The 2025 NBA Finals are ongoing, with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers squaring off for basketball supremacy. While that is clearly the No. 1 topic in the basketball world, the rest of the league is focused on the 2025 NBA Draft, and both Indiana and Oklahoma City are interesting teams to monitor through that lens.
Famously, the Thunder are overflowing with current and future draft capital, including the No. 16, No. 24, and No. 44 picks in the 2025 draft. The Pacers also hold a pair of 2025 selections at No. 23 and No. 54, with each squad entering late June with the opportunity to restock the cupboard for the future.
Let's identify a few potentially interesting fits for the Thunder and Pacers.
Potential NBA Draft targets for Oklahoma City
All in all, the Thunder are probably a "best player available" team in the 2025 NBA Draft, and that might be the case for a while. Oklahoma City has the profile of an uber-elite team and, unlike some other recent contenders, the Thunder are not projected to lose anyone to free agency. In fact, the Thunder already have a recent lottery pick returning for the 2025-26 season in Nikola Topic, who could offer some on-ball creation when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor.
Because Topic is already on board to potentially fill a (minor) need, the Thunder could look to take future-facing swings. French big man Noa Essengue does not project as likely to be available at No. 16 overall, but Oklahoma City has plenty of ammunition to move up. Essengue would also have the luxury of long-term development with the Thunder, and he would be a bet on size and traits that OKC can afford to take.
Thomas Sorber could also be an interesting player for the Thunder, particularly if OKC decides that Isaiah Hartenstein does not fit into the team's salary structure. Sorber isn't a 7-footer, but he has a big wingspan, great feel for the game, elite passing vision for a center, and physicality that the Thunder could effectively utilize. Joan Beringer is a different archetype than Sorber but, through the same lens with Hartenstein, the Thunder could add a potential long-term center bet. Beringer has drawn comparisons to a young Clint Capela, and he will need time to grow, perhaps in the G League. Finally, French wing Noah Penda could be a fit in Oklahoma City, as the Thunder clearly believe in loading up on wing defenders who can create havoc on the defensive end.
Potential NBA Draft targets for Indiana
It isn't shocking that a team that made the NBA Finals wouldn't have a ton of glaring weaknesses, but like the Thunder, Indiana doesn't project to lose much from the roster this summer. It has to be noted, though, that Myles Turner is a pending unrestricted free agent. No rookie could come close to filling Turner's shoes in the short term but, even if Turner returns to Indiana as many expect, the Pacers still need reinforcements behind him with no proven backup center under contract for 2025-26 and beyond.
As such, the aforementioned Thomas Sorber from Georgetown would make considerable sense if he falls to No. 23 overall in a best-case scenario. If Sorber is off the board, the Pacers could take the long-term view with Joan Beringer, but they could also look at a high-floor option with Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner. While Kalkbrenner is one of the older players in consideration for a first round selection in late June, he measured at 7'1 with a 7'6 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine and projects to be a big-time rim protector in the near future. Kalkbrenner can also perhaps mirror the skill set of Turner, with at least the potential to shoot from beyond the arc at the NBA level.
Center is the clear positional need for the Pacers, but Indiana could also choose the free agency route to plug that hole. If they do, Indiana could look to add yet another versatile two-way piece to the mix alongside role players like Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Ben Sheppard. Noah Penda, who is referenced above, would fit that mold, and the Pacers could be intrigued by Rasheer Fleming. The St. Joseph's forward measured with a massive 7'5 wingspan at the combine, and Fleming shot 39 percent from 3-point range in his final college season. He is a big, physical defender who doesn't need the ball to succeed.
For a different archetype, the Pacers could turn to UConn wing Liam McNeeley, who showed tremendous shooting flashes at lower levels and played a big role for the Huskies as a freshman. If the Pacers were comfortable with his defensive translation and there is a lot to like. Finally, Colorado State wing Nique Clifford feels like a player that the Pacers could value, as he checks the boxes of a player who can dribble, pass, and shoot while competing on defense and playing winning basketball.