The Oklahoma City Thunder waited 13 years to get back to the NBA Finals. The last time they made it, it looked like they would be there for the foreseeable future. But Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook made only one NBA Finals together before they eventually broke apart. This Thunder championship roster, however, has been 18 years in the making.
How a 2007 Trade Turned Thunder into an NBA Finals Roster
Sam Presti has been widely considered one of the best general managers in the league. His moves might take some time, but eventually, he got back to the NBA Finals. This time, the Thunder will be favored against whoever makes it out of the Eastern Conference. To prove his genius, we can look back at a simple trade that he made 18 years, ago and how that trade traced the path for this Thunder championship roster. Let’s take a look at the wild ride.
- In 2007, the Seattle SuperSonics traded Rashard Lewis to the Orlando Magic for a trade exception and a 2009 second round pick. Lewis wanted to compete, and the Sonics were not going anywhere at the time.
- In the same year, Presti traded that exception to the Suns for Kurt Thomas and two future first-round picks. In 2008, with one of those picks, he selected Serge Ibaka.
- Eight years later, in 2016, Presti traded Ibaka for Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, and the draft rights to Domantas Sabonis.
- One year later, with the team needing a boost after Durant left, Presti traded Oladipo and Sabonis for Paul George.
- In 2019, the Thunder’s GM used the pressure placed on the Clippers and traded George for Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round picks, and two swaps.
- Picks from that Clippers trade were used to get Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and other contributors.
If you trace the entire trade pathway, Presti turned Lewis into SGA, Jalen Williams, and more of the Thunder championship roster. And they still have incoming assets, like a 2027 swap with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Future is Bright for the OKC Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder became the youngest team to make the NBA Finals in 48 years and have a chance to be the youngest championship roster. The Thunder have a roster with an average age of 25.56 years, with it higher due to veterans like Alex Caruso and Kenrich Williams. They are second only to the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers, who had an average age of 25.03 years.
The 1977 Blazers fell shortly after their championship due to injuries to Bill Walton. But the OKC Thunder are relatively healthy. On top of that, the Thunder have seven first-round picks in the next three drafts. Their payroll is relatively stable, with the majority of their core pieces signed through next season. On top of that, they have desirable young players they can trade for draft capital, salary relief, and veteran contributors.
The Thunder Might be the Next Dynasty
The NBA has always had a dynasty, and it seems like the Oklahoma City Thunder might be on the way to building the next one. With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, it is hard for NBA teams to remain on top for a long period. Eventually, the price tag for keeping the team goes too high.
The only way you can build a dynasty right now is by growing into one. Home-grown dynasties have been dominating for most of the time. For example, the San Antonio Spurs were a dynasty built through the draft. The Golden State Warriors built their dynasty through the draft. The Boston Celtics, the team with the highest price tag right now, got its two core stars through the draft.
What the Oklahoma City Thunder have is a great developmental program. That was the reason the Spurs were able to remain on top, despite not having a high draft pick (after selecting Tim Duncan). They developed players that fit into their system. The Thunder have an abundance of draft picks in the next years, and they can fill out their roster with cheap players on rookie deals.
Photo credit: © SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
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