This Draft will go down in history and not just because it was the first. The Thunder did have to trade up for their guy, but B.J. Mullens comes quite a bit cheaper than first thought. As with most things, the hype surrounding the legit 7-foot center nearly made Oklahoma City pay a premium price if you believed the rumors.
Mock drafts everywhere had Mullens, an Ohio State product, going at the end of the lottery or just after. The same 'experts' had Thunder GM Sam Presti looking to trade up in hopes of taking the big man for D-League Tulsa. I do not expect Mullens to play much this season, but he is definitely the type of player that can help in 2-3 years when OKC is battling in the Western Conference playoffs.
Dallas was kind enough with the 24th pick to take the guy Presti wanted, and all it will cost is a future 2nd round pick. That is a far cry from what the Thunder may have given up to grab the potential center of the future. I am looking forward to seeing Mullens during summer league play and will make a number of trips down I-44 to watch him dominate for Tulsa.
My take on the third overall pick, James Harden, can be summed up in one word -- perfect. I was not a Rubio fan and honestly hoped Memphis took Thabeet. The one thing missing from OKC's core was a legit shooter from the outside, and they not only accomplished that but also took a guy familiar with his backcourt mate.
According to the Thunder Official site, Harden and Russell Westbrook have known each other since their early teen years. They played together growing up and now have a chance to form a potent duo to the front court pair of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.
UPDATE: Robert Vaden, another big-time shooter, joins OKC after a trade with Charlotte. He is a great addition to the Thunder and almost certain to start out next to Mullens in Tulsa. More on that pick-up next week as I look at the roster from top to bottom.
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