Are We Witnessing the Formation of a Dynasty in the NBA?
The term “superteam” is a term that has been loosely used to describe many exceptional teams. These teams can range from the 2019 Toronto Raptors to the 2017 Golden State Warriors, and may also include teams that fell short of winning it all, like the 2021 Brooklyn Nets.
Thanks to a Sam Presti masterclass, it is time to recognize the Thunder as not just a bona fide superteam, but a potential future dynasty.
Past season
During the 2023 NBA season, the Thunder failed to make the postseason, losing in the play-in to the Timberwolves. With 2nd overall pick Chet Holmgren returning for the 2024 NBA season along with an additional season of experience for the Thunder’s young core, it was expected that the Thunder would take a leap.
Not only would the Thunder take a leap, they would surge to the top of the Western Conference standings. The Thunder would lose to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, but the season would be far from a disappointment. Playoff experience for a young core along with exceptional moves from GM Sam Presti would push the Thunder over the top. And exceptional moves the Thunder would indeed make.
Offseason moves
The beginning of the Thunder’s moves began with OKC trading a young and promising Josh Giddey for veteran Alex Caruso. What many fail to realize from the trade is that the Thunder planned to keep Giddey as someone who could lead their bench. However, Giddey opposed the idea of a bench role and requested a trade. Due to Giddey’s trade request, the Thunder were forced to trade him, leading them to deal him for Caruso. Despite popular belief that the Thunder fleeced the Bulls, the trade works out for both sides. Giddey has the potential to break out into superstardom, and in a contract year on a rebuilding Bulls team, he could take that next step and prove to be a franchise player. Considering the Thunder HAD to trade Giddey, along with the value 3-D players like Caruso bring to championship-winning teams (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for the Nuggets and Derrick White for the Boston Celtics), this was the correct move for the Thunder.
The Thunder’s next major move occurred in the draft, with the selection of Nikola Topić with the 12th overall pick. Having traded Giddey, Topić is the ideal replacement, with his size at the point guard position at 6'6, along with his passing and ball-handling skills. Topić can fill the role the Thunder envisioned Giddey would for the team. However, this will have to wait, as Topić will spend the entire 2025 NBA season rehabbing a torn ACL.
The most recent move by the Thunder is none other than their signing of center Isaiah Hartenstein. The Thunder were favorites to acquire Knicks’ big man Isaiah Hartenstein this offseason, and they delivered, signing Hartenstein to a 3-year $87 million contract. Hartenstein’s hard rugged screens are exactly what the Thunder need, with guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Topić flourishing in the pick-and-roll. Hartenstein and Holmgren combine as an elite rim-protecting duo, and Hartenstein’s elite offensive rebounding, combined with his top-tier passing ability for a center, can create extra shot opportunities for an elite-scoring offense.
Bench & Depth
One major factor that hinders a team’s chances of winning a championship each season is injuries. Each season, key players go down during the playoffs, and their teams are unable to compensate for their losses. However, if there was a team capable of filling the void left by injuries to their stars, it would be the Thunder.
The Thunder’s projected starting 5 include Shai, Caruso, Jalen Williams, Holmgren, & Hartenstein. Behind their star-studded lineup include a bench of Carson Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, Kenrich Williams, Jaylin Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and Ousame Dieng. This bench ALONE could form a somewhat respectable starting 5! Each of the 7 bench players mentioned shot with high efficiency from behind the three-point line this past season besides Dieng. Of course, after the 2025 NBA season, Topić will join this extraordinary bench rotation.
If any player from the Thunder’s starting 5 were to suffer an injury, they would have a capable backup who could hold down the fort during their absence. In the instance a star’s injury is season-ending, the Thunder have multiple other stars in their lineup who can step up and elevate their game, along with a deep bench with multiple starting-caliber players.
With injuries being an unpredictable and unfortunate part of basketball, depth is crucial. The Thunder have the depth to contend for a title, even in instances where they lose key players to injury.
Draft Capital
In most instances, a top-tier team will be unable to improve via the draft, as they end up with late-round picks. However, the Thunder completely buck this norm.
Over the years, the Thunder have acquired an abundance of 1st round picks. After trading Paul George and Russell Westbrook for key players such as Chris Paul and franchise guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & draft picks, the Thunder would go on a spree of acquiring average or declining players, who would then revive their careers on a rebuilding Thunder team. They would then trade these players for additional draft picks. The OKC Thunder will have potentially 4 1st round picks in 2025, along with multiple 1st round picks in future years. While many of these picks may not result in a high draft selection due to picks being protected, as well as the success of the teams from which the Thunder own draft picks, a lot can change in 3–5 years. Additionally, teams may disappoint, and potential injuries could push these picks into the lottery, but outside of the protection that was given.
With the Thunder’s core & bench already being fortified with talent, they likely will not have much use for their picks. But this was the plan all along. Sam Presti didn’t acquire all these picks with plans to use them all. He figured he could use this capital, combined with a solid young player, to bring in another superstar. And whether this trade happens this offseason, during the season, or next offseason, it is safe to say we will see the Thunder bring in a key player in return for their capital.
Long-Term Control
Many superteams fall due to being unable to retain their core players. The 2012 OKC Thunder were unable to retain James Harden, and would later lose Kevin Durant. However, this shouldn’t be a problem for the Thunder currently. The Thunder will be able to offer 3 max contracts, which they will likely use to retain their 3 main players Shai, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. Additionally, they extended Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, and have many of their bench players on rookie contracts, giving the Thunder control over their current team for years to come.
Conclusion
Dynasties have become hard to come by in the NBA, with the league not having a back-to-back champion since the 2018 Warriors. However, with the Thunder’s talented core, depth, draft capital & assets they can trade, and long-term control over their roster, if there was one team that could be a future dynasty in the NBA, it would be the Thunder.
