One Western Conference coach is not ready to hand the Spurs the edge over the Thunder, even after San Antonio’s run of success against Oklahoma City last season.
The Spurs beat the Thunder in seven games in 2026, and they also controlled the regular season and the NBA Cup meetings. On paper, that kind of result would seem to put San Antonio ahead in the conversation.
But the Thunder were playing without Jalen Williams for much of the season, including parts of the playoffs, and that missing piece matters. Williams is “pretty easily their second-best player,” and his return next season changes the picture.
That is part of why Oklahoma City is still being slotted ahead of San Antonio in some NBA power rankings. The two teams, along with the New York Knicks, are widely viewed as the league’s top tier, and their order can be shuffled without much pushback. Heavy’s Sean Deveney pointed to the Thunder’s offseason moves and a coach’s assessment of the roster in making the case.
“The Thunder had to dump three players-Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins-for financial reasons this summer,” prefaced Heavy's Sean Deveney. “Still, when healthy, the Thunder have the best roster in the league and have championship credentials. Said one Western Conference coach: 'The Spurs have great young players, but no one is more complete than the Thunder.'”
There is still a long-term argument for San Antonio, though. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Williams are all on maximum contracts, while the Spurs have more financial flexibility thanks to Victor Wembanyama's pay cut. San Antonio also has Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, two young players who have not reached their peak.
For now, the consensus is clear enough: the Spurs, Thunder, and Knicks sit as the NBA’s top three teams, and San Antonio and Oklahoma City remain the league’s two most promising franchises going forward.
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The next step is less about flash and more about tightening the edges of his game. Better shooting consistency, more physical play and stronger rebounding would make his minutes even harder to take away, especially with his fit alongside the teams key pieces already pointing in the right direction. If those pieces fall into place, Champagnie could move from useful to indispensable, which is exactly the kind of leap that can quietly reshape a rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Stephon Castle Is Earning Praise For What Could Set Him Apart
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Castles trainer, Olin Simplis, has been among the loudest voices pointing to that side of his game, praising his ability to handle multiple positions and turn defense into a calling card. It is the kind of trait that can make a player stand out in a league filled with scorers, and it helps explain why some around the Spurs see a different kind of ceiling for Castle even as comparisons to bigger-name wings continue to swirl. [Read more 🡒]
Carter Bryant Has One Big Step Left In Spurs Core Build
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The bigger question is how far Bryant can go on the other end. His development as a three-point shooter and a more reliable scorer will go a long way toward determining whether he becomes a useful stopper or a true two-way difference-maker, and for a Spurs team still building toward title-level expectations, that kind of offensive jump could end up being the final piece they are waiting on. [Read more 🡒]