Reign men: Thunder will prove their greatness to NBA

The 2010s in the NBA were essentially defined by LeBron James’ Miami Heat/Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. The former's teams won the Eastern Conference eight straight years from 2011-18. The latter closed the decade by winning the difficult Western Conference five straight years (2015-2019).

Since then, the league has had a void at the top. In fact, when the NBA Finals tip off June 5 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers winner, it’ll be the seventh straight season in which both finalists will be different than the previous season — the longest such streak in NBA history. This is the Era of Parity.

Although there’s more talent in this era than in the 2010s, the NBA has struggled to recapture the magic it had during the LeBron/Warriors eras. That's because the NBA thrives when there are dynastic, era-defining teams. Viewers enjoy the drama, the journey and the resolve that great teams must display to win multiple hard-fought playoff series year after year. They want to believe that they are witnessing greatness.

Thankfully, the Era of Parity is ending. The Thunder, the NBA's youngest team, are rocking the league. And they’re built to dominate unlike any other team under the latest collective bargaining agreement.

After finishing the regular season with a league-best 68-14 record, the second-greatest net rating in NBA history (plus-12.8 points per 100 possessions) and, by far, the best defensive rating in the NBA, the Thunder are rolling in the postseason. Per DraftKings, they are a minus-575 favorite to win their first league title in Oklahoma City. (The Seattle iteration of the team won it all in 1979.) Winning a championship would put a bow on one of the more dominant seasons in NBA history.

Perhaps the craziest part about the Thunder is that one could argue that their three best players have yet to hit their prime. Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player and league’s leading scorer (32.7 PPG), is only 26. Forward Jalen Williams, who made third-team All-NBA, is 24. Forward Chet Holmgren, who will make multiple All-NBA teams if he stays healthy, is only 23. Their head coach, Mark Daigneault, one of the game’s best minds, turned 40 in February.

Behind the Thunder’s Big Three are outstanding role players, each a top-notch defender. Guard/forward Lu Dort, who finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, routinely puts the NBA’s best scorers in the "Dorture Chamber." With how he has frustrated the likes of Denver's Nikola Jokic and Minnesota's Julius Randle these playoffs, guard Alex Caruso has a legitimate argument over Dort as the league’s best perimeter defender. Cason Wallace, a 21-year-old backup guard, received All-Defensive team votes in only his second NBA season. Center Isaiah Hartenstein is an ideal two-way big man. And guard Aaron Wiggins, who dropped 41 points when inserted into the starting lineup for Williams earlier this season, can light it up when called upon.

Most of the aforementioned players are in the Thunder's long-term plans. But even when they must make difficult salary-cap decisions to stay under the second apron, the Thunder are built to plug and replace unlike any other team because of their excellent eye for talent and developmental success. Their top pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, guard Nikola Topic, sat out the entire season with an injury. He and other intriguing youngsters (forward Dillon Jones, guard Ajay Mitchell and forward/center Ousmane Dieng) are waiting in the wings for an opportunity.

The Thunder also have 11 tradable first-round picks and 17 second- round picks between this draft and the 2031 draft. Given OKC's track record in drafting and developing talent, it wouldn’t be shocking if those picks yield at least one star and a number of impact players. Most importantly of all, these future draft picks can be an insurance policy for GM Sam Presti in case a key contributor gets injured and as a trump card if he wants to go big-game hunting for a superstar.

The next five, seven, maybe even 10 seasons, are going to be defined, in large part, by the Oklahoma City Thunder. They’re going to make multiple NBA Finals and probably win multiple championships. They’re going to enter most seasons and most playoffs as the favorite to win it all. They’re going to be the measuring stick for the rest of the league, the bully on the block and an NBA Finals boss. And the league will be better for it.