Report-Card Grades for the Oklahoma City Thunder 2015 NBA Draft
The Oklahoma City Thunder resisted the urge to make a big splash at the 2015 NBA draft. Instead, the team left the Barclays Center with the player it reportedly promised to take all along (Cameron Payne) and a second-round project, big man Dakari Johnson.
The selection of Payne with the No. 14 overall pick wasn't much of a surprise, as ESPN.com's Chad Ford reported in late May the Thunder made a promise to draft the Murray State point guard. Those rumors eventually became a reality, and general manager Sam Presti couldn't help but gush about the kid during his post-draft press conference:
"A lot of the things that Cam does well translate in terms of feel, read for the game, ability to knock down open shots. I think there's a competitiveness to him, as well. The thing that we really like about him is there's not a lot of entitlement to him.
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Payne wasted little time expressing confidence in his game, even going the third-person route during his post-draft interview with ESPN (h/t Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman):
"I can be the next success (from a mid-major) because I'm coming in with a chip on my shoulder. I’m coming in with no bragging rights at all. I’m coming in to do the dirty work. I’m coming in to do anything to survive and provide for my family. And it’s not going to stop. There is no ceiling for Cameron Payne.
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As for Johnson, taken with the No. 48 overall pick, Presti said the Kentucky center brings "a disposition on the defensive end that I think is valuable" and referred to the 19-year-old as a "really, really, great kid."
As rookies on a loaded Thunder roster, both Payne and Johnson will have to fight for playing time in their first year. Payne will battle veteran D.J. Augustin for the backup point guard spot behind All-Star Russell Westbrook. Meanwhile, OKC's depth in the frontcourt will likely keep Johnson in the NBA Development League for most, if not all, of his 2015-16 campaign.
With the dust finally settling on draft night, this seems like a good time to take a deeper look at the Thunder's newest additions and dole out a few report-card grades.
Cameron Payne, Point Guard, Murray State, No. 14 Overall Pick
Payne was one of the most productive players in this draft class, averaging 20.2 points, six assists and 1.9 steals as a sophomore for the Racers. His 716 points produced were the most of anyone in college basketball, while his player efficiency rating of 30.1 ranked 12th in the nation, per Sports-Reference.
Payne gives the Thunder an excellent facilitator and solid outside shooter on the second unit. He shot 37.7 percent from three this past season, and he finished sixth in the NCAA with an assist percentage of 40 percent, which was better than No. 2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell of Ohio State. At 6'2" with a 6'7" wingspan, Payne has the physical tools to potentially be a pesky defender in the pros.
ESPN's Jay Bilas elaborated on the pros and cons of what Payne brings to the table, per Mayberry:
"He can score. He can shoot it. He’s excellent off of pick and rolls. He comes off, he doesn’t just blast off, he plays with pace and is an excellent passer…That shot needs to be fixed a little bit. He’s a good shooter, but it’s a low release point on that shot. But I think that’s something that he will remedy easily. He plays in the open floor. He is easy to play with. Makes really good decisions. But his combination of scoring and passing is excellent. Good athlete. Has good defensive potential as well.
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Unfortunately, after an injury-filled season led to the Thunder selecting this high, the team gets another player who is nursing an ailment. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Payne fractured the ring finger on his non-shooting hand during a workout with the Denver Nuggets, which will sideline him for three weeks. While he won't need surgery, this minor setback will keep him out of playing in the summer league, according to Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman.
Beyond the injury, the only other downside to this pick is the team bypassed an opportunity to add depth at the small forward position. Wisconsin's Sam Dekker and Kansas' Kelly Oubre were both still on the board when OKC went on the clock.
With Kevin Durant coming off his third foot surgery and no real backup on the roster, adding a versatile scorer like Dekker or an athletic freak like Oubre could have come in handy.
Still, Presti did well to upgrade the reserve point guard spot. Once he's healthy, Payne's ability to push the pace will be a huge asset under new coach Billy Donovan, who stressed the desire to play fast during his introductory press conference. Payne should eventually replace Augustin, who will be a free agent next summer, and could form an exciting tandem with Westbrook in two-point guard sets.
Grade: B
Dakari Johnson, Center, Kentucky, No. 48 Overall
With 13 players under contract, not including Payne or restricted free agents Enes Kanter and Kyle Singler (both of whom the team would like to re-sign), anybody taken with this pick was going to be a long shot to make the roster.
With Steven Adams and the possible return of Kanter, who are both under the age of 24, OKC is already set at the center position for years to come. Still, Johnson has the potential to develop into a decent backup big who can contribute on the boards and on the defensive end.
Johnson wasn't productive at Kentucky, mainly because he didn't see much playing time. He averaged just 6.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game. However, he did manage to hold opponents to only 82.6 points per 100 possessions as a sophomore this past season.
While Johnson's size at 7'0" and 255 pounds is a plus, there's also a drawback as well. His 14.9 percent body fat was the highest of any prospect in this year's class, according to DraftExpress. With the NBA becoming increasingly more uptempo, proper conditioning is imperative, especially for big men.
Fortunately, Johnson likely won't get a taste of the pros as a rookie. With time to work on his body and game in the D-League, there's a chance he materializes into a rotational center, even if it's not with the Thunder.
There are few sure things in the NBA draft and even less in the middle of the second round. Still, the dearth of quality defensive big men made Johnson worth the gamble. The best-case scenario is he becomes a trade chip down the road. In the worst case, the Thunder wasted a draft pick they didn't have much use for to begin with.
Grade: C-
Overall Performance
The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this draft with arguably the deepest roster the franchise has ever had and no glaring holes. Even with the pressure to compete for a championship in Durant's upcoming contract year, Presti played it safe.
He didn't sell the farm to move up as potential stud small forward Justise Winslow cascaded down the draft. In fact, he ignored the small forward position entirely, even with guys like Dekker and Oubre available at No. 14. Time will tell whether that was the right decision.
However, given Presti's reputation for coming up big on draft night, he's earned the benefit of the doubt.
Grade: B+
Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.
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