2015 NBA Draft Combine Prospects the OKC Thunder Must Watch Most Closely

Many of the biggest names will not be in attendance at the 2015 NBA Draft Combine, but that’s not a problem for the Oklahoma City Thunder. General manager Sam Presti will likely be picking at the 14th spot, and plenty of his potential targets will be on display at the combine in Chicago.

Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports reported the official list of combine participants, and ESPN’s Chad Ford went deeper to tell us which prospects will only be there for medical/physical testing.

Unfortunately for Presti, almost all of his potential targets will not be participating in drills or the five-on-five scrimmages, but the combine is still a valuable opportunity to interact with players and see how they stack up physically against the rest of the draft pool.

We know Presti won’t leave any stone unturned when it comes to the draft process, but here are seven of the top names (in alphabetical order) he’s sure to be fixated on when he’s in Chicago.

Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

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Devin Booker has frequently been linked to the Thunder in many a mock draft because he addresses the team’s biggest need: three-point shooting. He is considered by many to be the best pure shooter in the draft, but that’s his only calling card at this stage of his basketball career.

We haven’t seen him create much of his own offense or make plays for others, but that’s partially because of the loaded roster he played with at Kentucky. More importantly, those traits aren’t necessary for an OKC shooting guard. With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, all the Thunder need from their 2-guard is someone who can knock down threes and defend.

Booker has the skill set to fill that role, but he may not be able to do so immediately. Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports explained why in his most recent mock draft (in which he had OKC drafting Booker):

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[Booker] would add a terrifying spacing element to Oklahoma City's roster in between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on offense. Booker's shot is going to translate to the NBA immediately, and he'd be a guy that would force defenses to cover him at all times from behind the 3-point line. Booker will be an adventure defensively early though, as his strength and length doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.

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At 19 years old, Booker may be the best long-term prospect available when OKC is on the clock. That doesn’t mean he’ll be able to come in and contribute right away, but a strong showing at the combine would go a long way to proving that Booker has the size and athleticism to compete on defense in Year 1.

Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin

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Shooting guard is the Thunder's biggest need, but the top prospects at the position may not be ready to play a major role in Year 1. If that’s the case, OKC will be better off taking the best prospect on the board, which could well be Sam Dekker.

The Thunder could use a backup small forward to give Durant some rest, and Dekker projects nicely as that piece. As a three-year player at Wisconsin, he is one of the more pro-ready prospects in the draft and should be able to contribute immediately.

The biggest question Dekker has to answer is his shooting stroke. At times, he looked like a knockdown shooter from beyond the arc, but his consistency wavered over the course of the season. If Presti has faith in Dekker’s jumper, all the other tools are there.

In one of his mock drafts, ESPN’s Chad Ford compared Dekker to one of the draft’s other premier small forwards, Stanley Johnson:

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Dekker is bigger, he's a better athlete, and when freed a bit from the constraints of Wisconsin's system, I think Dekker blows up. He too is ready to play right now in the NBA and I think there's a swagger to him that Pat Riley will appreciate. I'd love to see them go head-to-head in workouts, but if I was drafting today, I think I'd take Dekker over Johnson and I think, in five years, I'd be right.

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Small forward isn’t a bigger need than shooting guard, but Dekker does a little of everything and could play from Day 1. That’s a valuable trait for a Thunder team that is firmly entrenched in “win now” mode.

R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State

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Small-school prospects are always a challenge to evaluate, and R.J. Hunter is no different. Hunter, however, is the less common case where the level of competition (or more accurately, the level of his teammates) may have hurt him.

His shooting percentages and overall efficiency dipped last season, and NBA scouts have to determine whether that’s an indicator of poor shot selection, an inconsistent stroke or all the defensive attention he had to deal with as the focal point of his team’s offense.

Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports wrote a tremendous scouting report on Hunter, and his impression of Hunter’s offensive game was favorable:

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The ability to move off ball, the effortless shooting stroke, and the passing acumen all portray a player that has a high basketball IQ and a terrific feel for the game on the offensive end despite his questionable shot selection. With his ability to shoot on the move and play without the ball, his shot is very translatable and profiles to become more consistent on the NBA level despite the middling percentages.

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Vecenie dug deeper into his defense, however, and that’s where the real questions lie. Hunter played in a zone defense for the entirety of his college career, so it’s hard to forecast his transition to playing man-to-man defense against NBA players. In that regard, the combine will be useful for Presti in his evaluation of Hunter as a prospect.

Even though Hunter won’t take part in drills, the physical testing should give NBA front offices an idea of his lateral quickness and whether he has the physical tools to become a solid defender at the next level.

Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona

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Despite coming out of high school as a top-flight recruit and starring for a good Arizona team, Stanley Johnson is still flying under the radar. Whatever the reason, you can bet that Presti will be focused on Johnson’s physical tests when he struts his stuff at the combine.

At 6’7” and 237 pounds, Johnson has the requisite size to play on the wing in the NBA, but scouts have labeled him as a good-but-not-great athlete. Most importantly for OKC, he also displayed the makings of a nice jumper toward the end of his lone season with the Wildcats, knocking down 37.1 percent of his college treys.

If that shooting stroke is legitimate, Johnson could be a two-way force and will still be just 19 years old at the end of his rookie season. Honestly, if Presti is truly enamored with Johnson, a poor showing at the combine may be the best thing for OKC. Even with some questions about his athleticism and shooting, Johnson is still projected to go off the board in the top 10.

Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

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It would be shocking if the Thunder selected the Duke point guard with the 14th pick of the draft, but Presti has proved that he doesn’t really care about the reaction to his draft picks. Furthermore, Jones could start to soar up draft boards if he tests well at the combine.

His best traits are his basketball IQ and playmaking, and he flashed a pure enough stroke that scouts are content with his ability as a three-point shooter. The biggest flaw in Jones’ resume is his athleticism. Not only do his shortcomings in that department limit his ability to finish in traffic, but they will also hamper his efforts to defend the increasing crop of athletically gifted point guards in the league.

If Jones tests better than expected, it would put a different spin on his prospects as a pro player. Point guard isn’t a pressing need for the Thunder, but D.J. Augustin’s play tailed off toward the end of the season, and another backup to groom behind Westbrook wouldn’t be a terrible idea. As it stands right now, the end of the lottery is still too high for Jones, but an exceptional combine performance could change that.

Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The combine might be more important for Frank Kaminsky than any other prospect. After a tremendous career at Wisconsin, we know he can shoot from deep, is talented and versatile on the offensive end. Some are still dubious about whether he can defend well enough to stay on the floor in the NBA, and his measurements at the combine could shed some light on that issue.

For example, something as simple as his height can be a major factor in where he gets drafted. Kaminsky is listed as 7’0” by the Badgers, but heights tend to vary by college, so NBA front offices are eager to get reliable measurements for their evaluation. Additionally, his lateral quickness and lower body strength have come under scrutiny, but he could make those questions disappear with a strong combine.

In his scouting report of the young center, CBS Sports’ Sam Vecenie compared the Wisconsin big man to Nikola Mirotic and highlighted the importance of fit for Kaminsky’s prospects:

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Kaminsky is more comparable to the aforementioned Mirotic for the Bulls. His ability to stretch the floor with his shot and use his herky jerky game off the dribble to both get to the rim and draw fouls will benefit him a lot on the next level. If he goes to the right situation where he is surrounded by penetrating guards and other shooters, he could be quite effective as an overall offensive player as opposed to just a floor-spacer for other players. If he goes to a place that is less settled at the lead guard spot and lacks spacing around him, his impact as a slasher could be mitigated, marginalizing him to a floor spacer that struggles to defend.

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Kaminsky is an intriguing NBA prospect and could be an interesting addition to an OKC team that is looking for creative ways to open up space offensively and add more shooting.

Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Kansas

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Kelly Oubre probably won’t play very much in his rookie year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be the best available prospect when the Thunder are making their pick. Between all the hubbub about Durant’s impending free agency and OKC’s recent string of win-now moves (e.g., firing Scott Brooks, trading for Dion Waiters, trading for Enes Kanter), I expect Presti to make this draft pick with the intention of finding a player that can contribute immediately.

Given his history of taking the most talented player available, however, it shouldn’t be shocking if OKC takes a prospect based on potential.

If that’s the case, Oubre certainly fits the mold. He has the length and athleticism of an elite NBA wing, and he showed enough flashes of defensive tenacity and long-range shooting to develop into exactly the kind of player OKC needs alongside Westbrook in the backcourt. But the biggest question is how long it will take Oubre to put it all together.

Chad Ford of ESPN elaborates on the Oubre dilemma in his draft big board:

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Scouts have a love-hate relationship with Oubre. On upside (thanks to crazy length and a diverse skill set) he has as much as, or more than, Winslow or Hezonja. But he's also the rawest of the prospects. His defense improved dramatically as a freshman, but his shot selection and assertiveness—along with his ballhandling abilities—are still in question.

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The combine will probably help Oubre thanks to his elite physical tools, and that may be enough to entice Presti on draft night.