The most expansive rebuild attempt in NBA history is currently ongoing in Oklahoma City. Multiple years now into this historic path spearheaded by endless amounts of future first-round picks, at least three in the next three drafts alone, the pieces are finally coming together a little bit.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an established young star in the Association. Josh Giddey had a tremendous rookie campaign, bringing forth confidence in his complementary skillsets alongside Gilgeous-Alexander. Other enticing young players such as Luguentz Dort, Darius Bazley and Tre Mann have had their moments of shine in OKC as well.
What’s the end goal for Thunder GM Sam Presti, though? If it’s consistently competing for postseason appearances, they are still a few years out on their timeline. There’s no rush for Oklahoma City, but there should at least be a little urgency with Gilgeous-Alexander officially entering his rookie-scale max extension next season.
Armed with the No. 2 overall pick and plenty more draft capital, OKC becomes one of the most intriguing teams to watch heading into the offseason. Will this be the time where the Thunder once again surprise and decide to get aggressive?
Other Offseason Snapshots: DET I HOU I ORL I SAC
2021-22 record: 24-58, missed playoffs
Players under contract: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Derrick Favors, Josh Giddey, Darius Bazley, Ty Jerome, Mike Muscala, Aleksej Pokusevski, Tre Mann, Kenrich Williams, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Roby, Theo Maledon, Aaron Wiggins
Impending free agents: N/A
Draft picks: No. 1, No. 30, No. 34
One thing the Thunder should do this offseason: Make an aggressive move to improve
As mentioned, Oklahoma City is on the right path. However, it feels like there needs to be an accelerant to speed things up a little bit. It could arrive in the form of their No. 2 overall selection, likely to be one of Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. or Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, but why not use the ample artillery at their disposal when the perfect opportunity arises?
It’s rare a 23-year-old becomes a free agent likely to end up somewhere else, but the relationship between 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns is rocky at best.
Could a team like the Thunder capitalize by acquiring Ayton via sign-and-trade? Oklahoma City has the right amount of resources to put together a compelling package: Dort, Mann, Kenrich Williams, Derrick Favors, No. 30 overall pick (via Phoenix).
That right there is the right amount of win-now veterans (Favors, Williams), young assets (Dort, Mann) and draft capital to make an Ayton blockbuster occur. Envisioning Ayton alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey and either Smith Jr. or Holmgren is such an enticing thought to have for Thunder fans.
One thing the Thunder should not do this offseason: Embrace the tank again
It’s time to make some progress, actually some we can see in the win-loss column. Oklahoma City’s rebuild is certainly unique, but the talent is becoming enough where competing for a play-in spot should be within the realm of possibilities. With Gilgeous-Alexander leading OKC forward, the baseline for their future is at least standing on solid ground.
Offseason Breakdown
When Paul George and Russell Westbrook decided to leave Oklahoma City in the same offseason a few years ago, it signaled a full-scale change within the organization. Instead of a win-now mindset that kept going over the previous decade, it was time to hit the reset button completely. Now, it’s all built on he hopes and dreams of draft picks panning out into stars. It’s a risky exercise, but small market teams like the Thunder have to rely solely on the draft to stay competitive on a yearly basis.
The cupboard isn’t close to barren for OKC. Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey form a unique backcourt that fits within the trends of the modern NBA. They have the flexibility to make a game-changing move. Also, whoever they draft at No. 2 has a good chance of hitting as a key foundational piece as well.
Oklahoma City is flying well under the radar right now, but don’t be shocked if we see a surprising rise up the standings as soon as next season.
