Steven Adams is still the kind of former Thunder big man who can take a joke - and give one right back. Even after seven seasons and three teams away from Oklahoma City, Adams showed he still feels plenty connected to the blue and orange during a recent catch-up with Spurs legend Manu Ginobili in Baltimore for an All Blacks New Zealand Rugby Team interview.
The two were trading playful shots at each other over their sports loyalties when Adams asked Ginobili if he was studying the All Blacks’ style because he thought they were better than his native Argentina. Ginobili fired back with, "fair assessment, like probably Spurs with Thunder."
That one landed. Adams reacted with a laugh, clapped his hands, shouted "damn" and admitted the jab at his Thunder years was "well played."
Adams hasn’t played his last game for Oklahoma City since 2020, but moments like this make it clear the franchise still has a grip on him - and he on it. He remains one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in Thunder lore.
The exchange also fits neatly into the way the Thunder-Spurs relationship has taken on new life in the 2020s. The rivalry that burned through the 2010s has picked back up, with Victor Wembanyama taking frequent shots at OKC and its players, and last year’s seven-game Western Conference Finals adding even more heat.
Those developments have pushed this matchup back into the spotlight. The league has already leaned into it too, with the two teams set to open the upcoming 2026-27 season against each other.
Back in the Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook days, Spurs-Thunder was already a nasty postseason chess match. Now it has a new face on each side - Wembanyama in San Antonio and two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City - and the rivalry feels like it’s only getting louder from here.
In Other News...
Presti Just Clarified How Thunder See This New-Look Contender
The Thunders offseason looked different almost immediately when longtime starter Luguentz Dort and rotation pieces Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins were moved in a series of cost-cutting deals. On the surface, it was a jarring shift for a team that had built its identity on continuity and depth, but Sam Presti framed the moves as part of a longer financial plan rather than a retreat from contention.
Presti made clear Oklahoma City still believes its championship window is anchored by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and he pointed to the teams position as one that should keep it in the mix in 2026/27. The part that matters most for what comes next is what the front office does with the flexibility it created, because the Thunder have signaled those savings are not meant to disappear into the ledger forever. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans Can See A Russell Westbrook Tribute Coming
Sam Presti used a 2026-27 preseason press conference to salute Russell Westbrooks retirement and Hall of Fame career, and the message from the Thunder front office was clear enough: a formal tribute is coming. Westbrook remains one of the defining figures in franchise history, and Oklahoma City is already thinking through how to recognize the nine-time All-Star for the impact he had on the organization and the city.
The details are still being shaped, but the possibilities under discussion show just how significant the honor could be. Retiring No. 0 and even a statue outside the new Continental Coliseum have been mentioned as ideas, though nothing has been finalized. Presti said the team is working with great intention, which suggests this is more a matter of when and how than if. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Offseason Looked Brutal But Sam Presti Protected The Bigger Picture
The Thunders offseason looked harsh on the surface, with a handful of familiar rotation pieces moved out as the front office worked to reset the books. But the broader plan is familiar for Oklahoma City, which has long treated roster churn as the cost of keeping a contenders window open, even when it means saying goodbye to players who helped stabilize the roster.
Sam Prestis approach was about more than subtraction, though. Oklahoma City is trying to refill those minutes with a younger wave that includes Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Bennett Stirtz, Jaylin Williams and Otega Oweh, while also reinforcing the front line with Isiah Hartenstein and spending its first draft pick on Aday Mara. The result is a lineup that may look different, but one the Thunder believe can still support the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]