The NBA has spent the last decade or so trying to keep the playing field level. The aim for parity generally seems to be working, especially with the restrictive tax aprons making it difficult for some contenders to make meaningful roster moves.
Only one problem: The Thunder, thanks to draft pick hoarding maneuvers by top executive Sam Presti, seem almost invincible.
Courtesy of the highly productive 2019 Paul George trade with the Clippers, the Thunder acquired a superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with multiple first-round picks. The reigning Most Valuable Player led them to last season’s championship and seems poised to do so again.
The Thunder have a ridiculous 24-1 record and could break Golden State’s record of 73 regular season victories.
They rank in the top five in nearly every offensive and defensive statistical category. They’ve achieved this despite their second-best player, Jalen Williams, appearing in only six games. He’s rounding back into form after recovering from a wrist injury – he had a 25-point, 8-assist performance against Utah on Sunday.
Oklahoma City has arguably the deepest team in the league and heads into the NBA Cup semifinals this weekend after thrashing the Suns by 49 points in the quarterfinals.
What makes the Thunder even scarier is that they could legitimately control the next few drafts. They have a shot at multiple lottery picks next June, including the reeling Clippers’ unprotected first-rounder.
Imagine dropping AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer onto this already loaded roster. OKC is also owed multiple first-rounders in the 2027 draft as well.
Of course, trying to retain all their top players will eventually create luxury tax issues for the Thunder. It’s still hard to envision this franchise not being a dynasty.
That brings us to today’s topic: Will the Thunder breaks the Warriors’ record of 73 regular-season wins this season? Are they destined to win back-to-back championships? If not, which team can prevent them from taking the title again? How many titles can the Thunder win over the next decade?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
The next challenge for the Thunder will be navigating the second apron, and although doing so isn’t a given, if there’s anyone who can it’s Presti. If the Thunder keep hitting on their draft picks and/or using those picks to acquire cheaper long-term talent, they’ll be just fine.
Aside from the George trade and draft pick hording, I’d say the biggest change Presti’s made has been avoiding low upside players that fit team needs in the draft. Back during the contending KD and Westbrook days, I remember there were a few drafts where Presti missed on those types of players and noted how he tended to draft so much better when he went with BPA. And it’s an even more critical approach now that the second apron necessitates a constant refueling of the tank, so to speak.
With their picks from other teams, the freezing of their picks won’t matter much. They can deal with their other stash.
I think that their real issue will be roster size. If they draft 3 lottery picks next summer, who do they release? That will be 5 guys who are effectively rookies, with Topic and Sorber rehabbing now.
They have 11 under contract for next year. Hartenstein, Dort, and K Williams on team options, 4 are RFA. And that is 17 of 18 roster spots (including 2 ways).
Sure, they can deal the extra picks for future assets, but if I know they have to deal someone, I am not giving them top dollar. I need picks to take one of their guys, because they need “me” to take them. Other GMs need to make them pay a premium to get rid of guys.
“Will the Thunder breaks the Warriors’ record of 73 regular-season wins this season? Are they destined to win back-to-back championships? If not, which team can prevent them from taking the title again? How many titles can the Thunder win over the next decade?”
These aren’t questions to ask 25 games into the season after their 1st championship. Totally premature. Let the season play out. Slumps — and injuries — happen. Contenders rise. Complacency may set in. Teams aren’t dynasties until they win three in a row. Let the Thunder get to *two* before we start anointing them. smh
I think saying these questions are premature is a little bit behind the curve… OKC has already dealt with the injury bug. If I recall correctly they haven’t even played a game with their starting lineup from last years playoffs. They were back to back 1 seeds out of the west heading into this year, and they’ve only gotten better over the offseason. “These aren’t questions to ask 25 games into to the season” as if being 24-1 is common. It’s the been done one other time. smh.
Of course OKC’s season could crash, stuff happens. The other team who achieved the 24-1 record crashed. But your take and the apparent absolute that OKC is overrated is braindead. They’re rated appropriately.
Here is a question. If you are the coach of random team about to face OKC, do you give your guys some rest? Instead of a 35 minute night, maybe make it a 28 minute night? Not tank, but not put the effort it on a likely lost cause. Western teams also don’t want to show what they might try in the playoffs. And if they haven’t played close games, it is hard to then play on close games. Just remember that the 4th seed in the eastern conference took them to 7, and if not for the injury to Halibutton, they might have lost.
I am not saying this should be done, or think it is. But wondering if it might be done. Let them win the regular season. Get them in the playoffs, is the theory in this.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I imagine this is at play at least a little bit.
Most other teams, I would be upset about this development, but, c’mon: it’s Oklahoma. Let em have this one.
Navigating the second apron will require replacing older, more expensive players with internally developed high draft picks. Which… is how they got here.
They won’t win every year, but they’ll be the favorites for the next five years, barring a catastrophic SGA injury
Now that they arent “underdogs” anymore I have trouble getting excited for this team. Jalen Williams has got some personality, but otherwise I dont really feel a connection to the franchise or any of the players.
Congratulations to Presti for grooming them, I guess? Otherwise you’re just looking at a collection of superstars in a random city. And I still think of Chet in that awkward commercial…
Ah, if Kawhi hadn’t been so hot for Paul George to join the Clippers..
The more I see of the Thunder, the less impressed I am of how they win. They get literally every single call. The refs are in their pocket. Give Curry that whistle and he averages 45 PPG. SGA is mid and a grifter. Just Harden with better defense.
James Harden should have been blacklisted out of the league like Barry Bonds was in MLB, for creating this idiotic, foul-baiting grifterball that SGA excels in.
I’m seeing lots of negativity towards OKC, namely from the fans of other teams in the West. Which is understandable, as they feel threatened. GSW and LAL fans are the loudest in their hate, as they are the most numerous and the most entitled.
I had OKC as an easy over for this season. 74 wins is hard, though. But if any team can do it, it’s OKC. Everybody on that team is young, hungry, and with the right mix of ambition and sacrifice.
Williams will be on a 25% max, and SGA’s 35% supermax doesn’t kick in until 27-28. They can be 3-time champions by that point. Steph will make $22 million more than SGA in 26-27. Brown and Tatum will occupy 70% of Boston’s cap next year. SGA, Chet and Williams 75%
Also, people forget that OKC are not and have not been in the tax for a long time. They’re winning, while the rest of the league is paying them for it. I think OKC’s owners will be okay with starting to pay tax in the future to keep the winning going, considering the massive dividends they’ve been collecting.
It’s not crazy to predict that OKC can have a tyrannical run of 6 years in which they represent their conference in the Finals 4-5 years out of 6, and win every single one or all but one of their NBA finals.
IMO, Denver and Indiana getting to game 7 have fooled many people. I think it’s less likely that someone will last 7 games against Oklahoma this year.
Another curious thing I observe is that people love to preach their love for ‘defense’, proclaiming themselves the followers of that ideology, keep saying that ‘nobody plays defense anymore’, that ‘basketball was better in the past, they defended so hard’ etc. But when they see a modern version of the best defense in basketball, embodied in Caruso, Dort and the rest, they hate it. They can’t hide that they hate how OKC defends. I find it amusing. This feeling was quickly developing last postseason, and it’s in full swing right now. Even that woman on ESPN keeps whining about the ‘fouls by OKC players’ that she thinks should have been called, lol.
Warriors fans are now understanding what it means to have another team for their record.
72-10 Bulls would say welcome to the party, but we know how that turned out in 2016….
:-)
This offseason is a golden opportunity for the Thunder to stock up on lottery/mid-first talent, get under the tax line one last time and lock in their starters for three more seasons. They will have to trade and let walk some players that they would prefer to keep, maybe even move Dort, but it won’t present again for quite a while. If anybody can thread the needle on that it would be Presti.
None of that keeps them from repeat titles this year or the next three. All of it will make the bigger retooling that is coming in 2029/30 to avoid the repeater tax easier to do while still fielding a contender.
The Thunder aren’t going away any time soon.
The only real way I see teams beating them anytime soon is through the big man.
Of course they have JDub, Chet and Hartenstein but I’d rather be taking them on in the paint than Caruso, Dort, Wallace and co on the 3 point line.
Jokic obviously is the best big man and with his passing game and efficiency he will be their toughest match up.
I also think Wemby either now or in the next couple years will also be that top 5 level player and give them problems too. He can just go over the top of everyone so that makes things very difficult. If they swapped out Fox for another physical presence in the forwards as well that would make them even stronger cause then you can’t just throw 2/3 bodies and Vic.
Houston could give them problems cause Sengun has been awesome they also have depth with Steve and Clint. Plus KD himself is a tough match up and Thompson might be able to match up with SGA.
Aside from those 3 right now they are pretty much unbeatable on their day. I still don’t understand how the pacers pushed them to a game 7. Tyrese is always hated on for not being that good, Siakim is always consistent but never really phenomenal it was more just depth, cohesion and good coaching all things teams now days struggle with. Teams are always choosing and changing and a lot of coaches in today’s game I feel like are living off their names and aren’t that good anymore. Kerr Lue Rivers etc
Thunder won’t be going away anytime soon