Why Preseason Matters for OKC Thunder After Championship Run

The Oklahoma City Thunder could just take the next few weeks off, but that isn’t how they operate.

Opening night is still nearly three weeks away, with the Thunder’s first championship banner set to be unveiled on ring night against the Houston Rockets. While all roads lead to the eventual start of the NBA season on Oct. 21, the Thunder still have some business to take care of in the meantime.

For most contenders, the preseason simply represents a couple of weeks that the team wishes would be over quicker. Of course, the Thunder aren’t like most contenders. Still set to enter next season as one of the youngest teams in the league after winning a championship, the preseason presents some opportunities that most teams in Oklahoma City’s position wouldn’t have.

For starters, the Thunder will get a chance to see 2024 lottery pick Nikola Topic on an NBA floor for the first time. After an intriguing summer league a couple of months ago, Topic will finally have a chance to play alongside some of the teammates who won him an NBA title before stepping on an NBA court.

Of course, that also means Mark Daigneault has plenty of decisions to make regarding his rotations. Given the Thunder’s nature, they won’t exactly be playing at full speed in the preseason, but they probably won’t be far off.

For a team that built this era on the idea of process over results, that thought process has taken a clear backseat. However, with the stakes as low as they come in the preseason, the Thunder will have a chance to try some things out without the pressure that comes with being a defending champion that will get every team’s best shot over the course of 82 games.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City will also have an opportunity to get a glimpse at who might fill the final two-way spot. While Branden Carlson and Brooks Barnhizer have had two of the spots locked down for months now, the Thunder still have a decision to make on their 18th roster spot.

Considering the expanded preseason rosters, that decision could be significantly influenced by the Thunder’s five games before opening night. 

Overall, the preseason won’t matter too much for the Thunder. After a title run, it’s hard to find too much value in the preseason, especially for the top dogs in Oklahoma City.

However, for everyone around the edges, these games could make a huge difference as the Thunder ramp up for their title defense.