The Thunder established themselves as contenders after an incredible offseason.
The NBA offseason does not determine a champion or raise a banner, but it does help every team get closer to doing so. An offseason may make or break a team and influence the outlook of contenders for the upcoming season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder made the most of their summer, putting together an ideal team around their big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks analyzed each team’s “most impactful” offseason transactions.
The Thunder have now acquired Alex Caruso in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, placing Josh Giddey in a fresh position that should be beneficial for him in the long run and allow him to reach his full potential. This marked the start of a run of excellent moves that will propel the Thunder into contention now and in the future.
Heading into the offseason with salary cap room, the Thunder had an opportunity to maximize it and position themselves for trades and future contention. This was the best strategy before extending important players in the near future.
“The priority entering the offseason in Oklahoma City was to maximize a two-year window to utilize salary cap space before likely extensions for Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander begin,” wrote Marks.
Now, the team will be able to continue to construct a core rotation and supporting cast around those three players in Oklahoma City, allowing them to keep their championship window open for many years.
“The Caruso trade from Chicago established the tone, followed by the free agent additions of [Isaiah] Hartenstein, [Isaiah] Joe, and [Aaron] Wiggins. “Those three contracts have lower salaries and a team option in the last year,” Marks added.
Marks got it; the Caruso trade undoubtedly conveyed a statement in Oklahoma City. The time has come, and the Thunder are willing to trade with anybody it takes to build a championship contender and raise their first banner in the franchise’s brief history.
