NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Post-lottery predictions and shockers in the first-round
149. Scouting Report. G-League Ignite. Jonathan Kuminga. player. Pick Analysis. SF. 6
NBA Mock Draft 6th Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder
With a blunt rebuild unlike any other, the Oklahoma City Thunder entered the lottery with a significant chance for a top pick. Unfortunately for them and their roster of, wait, an army of contingent rookies in the future, the team missed out on a high selection and clinched the sixth overall pick.
No one really knows what to accurately make of OKC and Sam Presti’s unabating hoarding of draft picks and how much longer will they tread on cellar-dweller status, but they should maximize what they can with the sixth pick in this well-rounded rookie class. Thus, Jonathan Kuminga should be the prime target at this juncture.
Defense is the calling card of the 6’8 forward. His offensive game has improved greatly, but his immediate contribution will most likely manifest on avoiding opponents to bleed points on the board, a department where the Thunder ranked a measly 24th in efficiency last season. He should also be a nice compliment to fill in the tweener role and avoid funky lineups that make more sense in theory than in practice, such as having Aleksej Pokusevski as the nominal swingman.