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NBA Draft 2023: 3 perfect picks for the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12

By Jonathan Lurensky

Dereck Lively II, NBA Draft (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Dereck Lively II, NBA Draft (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Houston’s Jarace Walker defends and pressures St. Joseph’s Kacper Klaczek into passing the ball during the Veterans Classic at Navy’s Alumni Hall on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Annapolis, Md.
Houston’s Jarace Walker defends and pressures St. Joseph’s Kacper Klaczek into passing the ball during the Veterans Classic at Navy’s Alumni Hall on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Annapolis, Md. /

The Thunder are heading toward a season where they have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since the bubble. How can the NBA Draft help them?

No matter what happens with the Thunder this offseason, they most likely make the playoffs next season for the first time since the bubble. This team has talent already and it seems like the Thunder will be only taking one rookie in this draft with the No. 12 pick. They will probably look at taking someone who fills up backup minutes in their frontcourt, with plenty of talented prospects to choose from.

Perfect NBA Draft picks for the Thunder: 3. Jarace Walker 

If the Thunder are really invested in this draft, they could trade up for Jarace Walker. Walker is expected to go in the top six picks of this year’s draft. Like Hendricks, Walker is an amazing defender who could add the role needed for the Thunder.

Walker went to school at Houston and is a 6 foot-8 inches defensive player who can help this team fill out bench minutes. He has been compared to Paul Millsap by draft scouts and can defend multiple positions with his length, strengths and quickness.

Walker could fill out solid bench minutes for the Thunder on a very cheap salary for the next four years. This is something that the Thunder have been missing and is one of the reasons that they did not make the playoffs last season.

In a league where shooting is all the rage his inability to make shots is a big problem as he heads into the league. He shot only 46 percent for Houston last season.  Lucky for the Thunder, they aren’t looking to compete for a title and can stand his weaknesses until he is able to develop properly.

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