Identifying All The Pieces That Could Turn OKC Into The Next Dynasty

The Oklahoma City Thunder are definitely the team to beat right now, but will they be for years to come? 

Entering the 2025-2026 NBA season, the Thunder have a championship to defend, which also means they have a legacy that needs to be continued. If they keep up their recent success, we could be looking at the next NBA dynasty. Plus, the Thunder seem like they already have all the pieces necessary to make that dynasty a reality.

Which players will be the drivers of a potential dynasty?

Stars

Every dynasty is headlined by a star. For the Thunder, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fits the mold perfectly. Coming off his MVP season where he averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists and shooting 51.9% from the floor, Gilgeous-Alexander is easily the man for the job. 

The good thing for OKC is that it's not limited to just one star. Jalen Williams is a rising star for the Thunder and even made his first NBA All-Star Game appearance this past season. Chet Holmgren also has tremendous upside and is looking for his first All-Star appearance this year. 

These three players have shown flashes of greatness that could put them up in big three debates with the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, as well as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Role Players

No good team is dependent on just two to three players, and the Thunder are a good team. Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein round out the rest of the starting lineup. Dort averaged 10.1 points a game and shot 41.2% from beyond the arc this season. Hartenstein averaged a double-double with 11.2 points and 10.7 rebounds.

The depth doesn’t stop there for the Thunder as Aaron Wiggins, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Kenrich Williams all played valuable minutes for the Oklahoma City squad this past season. Having the depth to not worry about who is in the game, and to be ok when someone goes down, is rare and is a key quality of a dynasty.

A Future

If all protection rights go their way, the Thunder could have up to 10 first-round draft picks in the next five years. This allows the Thunder to continually replenish their already loaded roster and gives them opportunities for trades that could benefit them. 

OKC has also recently extended Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, and Williams, which keeps the Thunder's big three together for the foreseeable future, allowing present and future talent to play around them to continue to get the best results possible for the team.

Support

Former NBA Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault has proved he offers everything he can to the Thunder. Leading the team to its first-ever NBA championship is no easy task, and with him around, there is always room for another trophy.

The city of Oklahoma City will always have the Thunder’s backs as well. Last year, 754,832 people attended Thunder games, making it electric every night. With this support continuing, the Thunder will know they have a whole city behind them as well every night.

A true dynasty in the NBA is a rare occurrence, but with the tools OKC possesses, they could be the next.