The Thunder go into the new season with a star pairing that still has a point to make.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams give Oklahoma City one of the league’s most dangerous combinations, even if a recent CBS ranking slotted them fourth among NBA duos. That list put Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks at No.
3, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets at No. 2, and Victor Wembanyama plus Stephon Castle/Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs at No. 1.
For Oklahoma City, the placement feels hard to swallow. Williams missed most of last season because of injury, and that likely played a big role in the ranking. Still, it’s a reminder of just how much this duo has already accomplished - and how much respect it should command.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s case is simple. He has been the league’s best player over the past two seasons, winning back-to-back MVP awards. He has also averaged more than 30 points per game in four straight seasons, took home the scoring title in 2024-25, and finished the Thunder’s championship run by earning Finals MVP.
Williams brings a different kind of punch, but one that matters just as much. In Oklahoma City’s championship season, he put up 21.6 points per game while also clearing five assists and five rebounds a night.
His value goes beyond the scoring line, too. Williams averaged 1.6 steals in his last full season and earned All-NBA Defensive Second Team honors, a reflection of how his defense matches his offense.
With Williams expected to be healthy again, the Thunder will have their full force back in place. And if that happens, Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams will have every chance to remind the league exactly where they belong.
In Other News...
Thunder May Have A New Offensive Answer Behind Shai
Isaiah Hartenstein already gave the Thunder a glimpse of what he can do as more than just a bruising interior presence. He scored efficiently, cleaned the glass and even helped as a playmaker, the kind of all-around center work that can steady an offense when possessions get messy. For Oklahoma City, that matters because any reliable source of production behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives the rest of the attack a little more balance and a lot less pressure.
With the roster changed around him, there is a real chance for the Thunder to lean into that versatility and see how far it can go. More touches for Hartenstein would not just be about feeding a big man in the post, it would be about testing whether Oklahoma City can find another offensive lane that complements its star guard and makes the whole system harder to guard. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Mavericks Rivalry Just Became A Bigger Stage For OKC
The 2026-27 NBA schedule has already given the Thunder another reason to circle their meetings with Dallas. What was already shaping up as a compelling Western Conference rivalry now comes with a brighter spotlight, as Oklahoma City and the Mavericks are both projected to spend the season in the playoff mix. For the Thunder, the stage is especially fitting with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams expected to anchor a team built to contend again.
The added juice comes from how often these games will be in front of a national audience, a sign the league sees this as more than a routine division-style showdown. Dallas brings its own draw with Kyrie Irving back in the fold and rookie Cooper Flagg entering the picture, and the matchup now feels like one of those regular-season series that could carry real postseason weight. For Oklahoma City, it is the kind of test that can measure where this group stands early, and how much the rivalry might matter once spring arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Face A Tough Nikola Topic Call Sooner Than Anyone Wanted
The Thunder are already staring at one of those roster decisions that can shape the next few seasons, and it arrives much sooner than most of these things do. Nikola Topic, a 2024 first-round pick who has flashed real promise, is on a timeline that forces Oklahoma City to weigh projection against certainty, all while the team keeps an eye on its bigger salary-picture issues and the extensions that are coming due for other core pieces.
Topics limited NBA runway has only made the call tougher. Oklahoma City has seen enough to be intrigued, but not enough to remove the questions that naturally come with a young guard who has barely been on the floor, and the organization now has to balance patience with the practical side of team-building before the deadline hits. [Read more 🡒]