Thunder Solidified Their Status as Contenders With 3 Offseason Moves
The Thunder’s aggressive moves and smart additions make them a contender for the 2024-25 NBA championship.
Nikola Topic’s potential impact may not be seen immediately due to his torn ACL, while Dillon Jones could make an immediate impact.
Trading Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and signing Isaiah Hartenstein address key areas of concern, further strengthening the team.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were not ready to sit on their laurels this offseason. The team proved to be much further along in their rebuild than many expected last season, making the jump from a Play-In team during the 2022-23 season to the top seed in the Western Conference in 2023-24.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as an MVP candidate this past season, elevating himself into the discussion of the very best players in the NBA . Chet Holmgren delivered on expectations in a big way during his rookie season. If it were not for the generational talent that is Victor Wembanyama , Holmgren could very well have been the Rookie of the Year.
The core continues to fill out nicely as well. Jalen Williams has proven that he has every opportunity to grow into a star in the league. Luguentz Dort continues to be one of the scariest perimeter defenders across the association. Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe both proved themselves to be capable contributors too.
The Thunder finished 2023-24 with a record of 57-25. They barreled through the New OrleansPelicans , eliminating them in a prompt four-game sweep. However, they met their match in the second round, going down to the eventual Western Conference Champion
Thunder executive vice president & general manager Sam Presti knew the issues that faced his team moving forward. Presti has carried a reputation as one of the best general managers in the league for quite some time. No one would have blamed him if the approach Presti took was a patient one.
However, Presti got aggressive and made moves. There was no massive blockbuster trade or signing. Instead, Presti opted for simple, smart, and calculated additions that should fit well with the team. Oklahoma City should have every opportunity to compete for an NBA championship in the 2024-25 season.
