Oklahoma City has the kind of star power most teams would kill for, but that doesn’t mean the Thunder are headed for a clean sweep when All-NBA ballots come around in 2027.
The bigger picture is simple: the Thunder are set up to be one of the league’s best teams again. They’ve climbed into that tier over the last couple of seasons and are now aiming for a second title in three years. Even after moving on from some of the top role players from this run during the offseason, Oklahoma City still looks like a team that will be squarely in the mix when next season tips off.
At the center of it all is the trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. All three have already picked up at least one All-NBA or All-Star honor over the last couple of years, and together they give the Thunder one of the most dangerous two-way groups in basketball.
But the same setup that helped Williams and Holmgren rise into that spotlight could make it harder for both to land All-NBA recognition in 2027. In each of the past two seasons, one of the two has missed major time, which pushed the other into a bigger role as the clear No. 2 next to Gilgeous-Alexander.
That extra responsibility has helped open the door to All-NBA third-team consideration. Next season, though, Oklahoma City would ideally have both players healthy and sharing the load more evenly. That’s great for the Thunder on the floor, but it could complicate things when awards voting starts.
If Williams and Holmgren are both producing at a high level, the Thunder should be dominant enough to put multiple players on All-NBA teams. The catch is that the two could end up splitting votes if the season unfolds the way Oklahoma City wants it to.
The best-case scenario is obvious: strong seasons from both, a top record in the league again, and a path for all three stars to earn All-NBA recognition. Gilgeous-Alexander looks like a near-lock for first team. The harder question is whether Williams or Holmgren can separate enough from the rest of the league - and from each other - to lock down that second spot.
Even if the awards break a certain way or not, the Thunder already know what they have. Three All-NBA-caliber players is a serious foundation, and it’s a big reason Oklahoma City should be right in the championship conversation again in 2027.
In Other News...
Thunder Young Guard Is Already Drawing The Kind Of Buzz Teams Notice
The Clippers long-running attempt to reshape their roster keeps looping back to Oklahoma City in one form or another, with past trades and draft-pick swaps still hanging over the franchises broader plans. Now, as CBS Sports Sam Quinn argues Los Angeles may need to lean on free agency to find its next reset, one Thunder guard is already entering the conversation as the kind of player teams around the league start circling once they prove they can handle bigger responsibility.
Ajay Mitchell has turned enough heads in Oklahoma City to become part of that larger discussion, and the comparison that keeps surfacing is the sort of one that gets front offices paying attention. The question is not whether Mitchell has shown he belongs in the mix, but whether the Thunder would ever make him available without a meaningful return, which is exactly the kind of uncertainty that turns a rising player into a talking point beyond his own locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Got A Tougher Cason Wallace Contract Problem
Ausar Thompsons new deal in Detroit adds another layer to a decision the Thunder were already going to have to navigate carefully with Cason Wallace. The Pistons guard landed a long-term extension, and even without getting into the exact dollars, it gives a useful reference point for where the market can go for young perimeter defenders who are still growing into bigger roles. For Oklahoma City, that kind of contract is worth watching because Wallace is still on a trajectory that could make him one of the teams most important young pieces.
The complication is the Thunders own cap picture, which leaves little room for mistakes or surprises when it comes time to reward Wallace. Oklahoma City is already working near the harshest parts of the leagues financial rules, so the team has to balance what Wallace might become with what it can actually afford to keep on the books. If he takes another step next season, the Thunder may have a real number to solve, and this latest extension around the league only sharpens the question of how far they can go. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Williams Has One Big Step Left In OKCs Title Quest
Jalen Williams was one of the engines of Oklahoma Citys championship run in 2024-25, giving the Thunder another high-level scorer alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and finishing the season with All-NBA Third Team honors. He averaged 21.6 points and kept growing into the kind of versatile wing every title team needs, which is why his continued development matters so much for a franchise trying to turn one banner into a long stretch of contention.
The next step is fairly clear: Williams has to become more reliable from beyond the arc. His outside shot dipped over the course of last season, then looked much better in the postseason even with fewer attempts, and that kind of swing is the difference between being very good and being complete. For the Thunder, that growth would not just raise Williams ceiling, it would make an already dangerous offense even harder to scheme against as they chase another championship. [Read more 🡒]