Oklahoma City Has Options In Adding Center Depth Before Start Of Season

Now that rookie Chet Holmgren is out for the upcoming 2022-23 season with a Lisfranc injury to his foot, the Oklahoma City Thunder are extremely thin at the center position. Even before Holmgren was ruled out due to needing surgery, the center rotation already lacked depth.

As the roster is currently constructed, Mike Muscala, Derrick Favors, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jaylin Williams have the ability to play extended center minutes.

However, none of these players are a good fit as the starting center. Favors will be playing at 31 years old and struggled to stay healthy last season with an aging body. Muscala is also 31 and is best suited as a situational floor spacing big. Williams is a rookie that’s not yet ready for the starting job at the NBA level and Robinson-Earl is a 6-foot-8 forward that doesn’t have the size to play center full-time.

As such, it might make sense for Oklahoma City to acquire a true big between now and the start of the season. The Thunder are already in a roster crunch, but at this point the center position is a huge need. It’s important to have good players at every position to maximize the development of the young players on the team.

If they were able to package multiple players in a deal for a center, that would be the ideal scenario. Additionally, there’s avenues to trade for a center that not only fits the roster now, but also could start alongside Holmgren next season upon his return.

Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers)

At just 26 years old, Turner has a ton of experience at the NBA level but also fits the Thunder’s timeline. He’s entering the final season of his deal, which means he could be just a rental for Oklahoma City if an extension wasn’t agreed upon.

This could play in the Thunder’s favor, as the package of assets for a player in the final year of their deal is rarely as high as it would be if they were under contract long-term. However, Thunder GM Sam Presti would want to ensure Turner would be willing to explore signing with the team for longer than just the upcoming season.

Turner would legitimately be the perfect fit alongside Holmgren moving forward. He’s an elite shot blocker that can also space the floor. A frontcourt of Turner and Holmgren would be one of the best in the entire NBA on the defensive end and would also create a ton of space for Oklahoma City’s guards to get into the paint on offense. It’s also well known that the Indiana Pacers are open to trading Turner.

Richaun Holmes (Sacramento Kings)

Another veteran big that would help the Thunder now and also into the future is Holmes. With Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes all set to play big minutes in Sacramento this season, Holmes could be squeezed out of many rotations in which the Kings want to play small.

What’s most attractive about Holmes is the contract he’s currently playing under. He’s got three years remaining on his deal at just over $12 million per season. While Holmes is a non-shooter from the perimeter, he is extremely physical and would help cover several of Holmgren’s deficiencies while he develops early in his career.

Holmes will be 29 years old this season, but that shouldn’t prohibit the Thunder from gauging what it would take to acquire him. Although Oklahoma City shouldn’t trade major assets for the 6-foot-10 big, he is on a cheap enough deal to be worth a chance now and into the future.

Day’Ron Sharpe (Brooklyn Nets)

If Oklahoma City really wants to build a young frontcourt of the future, 20-year-old Day’Ron Sharpe would be a great target. It would likely take quite a bit to pry the second-year center from the Brooklyn Nets, but they’re wanting to win now and would be enticed by a package that could help them do just that.

Thunder GM Sam Presti loves having prospects on rookie contracts due to long-term control, so Sharpe is intriguing in that regard. He also weighs 265 pounds, which would allow Holmgren to defend forwards against teams with a physically dominant center.

Sharpe is not a 3-point shooting threat, but would still be a great frontcourt pairing with Holmgren long-term. Even if he ended up not being a starter down the road, Sharpe would be a spectacular backup big in the Thunder rotation.

Daniel Gafford (Washington Wizards)

After signing an extension last summer, Gafford’s new payday is set to kick in this season. The 23-year-old will make just under $40.2 million over the next three seasons and should only get better during that time.

With the Wizards having Kristaps Porzingis, Rui Hachimura, Kyle Kuzma and Deni Avdija in the frontcourt rotation, perhaps the Wizards are open to trading Gafford now.

He’s another extremely strong big that can play either frontcourt position and uses his physicality against bigger centers. Gafford is a beast on the offensive glass and would slot in nicely with Holmgren upon his return.

Jaxon Hayes (New Orleans Pelicans)

A former lottery pick, Hayes has been shopped by the New Orleans Pelicans on the trade market in the past. While he had a strong finish to the 2021-22 season, perhaps they’d be willing to still deal him to avoid the contract extension that’s looming.

Jonas Valanciunas and Zion Williamson have the two frontcourt starting spots locked down, meaning Hayes’ ceiling in New Orleans is off the bench. In a situation like Oklahoma City, he’d likely be an immediate starter this season with the opportunity to continue that role even upon Holmgren’s return.

He’s an elite leaper that uses his athleticism well on both ends of the floor. The 22-year-old can also step out and convert from beyond the arc which would be huge for the Thunder. Hayes doesn’t take a ton of shots, finding ways to be impactful without needing the ball in his hands. What makes this even more fun is that was born in Norman, just outside of Oklahoma City.

There’s no guarantee that the Thunder make any moves between now and the start of the season as it relates to the center position. Considering winning games and pushing for the playoffs isn’t the main objective in the 2022-23 campaign, Oklahoma City could play unique rotations to maximize development of the young players on the current roster.