OKC Thunder Remain Atop 'Contender Rankings' for Two National Media Members

The NBA trade deadline brought plenty of headlines around the league.

From Luka Doncic joining LeBron James in Los Angeles, to Jimmy Butler finding a new home with the Warriors, multiple teams in the Western Conference made splash trades ahead of the deadline. In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers added De'Andre Hunter to a roster that already sat atop the league's standings.

Even the Oklahoma City Thunder got on in the action, trading for future draft capital.

OKC also acquired Daniel Theis in a trade, but waived the veteran center shortly after the deal was finalized. While the team didn't add any noteworthy players via trade, Chet Holmgren did return to the Thunder's lineup one day after the trade deadline and has already made an impact in his two games back.

Despite the Lakers, Warriors and Cavaliers' additions, Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon of The Athletic still ranked Oklahoma City No. 1 in the duo's "contender rankings" on a recent episode of the Game Theory Podcast.

Vecenie described the rankings as an ordered list of teams the he believes can win the NBA Finals this season.

"I think that there is a top tier," Vecenie said. "For me right now, if I had to pick one team, I would pick Oklahoma City. I trust their defense an incredible amount. I love the way that they're able to play offensively, I think that Chet (Holmgren) is going to be an incredibly impactful addition. They didn't make any moves at the deadline because their deadline move, is Chet Holmgren. ... Right now, if you made me pick one team, I would pick them."

The Thunder were also No. 1 in Simon's ranking, as the former American University forward listed many of the same reasons as Vecenie.

OKC holds a 43-9 record heading into its Feb. 12 matchup with the Miami Heat, boasting the highest winning percentage in the NBA and a 7.5 game lead over the second-place team in the West. In addition to a strong overall season record, Oklahoma City currently holds a +13.5 Net rating, which would be the highest for any team in NBA history over the course of one season.

The Thunder's defensive rating sits at a league-best 105 with Mark Daigneault's group holding opposing teams to 104.8 points per game, the lowest mark in the NBA.

Led by MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and first-time All-Star Jalen Williams, the Thunder are still integrating Holmgren back into the lineup but have been one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. With help from key role players like Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein and Aaron Wiggins, Oklahoma City continues to strength its position as a title contender as the season progresses.