The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t just hold onto the league’s top long-term outlook - they kept it.
ESPN’s annual NBA Future Power Rankings put OKC back at No. 1, using a three-year lens that projects teams through the 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons. The rankings were built by ESPN analysts Ben Golliver, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks and Dean Oliver, who scored each team across five categories and then stacked them against the rest of the league.
For the Thunder, the results were strong across the board. They landed No. 1 in player with a 93 score and No. 1 in management with a 95.
They checked in No. 4 in draft at 85, No. 29 in money at 19 and No. 17 in market at 48. It was the same top spot they occupied in last year’s rankings.
That kind of finish says plenty about where Oklahoma City stands right now. The roster doesn’t leave much room for major surprises, but it does leave the Thunder with something better: a core that already looks built to last.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP winner, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are both All-NBA talents. Together, that gives the franchise one of the strongest and most decorated young trios in the league.
And the support behind them matters too. Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain were all mentioned as players with room to grow, which only adds to the optimism around the Thunder over the next three seasons. ESPN also has OKC entering the 2026-27 season as a co-title favorite alongside the San Antonio Spurs.
“The Thunder finished with the NBA's best record and point differential in each of the past two seasons, and there's no indication that the next few years will go much differently,” ESPN wrote. “Oklahoma City has a championship core that's still young, plus plenty of extra picks over the next few years and arguably the most respected lead decision-maker in the league in Sam Presti.”
The biggest question hanging over the Thunder isn’t talent. It’s money.
Once Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Williams are all taking up major salary space, the team could be looking at roughly 85% of the payroll tied to those three alone. That creates real pressure elsewhere on the roster, especially if Oklahoma City wants to stay clear of the second apron and the tax penalties that many ownership groups have been reluctant to absorb.
The Thunder have already gone through one summer of cost-cutting moves, and the possibility of more down the road is sitting right there. But if this group brings home a second NBA championship in three years, then the ownership group will have to open the wallet. That’s the deal when a franchise is living in the kind of golden window Oklahoma City is in right now.
In Other News...
Thunder Fans Are Missing The Real Reason OKC Lost To Spurs
Chet Holmgrens rough showing in the Western Conference Finals drew plenty of attention, and for good reason. He struggled to find his rhythm against San Antonio, shot poorly and spent much of the matchup being outplayed by Victor Wembanyama, which made him an easy place to point after the Oklahoma City Thunder came up short.
But the bigger issue for Oklahoma City was never just Holmgrens box score. The Thunder were dealing with major rotation losses in Jaylen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, and those absences left the roster thinner than it needed to be in the most demanding part of the series. Even with that handicap, Oklahoma City still dragged the matchup all the way to a Game 7, which says plenty about how close the Thunder were despite the circumstances. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans Have A Sneaky Reason To Watch Jalen Duren Free Agency
Jalen Durens restricted-free-agent situation has turned into one of those quiet NBA watch items that can matter far beyond the player himself. The big man has not reached a new deal with Detroit yet, and with several teams lurking - including the Kings, Lakers, Rockets, Clippers and Celtics - his next stop is being followed closely around the league. For Thunder fans, the appeal is less about adding Duren and more about the ripple effect his decision could have on the rest of the Western Conference.
Sacramento is the name to circle here because of where the Kings sit in the standings picture and how much room there still is for movement around them. Duren landing there would not be expected to dramatically alter their postseason outlook, but the Thunder have plenty of reason to keep an eye on the broader free-agent market, since a different destination could give one of Oklahoma Citys biggest rivals a meaningful boost. So even if this is not a Thunder move in the traditional sense, it is the kind of transaction that could shape the path ahead in ways that matter in Oklahoma City. [Read more 🡒]
SGAs MVP Buzz Is Slipping For A Reason Thunder Fans Will Love
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still trying to do something rare enough to reshape the MVP conversation before the season even tips: chase a third straight award after winning the last two. But the early national buzz is no longer pointing his way as strongly as it did a year ago, which says less about any drop in his game and more about how crowded the leagues top tier has become.
For Thunder fans, though, there is a familiar silver lining. Oklahoma City is again expected to win at a level that keeps the team in the leagues elite conversation, and this time the load around Gilgeous-Alexander should be spread more evenly across a deep group. With Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and the rest of the supporting cast helping shoulder the burden, the MVP chase may get trickier for SGA, even if the Thunders bigger picture looks just as bright. [Read more 🡒]