Thunder Land 2nd Pick in 2022 NBA Draft; Holmgren, Banchero, Smith All in Play

The 2022 NBA draft lottery order was revealed on Tuesday night, and the Oklahoma City Thunder have landed the No. 2 overall pick.

The Orlando Magic won the No. 1 overall pick and will get their choice of Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren, Duke forward Paolo Banchero and Auburn forward Jabari Smith. The Thunder will then get the first crack at whichever two the Magic pass up.

This could be a franchise-changing draft for the Thunder, who also have the 12th pick following the 2019 trade of Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Thunder went 24-58 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The franchise will be picking in the top four for the first time since the 2009 draft, when it selected James Harden with the No. 3 pick.

Oklahoma City once was one of the powerhouses of the Western Conference. The front office decided to start over and focus on developing younger players when it traded longtime point guard Russell Westbrook prior to the 2019 season.

The Thunder have a promising core led by 23-year-old point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 24.5 points in 56 games last season. Third-year wing Luguentz Dort was also solid with 17.2 points per game. Shooting guard Josh Giddey was one of the top rookies in 2021-22 with averages of 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists. 

Adding any of Smith, Banchero and Holmgren to that group would create a dangerous lineup for Oklahoma City.

Smith would provide defensive versatility and two-way production for the Thunder. Banchero is arguably the most polished offensive player in the 2022 draft, though his defensive motor is questionable. Holmgren will need some time to develop, but he has a high ceiling and can be a much-needed defensive anchor.

Whichever direction Oklahoma City chooses to go, the team appears poised to land a quality player who should be ready to contribute immediately.