2023 NBA Draft grade: No. 10 pick Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder
Grade: A-
OKC trades into the No. 10 pick while absorbing Davis Bertans’ contract from the Mavs. The pick is Cason Wallace, a brilliant defensive guard who accentuates OKC’s already-elite defensive core of Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Wallace isn’t the highest-upside player, but he feels like a remarkably surefire contributor for a freshman guard. He doesn’t make a ton of mistakes on the ball, he shoots a clean 3, and he’s efficient across the board.
His connective playmaking talent will shine next to Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey in the OKC backcourt. The primary knock on Wallace has been his inability to generate his own shot consistently; he’s not the best advantage-creator when it comes to 6-foot-3 guard prospects. That shouldn’t matter as much with OKC.
From our NBA Draft Big Board:
"The recent legacy of Kentucky guards in the NBA is quite strong. Cason Wallace will look to keep the momentum going. He’s an excellent perimeter defender at 6-foot-3, possessing the length and physicality needed to stonewall ball-handlers at the point of attack. He’s not a freak athlete, but Wallace plays with spirit and contributes in myriad ways offensively, from a bankable 3-point shot to nifty floaters and proficient passing. He won’t explode past defenders, but he has the skill, craft, and poise to get by just fine."