonna hit on every single pick and so like the more chances you get at finding this cost controlled Talent the better so like I I encourage you that if if they do trade p and get an additional asset do not just roll your eyes and rush to make the same old joke it is it is absolutely the right call should you still get your guy and one one caveat too um what would also not Shock Me and this we should not go into this rabbit hole because we could talk about it for a long time uh maybe for another pod if you believe Sam presty or if you are Sam pry and you believe you can make a big splash trade whether that’s a big big big name she’ll talk free agency soon um or like a a mediumsized name I almost wonder if Sam says I’m gonna draft a guy that’s just like super appealing for that trade package right like if if if Ro if uh Rob Dillingham who I don’t think Sam would love and the system is like you know what if we’re gonna trade for this guy in a week or two who is the most like juicy player that would make this package sneaky sneaky interesting like that could be a play too and and you see it all the time like you see it all the time where you you pick a guy with the intentions of like never signing him uh and making him wait for the trade to be able to execute a very lesser example of this was whenever they traded for Al Horford and uh the Sixers drafted th Alon for the Thunder and you just kind of waited it out uh and and funny enough like John corales locked on Celtics tweeted out the story today of people remember whenever jayen Brown got booed for being the selection for the Celtics they were not booing Jaylen Brown as a player it was if you remember that draft class it was a kind of pick your an adventure book where if they picked Chris uh Chris Dunn then they would have traded for ad like that would have been the ad package or whatever and since they traded for brown since they drafted Brown it was clear that trade was gone that was not not a thing anymore and so uh you can see that with like these things do get set up ahead of time I believe you just volunteered yourself to come back on lock down thunder so I’m gonna have that in Inc uh so you’re back on lock on Thunder this weekend talking fore agency uh now Nick with that you called your shot on Holmes I’m also going to call my shot on Holmes I I think that they’re on homes is the pick at 12 I don’t think they’re going to move back or up or anything I love the Ron Holmes uh and I think that he’s the perfect guy he’s the perfect player for this Thunder team interesting I I don’t disagree like Sam time and time again has taken players way ahead of public mocks it would not Shock me at all I I he he’s a great fit I think he he may not start game one it would not Shock me if he’s starting game 51 for the Thunder next season it would be a lot of fun to see how that would progress and how that would go down now s pry has made trades in like every draft class ever no second round pick this year in a draft that we both agree is pretty deep yeah and you now have the 12 hours or so to get organized rearrange your board and no team has a bevy of second rounders like OKC plus the cash to just simply go buy one do the Thunder continue their trade streak in any way you did project that they’ll trade back so that that would continue their streak but do you believe that this draft class is talented enough to get back into it either the end of the first or into the second entirely I do I think the Thunder especially I think the overnight concept of like the day two draft lends nicely for strategic trades I think a lot of second round trades in the past were just like we don’t even know who we want here’s trade this pick get it off our hands I think there’s gonna be strategic trades I think Sam pry will have a guy that he thinks he can get the second round and will trade for that guy um I think they’re have the roster spots there’s four guys coming off the books they could make free agency moves they could trade for more guys like but I I think that there’s a real world where Oklahoma City brings in a second rounder next season yeah I mean you look at their at their roster uh Hayward gone biombo likely Gone muscala Gone Olivier SAR on a two-way deal popped his Achilles the last game of the year he’s you just can’t bring him back like you’re not going to bring him back sorry that that happened it’s it’s a brutal luck but like you’re not taking up a two-way spot for a guy who just can’t play this year so that that’s at minimum for and you know it’s been a fun story book 27y oldold Indy Waters it’s been awesome but do you just decline his his deal and open up that spot too to give yourself flexibility and not to tease I hate to tease Nick but not to tease like a big move or anything but they have four roster spots to faill if you have these visions of massive moves it’s G to take more than a one for one swap like you saw in Chicago that opens up even more roster spots this is the cheapest way to fill up those roster spots and even beyond that big move even beyond anything else just simply looking at olivar like let’s not even get sexy and cute looking at Olivia Asar you’ve got to feel that two-way spot somehow there’s no better time than in the second round of this class because we know how it works in the second round you know an agency could be like hey we want to go and drafted pick our own team I don’t think an agency would do that to OKC just because like you cannot get very much uh you know you can’t get better structure for the chance of a second round player to hit than the Thunder so even if just at a minimum you’re replacing oliv Shar then you do that by buying a second round pick in some capacity I think that that’ll happen I think that there’s so many names that um could fit and we’ll see what they do uh in that process Plus without the without the consensus we don’t know the Thunder Board like there’s a chance that like the Thunder seventh Guy is available at pick 20 yeah yeah and like you you don’t think that they’re going to go get that guy if if that were to fall happen well now we’ll never know if that did happen or didn’t unless they should trade up for the for that person but uh it’s interesting to think about and just given all the mathematic formulas where this variable could be right I do think that they’re going to make a trade on draft n I’m with you 100% And you’ll you’ll be there live Thunder HQ covering us talking to Sam after round one I’m pumped for it we talked to Caruso today that was one of the big aggressive moves for the Thunder uh Nick you can call your shot here too as we’re going to actually have you back apparently for a free agency special that which you just agreed to in blood course are the Thunder done with big moves or will there be another wo tweet that that we blow up the group chat like who’s who’s on the Newser who’s gonna get opinions out like what are we gonna do here I think there will be another big move I I’m not saying it’s going to be like a superstar future Hall of Famer move per se although it could be um I think there will be another move for the Thunder that feels equally as significant as Alex Caruso I’ll just leave it there like open for interpretation well there you go I mean that that would then uh I think answer this next question does Alex Caruso plus Lou Jay dub and Chad start game one next year I don’t think both Lou and Alex will start I think the two who would you move to the bench I’m a I’m like a loyalty guy I think it’s Lou’s job to lose do I think Alex Caruso is a better version of Lou in a lot of ways yeah like better three-point shooter two-time all defense back toback those are things Lou like is striving for older more experienced Champion I think it’s a lose job to lose um so I don’t think it’s just like here Alex it’s your starting job I I do think and this like lends well into the previous question of like do they make another splash I think the Thunder straight up addressed the starting four like straight up like that’s the reason that Lou and Alex both cannot start is because there is a Bonafide starting four that slides in and you have to make the decision on one of those two guys so I would love that it’d be great for the site great for the Pod and everything else you guys just absolutely destroyed the the like button and watch button on the Caruso pod so I’d love that uh I still think though that like they bring in a four that’s like a Jaylen Smith esque for and you and you like could start you know Caruso in place of Giddy and move forward from there I think though if they did do your route like they address four and they got a starting level four I would also start D but because peruso I think helps your second unit more as a playmaker on the ball point guard it just flows better and fits better and then you can also of course change your closing lineup which is more important tose so the closing line is huge but helping your your playmaking which if you had Lou with the secondary unit unless KAS takes that leap that we think he can yeah goodness totally I I’m with you yeah it’s the closing lineup That Matters more and I think both L and Alex will be in the closing lineup it’s like finding that four they can start for you and match up well to get like throw that first Punch Yeah throw that first punch and you know like we saw with the Pelican series like if you just have someone to to match up real quick throw that punch play Valen off the floor now they’re playing small now you can more comfortably go to Caruso Dort together uh with your core three so it’s easy as that Nick do you want to STI any claims to any sleepers is like that is a Nick crane guy that if we see him off the board we kind of immediately think of your name and if they if they pan out in the NBA we give you all the credit if they don’t we forget this ever happen how how deep cut are we talking like for the we can do anything any any team not just Thunder just the draft your guy as deep as you want to go okay let’s go cam Christie out of Minnesota younger brother of Max Christie I think he’s gonna be really good uh long wi Prospect uh and R Freeman head of akan he led the the the college landscape in rebounding last season has a good shot on them AJ Johnson out of the NBL super skinny uh but like a jumbo point guard if he develops I I don’t think he’s a year one contributor but like in three years I think he could be really really good and I’m G to die on this train Ryan Dunn his offensive bag is not good at all but his defense is so dang good that if you can find a way to like integrate him into an offense and make him pass B on that end his defensive upside is so unreal that I think you just have to go for it oh that’s that’s a sour note that’s a sour not I do not like Ryan Dunn in this draft but I’m a big Jonathan [ __ ] Guy that cleans the pallet for uh for our guys that we just love like attached me to [ __ ] as deeply as you attached me to Darius basley uh and that will be good for me I also love Harrison Ingram which uh some guys have him like top you know top of the second round Mavs draft who I really respect in love friend of the show has him at the end of the 60s he’s nearly a 7-year-old Golden Girl on MAV drafts Big Board I don’t understand that I’m a big believer in Harrison Ingram I actually have him closer to a first- round grade I’ve met 34 right now in this draft class I’m a big believer in him I’m a big believer in Emanuel Miller brother of Leonard Miller who I was also TCU TCU stand up a big big TCU Guy having gone down there for exactly one game got the CU that day that was a lot of fun yes sir and last but certainly not least this is a guy that I have already claimed to be uh my favorite g- League player this year Eric Gaines love Eric reel going to the g y he’ll be awesome in the g- league I have I have actually all three those guys in my top 80 that I just released like my final board yesterday Eric gains is 80 he rounds it out the C maybe made it because of you we’ll see uh Manuel Miller I have at 74 and Harrison and G I have at 52 so I’m closer to to Rich on on into the second round uh than you are early in the second round well there you have it Nick let them know where they can find all of your great stuff and what’s going on as we lead into a very fun draft day yeah uh crane MBA on Twitter um draft digest Thunder on si uh if you want the real juice you can find Ryland at the same place is just a different Twitter handle um doing a lot of good stuff uh if you’re a thunder fan follow us all over the place as I just mentioned Thunder lends nicely into the draft this team has a real amount of draft picks so follow us on draft digest as well um you guys are in good hands at locked on Thunder with Ryland um he knows ball as the kids say uh everything we ever talk about every team we ever ask him to write about he’s like all of a sudden an expert and knows everything about them which I think speaks to his work ethic and knowledge of the league so um love working with you man and thanks for having me on the day and I’m looking forward to the the next few days because it’s the best time of the year I really appreciate the kind words I’m really looking forward to you coming back and uh breaking down free agency and the in the summer and stuff as we as we got you to agree to live on the Pod but Nick it’s been a pleasure I appreciate you cramming Us in here during your busy draft week again at crane NBA on Twitter and until till tomorrow be good be good to one another

The Oklahoma City Thunder own the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Nick Crain joins Rylan Stiles to break down the OKC Thunder’s potential options 12. Could Ron Holland or Cody Williams fall? DaRon Holmes II the pick? Sleepers in the draft? Is this draft deep? How aggressive will the Bricktown boys be this summer? Who are some names that you might not be thinking of? Ke’el Ware, Kyshawn George and others.

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