Sam Presti didn’t exactly dial back expectations for the Thunder during his annual preseason media availability. If anything, he turned the volume up.
The Oklahoma City executive said that while the franchise has already hit some outrageous highs over its 25-year run, the best version of this team “is out there somewhere in our future.”
That’s a chilling thought for the rest of the league.
Oklahoma City has already been steered by three different MVP winners, and its current core features three established All-NBA players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. The Thunder won the fourth-most games in a single NBA season two years ago, then captured their first Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2025. Presti’s point was simple: this group may still have another gear.
And that’s what makes the warning so loud. The Thunder are not some upstart trying to sneak into the conversation.
They’re already there. But the idea that they could still be climbing should put every other team on notice.
Even under the league’s second apron era, which was built to flatten the path to sustained contention, Oklahoma City looks built to keep rolling. Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren are all under 30, all two-way stars, and all locked into contracts that run into the 2030s.
The support around them is just as dangerous. The roster includes young pieces like Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, plus proven veterans in Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. That mix gives the Thunder both upside and stability, which is exactly the kind of combination that can keep a team in the title picture for years.
There’s more coming, too. Oklahoma City is set to add Thomas Sorber, Bennett Stirtz, and 2026 lottery pick Aday Mara to a rotation that already finished as the top seed. All three are on rookie-scale deals for the next several seasons, which only strengthens the Thunder’s long-term position.
Presti’s message was bigger than one season. The Thunder have already reached heights most franchises never touch, but the way they’re constructed suggests the ceiling still hasn’t been found. In a league designed to prevent dynasties, Oklahoma City may still be building one.
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 🡒]