Are The Thunder Truly Prepared For The Future?

The Thunder don’t seem to be going anywhere over the next couple of years. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are no doubt one of the best teams in the league and have a great shot at securing the organization's second-ever championship this upcoming season. Even after letting multiple players go this offseason, the squad still retained most of the key players on the roster and is looking to be in a good spot. 

Additionally, OKC also set up its future, drafting three players in this year’s draft. These three rookies, along with a plethora of young talent, are bound to keep the Thunder in championship contention for a while, but just how serious will this contention be?

Bleacher Report recently came out with a power ranking of every NBA team for the next three years, and to no surprise, OKC was near the top of the list. The Thunder were ranked second in the three-year power ranking due to their star-studded cast, who all happen to be in their prime or on the rise. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are nowhere near a decline in their careers, and luckily, Oklahoma City has them secured for a while. Holmgren is only going to continue to grow into one of the best players in the league, and if Williams can get his health in check, he could blossom into an even better player than we’ve seen in the past. 

Additionally, the Thunder have young stars who are on the rise and could turn into the future of the league. Cason Wallace is already considered one of the best defensive guards in the league and is just at the beginning of his career. Additionally, Ajay Mitchell looks like he could become one of the best guards in the league one day and could be the key to OKC’s future. 

Unfortunately, the only team above OKC is its rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs also have a good young core that features Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, and will be a threat for years to come. However, the future just can’t be imagined, but will have to be proven, and the Thunder have the experience to get past San Antonio in the future. 

Oklahoma City’s future looks bright, and the team can run the league for the foreseeable future; however, they must continue to prove it on the court and not get complacent, or they might get passed by others around them.