Despite battling for a top spot in the Western Conference, the OKC Thunder still have a significant number of picks, including a projected lottery pick for the 2024 NBA Draft.
Let’s take a look at Cody Williams and how he would fit into the Thunder system.
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Rapid screening report
Williams is the younger brother of Thunder star Jalen Williams and has been projected all over the 2024 NBA Draft lottery. The Colorado product has seen the case for his place at the top of the overall pick, while also coming up against to reluctance later in the college season.
The Buffalo swingman is in the midst of a 2023-24 season that deserves some context. While on paper it may look like an up-and-down campaign, injuries littered Williams’ first year. From a wrist injury at the start of the season to an ankle at the end of the season that he is playing with.
Overall, Williams is a versatile forward who can make an immediate winning impact in the right situation while possessing high upside.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Williams is a Swiss army knife on both ends of the court. Offensively he can play with and without the ball, defensively he is able to change from 1 to 5. He is excellent in transition, running hard on the floor, filling the lane and producing 1,262 points per possession when he pushes the pace .
The 19-year-old is, at minimum, a fantastic play-finisher with his ability to stride past defenses, use his frame to isolate defenders, and an excellent catch radius that complements his soft hands. Williams ranks in the 86th percentile as a cutter. He is also capable of capping off savvy ball movement with a 45 percent success rate on catch and shoot attempts.
He projects to be able to transform into a nice roll man in the pick-and-roll and finish plays at the dunker level while his brother leaned toward the NBA level.
However, offensively, his flashes of creation on the ball are part of what makes him so intriguing. A 6-foot-8 swingman improving as a pick-and-roll ball handler and being able to get to his spots around the rim where he converts at a 75 percent rate.
His shot looks smooth, especially when catching. Shooting 72 percent from the free throw line and 41 percent from distance should encourage NBA teams in his ability to space the floor.
Williams has a defensive ceiling that could quickly put him among the NBA’s top names on that side of the court. He uses his length perfectly to be able to switch 1-5 on that side.
His ability to jump off screens and blow up plays makes him a strength on that side. Williams struggles to shake off his assignment and has the footwork to recover if you pass him or cover a teammate late.
Weaknesses
Williams struggles to shoot the ball off the dribble, shooting a modest 28 percent on just 14 attempts. His dribble shot is a bit slow which can really be exploited at the next level, although a high release point should help counter that against most of his NBA matchups. It’s unclear to what extent injuries to the ankle and wrist — two critical parts of the shooting process — caused this problem.
This brutal shot follows him into the painted zone on runners shaking just 29 percent of his floaters, which could limit him as a rim scorer at the next level at least initially.
Can he dribble past anyone at the next level? Athletically, there are question marks about this, although with his mix of length and potential size, this flaw can be combatted with a mix of craftsmanship and physicality.
Although Williams has a strong frame, he needs to complement it at the next level – tell me guys, like his brother! – while it’s a concern right now if the course is corrected, it quickly opens up more upside for him.
Thunder Cup
Future role
Williams has the potential to be an offensive engine and defensive weapon if given time to develop. At a minimum, a high-quality piece for a championship-level core thanks to his play-finishing and lock-down potential on defense.
Rotation adjustment
The Buffalo Forward would instantly break up the Thunder’s rotation and could track similarly to Cason Wallace. While Wallace has been outstanding this season in his role, the organization isn’t limiting him to that, still aiming to exploit his higher ceiling while allowing him to contribute immediately.
Williams would be joining one of the best defenses and defensive coaches in the league who could help him hone his craft. Offensively, his ability to catch and shoot and cut would make him one of the best complementary players the Thunder could ask for, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren command so much attention.
He would fit into the Thunder’s prototype and be able to have a developmental runway that could eventually lead to him playing a major role in an era that Oklahoma City hopes will be filled with many competing seasons.
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