It looks like a main shake up shall be coming this offseason for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder shouldn’t be panicking over their Recreation 7 defeat towards the San Antonio Spurs. These are each two younger organizations on the rise. Oklahoma City has a battle chest of draft picks, and even when they didn’t take a massive swing, they’d be a favourite to emerge from the Western Convention once more subsequent yr.
Over the subsequent eight years, the Thunder have 20 first-round picks. That’s a humiliation of riches for any group, not to mention a workforce that received the NBA Championship final yr and got here inside one recreation of defending it within the Finals this season.
The Thunder are set to face a stark monetary actuality – the second apron. After profitable the championship, Oklahoma City needed to pay big offers to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander following an MVP season in addition to new offers for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who every obtained rookie most extensions.
That’s why it looks like a main shake up this yr feels inevitable. Despite the fact that the Thunder don’t have any motive to essentially panic, they’ve the assets required to take a threat.
Based on The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Thunder aren’t too within the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. As an alternative, they might reportedly goal Cavaliers’ ahead Evan Mobley, who Cleveland had refused to commerce on the deadline. The Milwaukee Bucks supplied Antetokounmpo to the Cavs for Mobley, and Cleveland declined. However the Thunder have extra property than Milwaukee when it comes to first-round picks and younger gamers that might maintain Cleveland’s title window open for even longer.
Even when it’s not a commerce with the Cavs, the Thunder shifting on from both Williams or Holmgren may make some sense, particularly if it means upgrading their roster whereas staying beneath the dreaded second apron.
One other weird situation would come with the Thunder buying and selling up within the first-round of the 2026 NBA Draft to pick out a participant like Cameron Boozer at No. 3 general. Assuming the Washington Wizards are set on A.J. Dybantsa and the Utah Jazz choose Kansas star Darryn Peterson, Boozer may very well be a commerce out spot for the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 general.
That might add yet one more premium younger expertise to Oklahoma City’s system, and so they in all probability wouldn’t even want to surrender an excessive amount of of their draft capital stockpile as a way to make that kind of a transfer.
One factor must be sure. As of proper now, the Western Convention runs by way of Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs.
Despite the fact that SGA is exceptional and the Thunder nonetheless had a phenomenal season, don’t anticipate Oklahoma City to be complacent. Sam Presti isn’t that kind of an govt. Count on a splash from OKC.
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