With MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a lockdown defense, and one of the deepest benches in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the favorites to win the NBA title. Former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins believes that this is only the beginning for the Thunder.
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Cousins appeared on the Run It Back podcast to talk some hoops, and the most interesting part of the conversation centered around OKC.
Cousins is not someone who is easily impressed, but he spoke glowingly about the Thunder’s title odds, not only this year but in the years to come.
“I think this is the next team to start a dynasty,” he said. “The reason I say that is they have so many assets for years to come, on top of the talent that they already currently have.”
“I think they’re just set up to dominate now and in years forward,” he added before making a bold claim. “Honestly, I could see Shai getting three to four rings in his career.”
"SGA could get three or four rings during his career."
Boogie Cousins says the OKC Thunder will be the NBA's next dynasty 👀@MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23 | @BoogieCousins pic.twitter.com/PlOhmEJXxE
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 27, 2025
The Thunder haven’t won anything yet, so this is certainly bold from Cousins. But do his words have any backing to them? Let’s take a look.
How is Oklahoma City set up to win the title right now?
The only thing missing from this Thunder team is playoff experience.
OKC is one of the youngest teams in the league, a fact which showed in last year’s playoffs when they were ousted in the second round despite being the 1-seed. GM Sam Presti addressed that by adding Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso in free agency.
SGA is leading the league in scoring with 32.4 points per game as he’s continued to evolve into one of the very best players in the league. The Thunder lead the NBA in defensive rating and, along with the Celtics, are the only team that is top-five offensively and defensively.
The West is deep, but every other team has flaws that OKC can exploit. The Grizzlies have no playoff pedigree. Neither do the Rockets. The Nuggets take a major step back when Jamal Murray isn’t at the top of his game. The Lakers don’t have a center.
There’s no excuse for a team as deep and talented as the Thunder not to at least get to the Finals.
How are the Thunder set up to be title favorites in years to come?
Presti has done an unbelievable job in amassing a war chest of draft picks. The Thunder completely control the draft for the next five years, and that’s even if they finish with the best record in the NBA, which they very well could.
Just next year alone, they could have as many as five first-rounders.
As Chandler Parsons says at the end of the clip above, the Thunder have enough draft capital to get anybody in the league right now, including the No. 1 overall pick and Cooper Flagg.
That’s a terrifying thought for the rest of the league, but it’s true.
OKC’s youth will eventually hurt them when it comes time to pay everyone, but their endless supply of first-round picks will allow them to reset whenever they need to.
SGA is only 26, which means that impossible though it may seem, he’s not even in his prime yet.
Chet Holmgren is only 22. So is Jaylin Williams. Cason Wallace is 21. Isaiah Hartenstein feels like a grizzled vet, but he’s only 26. As good as the Oklahoma City Thunder are now, they’re only going to keep getting better.
Can Oklahoma City become a dynasty?
We’ve never seen a team with this combination of young talent and draft capital before, let alone one that is already led by a legit MVP candidate. The Thunder are positioned to be the best team in the NBA for a long time.
Does that mean that a dynasty is a fait accompli? Let’s pump the brakes just a little bit on that one because OKC hasn’t even made the Western Conference Finals yet, let alone hung a banner in the Paycom Center.
It takes a lot to go right to become a dynasty, and one or two key injuries would be enough to derail any team, even one as deep as OKC.
We also don’t know what other moves will be made by OKC’s fellow title contenders. The Celtics are the defending champs, and they’re still in a great position to be good for years to come. They’re also up for sale, though, and it’s impossible to predict how that will affect their future outlook.
The Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in a shocking trade earlier this month. If they can build around him in the next few years, they’ll absolutely be a threat.
It’s the same for the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. If Giannis Antetokounmpo leaves Milwaukee to team up with another superstar, that could also drastically alter the balance of power.
There’s a lot that can threaten a Thunder dynasty from ever forming, but it’d be safe to agree with Boogie Cousins.
The presence of SGA and the ability for Presti to control the flow of talent for the next half-decade is too powerful to ignore. Before it’s all said and done, the Oklahoma City Thunder will win at least two rings, maybe more.
