Oklahoma City is heading into a new season with a familiar edge: the Thunder still know who they are.
That matters, especially after an offseason that sent Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins out the door. All three had been important parts of the Thunder’s recent success and played major roles in the championship run, so their departures naturally became the loudest storyline around the team.
Even with those losses, Oklahoma City is bringing back the kind of continuity most teams can only dream about. The Thunder are still expected to open the season with largely the same roster, and they’re returning 10 players from their postseason rotation. For a team trying to keep its place near the top of the league, that kind of stability is a real weapon.
Just as important, Oklahoma City didn’t spend the offseason bringing in major new pieces that would force big rotation changes or shake up the chemistry. The Thunder should start the year with almost the same group that finished last season, and that familiarity should help as they chase the No. 1 seed in the West again.
That pursuit comes with a clear target. Oklahoma City is aiming for the conference’s best record for a fourth straight year, and the Spurs are looming after beating the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. With Tobias Harris now joining San Antonio, the Spurs could be even more talented, but they’ll also have the challenge of blending in new talent - something the Thunder won’t have to worry about nearly as much.
The roster may not look exactly the same, and the departures of Dort, Joe and Wiggins will be felt. Still, Oklahoma City’s core is mostly intact, and that continuity should give the Thunder a strong foundation as they try to stay atop the standings.
In Other News...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Took OKCs Playoff Exit Harder Than Fans Knew
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not take Oklahoma Citys playoff exit lightly, even after the Thunder moved on from their Western Conference finals loss and into an offseason focused on the next step. His trainer, Nem Ilic, recently described how sharply Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to watching the New York Knicks finish the job in the NBA Finals, a reminder that last springs disappointment stuck with the star guard long after the season ended.
It also helped explain the way Gilgeous-Alexander attacked the summer, with the emphasis on conditioning and getting more comfortable playing off the ball so his game can keep expanding. He already gave a brief preview of that work in preseason, scoring 17 points in 17 minutes in his debut, and Oklahoma City will be watching closely to see how those tweaks carry over once the games count for real. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Is Giving The Thunder A Reason To Rethink His Role
Aday Mara has already done enough in two preseason games to make Oklahoma City take a second look at how it wants to use him. The Thunder rookie has looked comfortable scoring, passing and moving the ball, with head coach Mark Daigneault pointing to Maras footwork, rebounding and playmaking as parts of what has stood out early. He has also had company in the rookie spotlight, with Bennett Stirtz showing he can chip in as a scorer and defender in his own preseason minutes.
For a team that values versatility and quick decisions, Maras early showings are the kind that can complicate the usual rookie conversation. What looked like a straightforward evaluation of size and skill has turned into something a little more interesting, because the Thunder have found a young big who can do more than finish plays around the rim. The question now is whether that gives Oklahoma City a reason to rethink where he fits once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Let A Young Bucks Guard Make A Late Statement
The Thunders preseason trip to Milwaukee ended with a narrow 128-126 loss, but one of the nights most notable stretches came from a Bucks rookie who seemed to settle in as the game tightened. Brayden Burries came off the bench and gave Milwaukee a useful burst, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals in 21 minutes while giving the home team a fresh look against Oklahoma Citys rotations.
Burries biggest impact came late, when his confidence held up as the pace and pressure picked up around him. Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins was encouraged enough by the way the rookie handled the moment to single out his composure afterward, and for the Thunder it was another reminder that even in preseason, young guards can change the feel of a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]