Sam Presti didn’t spend his preseason press conference talking like a general manager worried about what the Thunder just lost. He talked like someone convinced Oklahoma City still has plenty left to unlock.
That’s notable, because the roster looks different now. The Thunder moved on from longtime starter Luguentz Dort and key regular-season reserves Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins in a trio of cost-cutting trades that brought back seven second-round picks and no salary. Presti called the departures “certainly disappointing,” but he also made it clear he believes the organization remains in strong shape for 2026/27 and beyond.
“I think the team last year had another level to it,” Presti said Thursday at his annual preseason news conference. “I think we could have got to another level. But I think in due time, like I said earlier, this particular group of players, if we stay healthy, if it has time together, it has a chance to be as good if not better than any of the teams we’ve had.”
The confidence starts at the top. Presti pointed to the core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren as the reason Oklahoma City can keep pushing forward after winning the most regular-season games in the NBA in each of the past two seasons and capturing the 2025 championship.
“We have three guys, two of which are not even in their prime, that are All-NBA players, and also the other guy that’s a back-to-back MVP [Gilgeous-Alexander], and he’s only getting better as well in his prime,” Presti said.
The departures of Dort, Joe and Wiggins weren’t easy, and Presti didn’t try to pretend otherwise. He praised each of them for what they brought to the team, and said the Thunder now have to adjust the way they put lineups together.
“We have to give ourselves time to figure out the best way to position this team because those guys played a lot,” Presti said. “They were big influences on things. We’re going to have to kind of learn a new way, which is healthy.”
Presti also reiterated what he told The Oklahoman in July: the move to trade Dort was financial, not basketball-driven. He said he still understands that the savings from moving Dort, Joe and Wiggins are expected to be reinvested later, though he stopped short of promising anything definite.
“What I would say is that’s certainly our anticipation and our expectation,” Presti said. “But I would also say I’ve done this long enough to know that things certainly can change, so I don’t want to sit here and be definitive about that.
I would say it’ll probably be another round of conversations like those that were had this past summer. I’ll do a lot of listening.
I’ll try to understand where everybody is. Then we’ll know what we have to work with, and we’ll attack it from there.
“
Even with the roster churn, Presti said the Thunder still have a “rare and unique opportunity” to stay in the title mix. He said the challenge is balancing that opportunity with the reality of a team built on more than just fit.
“I would say the thing we have to balance - and everybody is aware of this - is just honoring the moment and the rare and unique opportunity that we have with this particular team and this particular group of guys,” Presi said. “Because what makes this group of guys so unique isn’t just that they fit together on the floor and they play well together on the floor. It’s their connection with one another, which is really where you get the marginal gains with this particular group.”
Jalen Williams was another major talking point. He was limited to 33 regular-season games last year because of wrist and hamstring issues, then played in only five of Oklahoma City’s 15 playoff games. Presti said that’s behind him now.
“He’s worked extremely hard,” Presti said. “He looks fantastic.
He looks great. He’s playing great.
We’re looking forward to him being himself again.”
Presti also touched on Cason Wallace, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension through October 19. He didn’t directly discuss contract talks, but he did praise the All-Defensive guard and suggested the Dort trade created a clearer path for the 22-year-old.
“I think the greatest sign of respect we could’ve shown Cason is moving Lu in that trade. … It’s a bit of a gesture to him to say we think you can have a great role on this team, we believe in you as a player, and we’re hopeful all that can work out,” Presti said.
Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber will be limited participants in training camp, Presti said, with both players coming off long injury-related layoffs. Topic missed his rookie season with a torn ACL, was treated for testicular cancer last season and underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy in June.
Presti’s session also included discussion of the Thunder’s plans for the 15th and final standard roster spot, along with his thoughts on the second tax apron.
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