Just a couple of weeks ago, Oklahoma City Thunder was believed to be capable of setting the NBA record for wins in a season. Fast forward to today, and some serious questions surround the defending NBA champions and their hopes of repeating last season’s success.
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The Thunder are experiencing their first true slump since the 2023-24 season. They have lost 4 of their last 6 games, with 3 of those losses coming against the San Antonio Spurs. The Victor Wembanyama-led team has put a big spotlight on some existing issues with this year’s Thunder team.
In the first matchup between the two, the Spurs narrowly escaped with a victory by a score of 111-109. However, their next two outings were much more convincing performances. San Antonio won by 20 in the second game and by 15 in their Christmas Day matchup. To the naked eye at least, it seems that they have figured out the OKC Thunder.
NBA analyst Rachel Nichols believes this should serve as a wake-up call for the Thunder. The solution to their problems could come in the form of being players at the trade deadline.
“I’d be concerned enough to start looking at my enormous wallet of trade assets,” Nichols said on Open Floor.
It’s hard to believe that such a dominant team still has a treasure trove of draft capital. The Thunder have had 12 first-round picks over the span of the next 7 years. It may seem that they might have to package some of those picks in a trade sooner rather than later.
As great a team as OKC has been, they have struggled mightily in one specific area, perimeter shooting. In their last six games, the Thunder have shot roughly 31% from beyond the arc. That is not the recipe for success for any championship contender.
The Thunder have been so dominant that it’s easier to ignore these flaws. However, Chris Mannix doesn’t believe OKC is miles ahead of the competition as it may appear.
“Even though they’re the title champs, they cut it close a couple times,” Mannix said.
“The Denver Nuggets don’t get ravaged by injuries in the second round, maybe they win that series. If Tyrese Haliburton doesn’t go out, good chance the Pacers win that series. As good as they are, this is not some unstoppable juggernaut that we’ve seen over the last 18 months or so,” he asserted.
If the Thunder were to dive into their draft capital, it wouldn’t be for a deal to sharpen around the edges. It would be for someone who can make a clear impact.
That may result in parting ways with a member of their core rotation. If there’s anyone capable of doing a great job it’s the Thunder’s general manager, Sam Presti.
