Among the 16.4 million people who watched Game 7 of the 2025 Finals was Kevin Durant, whose former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, lifted its first NBA championship. Now, the future Hall of Famer and two-time title winner has sat down to dissect the team’s roster.
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Durant spoke about this as a guest on the Mind the Game podcast, hosted by legends LeBron James and Steve Nash, and shared a controversial opinion on who the expendables were in this 68–14 squad. When Nash and James discussed OKC’s future draft capital and how it could help the team stay under the second apron of the NBA salary cap, Durant interjected.
The former Golden State Warrior bluntly suggested that only three players on the Thunder have a bona fide spot on the team. The rest, he said, could be placed on the trade block as the franchise plans for the future.
Durant said, “But it comes down to two guys. I mean, three guys. The rest of these dudes can be…” — but before he could finish, Nash jumped in with “interchangeable” to help complete the 2013-14 MVP’s point.
“Shai is going to be that guy for the rest of his career. What is Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren going to be?” Durant continued, pointing out that talent growth and not draft picks will continue to fuel OKC’s rise. “Course they’re playing great right now, but those three guys got to keep [getting better]. Shai is already at that level, but those two guys have to keep getting better. That’s just the facts of it. Just be more consistent.”
James, Durant, and Nash agreed that GM Sam Presti is a genius for building a contending team while hoarding draft assets at the same time. They also acknowledged the tough decisions looming, as the second apron will force roster cuts. That said, Durant isn’t concerned about ownership’s commitment to winning. “With the salary cap, I think they’ll pay for sure,” he said. “They know they’ve got a great team and something special ahead of them. But more than anything, those two guys have to keep stepping up.”
The question now: is everyone outside of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren truly interchangeable? Durant’s view isn’t without logic. The league is full of athletic wings and shot-creating guards. But it’s a bit simplistic. Coach Mark Daigneault’s system isn’t plug-and-play. Presti’s culture — nearly two decades in the making — fosters player-specific chemistry. Isaiah Hartenstein’s defensive anchor work and elite screen-setting proved vital. Just ask the New York Knicks how it felt to lose him for nothing.
Alex Caruso’s defensive IQ and veteran presence made championship-winning plays. Plus, he pops champagne like a pro. Neither he nor Luguentz Dort can be brushed off as interchangeable. Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins? They might be the ones who fit that “interchangeable” label Durant mentioned.
Why Durant’s OKC superteam didn’t work
What could have been, what should have been, and what would have been — those questions follow every NBA veteran deep into their 30s. While reflecting on the 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder team that featured himself, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, Durant looked back on that era with both pride and grace, acknowledging just how young they all were at the time.
“It’s a different era,” Durant admitted. “I think we exceeded expectations with that team. When you reach the finals and you go through a run like that so quickly, I don’t think a GM or owner was ready for that.”
The Thunder lost to the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals in five games. Durant was 23, and Westbrook and Harden were 22 years old. “We sped up the timeline,” KD continued. “Serge [Ibaka], he came out of nowhere. He came out here being the best shot blocker in the league. I’m averaging 30. Russell is 22 years old as an All-Star. James, a 6th Man.”
And then came the trade. Harden was shipped off to Houston after refusing to sign a four-year, $55.5 million extension, well below the max.
“I just think they were kind of shocked at how good we got, so fast,” said Durant. “Sometimes you get confused, and then on top of that, Sam Presti was probably what, 30-something years old. [He] was young, everybody was young, trying to figure stuff out. Trying to understand what this landscape [was].”
For Oklahoma, it took time. They had to rebuild, develop talent, and pick up some real ballers over the years. It all came together when they lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2025. Arguably, they’re the best-run team in the NBA right now.
