OKLAHOMA CITY — We said it about the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. We said it about the Denver Nuggets two years ago. We said it about the Boston Celtics last year.
We’re saying it about the Oklahoma City Thunder now — this looks like the start of a dynasty.
They also realize what a mountain that is to climb.
“You’re not guaranteed anything in the league,” Alex Caruso said, soaked in champagne after the Thunder win. “I think that’s the biggest thing that happens year to year that people forget about. Any moment your team can change with a trade, with an injury, with something that’s out of your control. To be able to get to the pinnacle of this sport and win it is nothing short of extraordinary. To think that you can just walk in and do it every single year is a little bit naïve.
“Rest assured, we’ll show up day one next year ready to get better and ready to chase this again.”
What makes Oklahoma City different from the other “failed” dynasties is the team’s youth — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just entering his prime at age 26, and he’s one of their older rotation players. The only key rotation player 30 or older is Alex Caruso (and they tease him about his age). Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are still on their rookie contracts (both can and will be offered massive extensions this summer, but those would not kick in until the summer of 2026).
“We definitely still have room to grow,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s the fun part of this. So many of us can still get better. There’s not very many of us on the team that are ‘in our prime’ or even close to it. We have a lot to grow, individually and as a group. I’m excited for the future of this team. This is a great start, for sure.”
The NBA tax aprons come for everyone and the Thunder will be no exception. While they can largely run back this core roster next season, the year after that, it will be challenging to retain free agents such as Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort, who will have plenty of suitors on the open market.
That’s where the fact that Thunder president Sam Presti has hoarded draft picks in trades — 11 first-round picks between now and 2030 — is so critical, the Thunder can use them to replenish the roster or trade for other players.
The other secret sauce to this potential dynasty? These players genuinely like each other and want to succeed together.
“I think the most impressive part is the group that did it. Our togetherness on and off the court, like how much fun we have, it made it so much easier,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It made it feel like we were just kids playing basketball. It was so fun.”
What would be fun is another ring, but the past seven years have shown how hard that will be to get.
Published June 23, 2025 03:15 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY — We said it about the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. We said it about the Denver Nuggets two years ago. We said it about the Boston Celtics last year.
We’re saying it about the Oklahoma City Thunder now — this looks like the start of a dynasty.
They also realize what a mountain that is to climb.
“You’re not guaranteed anything in the league,” Alex Caruso said, soaked in champagne after the Thunder win. “I think that’s the biggest thing that happens year to year that people forget about. Any moment your team can change with a trade, with an injury, with something that’s out of your control. To be able to get to the pinnacle of this sport and win it is nothing short of extraordinary. To think that you can just walk in and do it every single year is a little bit naïve.
“Rest assured, we’ll show up day one next year ready to get better and ready to chase this again.”
What makes Oklahoma City different from the other “failed” dynasties is the team’s youth — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just entering his prime at age 26, and he’s one of their older rotation players. The only key rotation player 30 or older is Alex Caruso (and they tease him about his age). Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are still on their rookie contracts (both can and will be offered massive extensions this summer, but those would not kick in until the summer of 2026).
“We definitely still have room to grow,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s the fun part of this. So many of us can still get better. There’s not very many of us on the team that are ‘in our prime’ or even close to it. We have a lot to grow, individually and as a group. I’m excited for the future of this team. This is a great start, for sure.”
The NBA tax aprons come for everyone and the Thunder will be no exception. While they can largely run back this core roster next season, the year after that, it will be challenging to retain free agents such as Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort, who will have plenty of suitors on the open market.
That’s where the fact that Thunder president Sam Presti has hoarded draft picks in trades — 11 first-round picks between now and 2030 — is so critical, the Thunder can use them to replenish the roster or trade for other players.
The other secret sauce to this potential dynasty? These players genuinely like each other and want to succeed together.
“I think the most impressive part is the group that did it. Our togetherness on and off the court, like how much fun we have, it made it so much easier,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It made it feel like we were just kids playing basketball. It was so fun.”
What would be fun is another ring, but the past seven years have shown how hard that will be to get.
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