Thunder Look To Build On Historic NBA Title With Youth, Depth And Draft Capital

After securing the franchise’s first NBA championship Sunday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder are already drawing questions about how many more titles this core group might capture.

Their 103-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Finals made the Thunder the second-youngest team to ever win an NBA title, and the foundation appears solid.

As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press notes, just about every key contributor is under contract, and the organization holds a deep stockpile of draft assets heading into what could be another pivotal offseason.

Leading the charge is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who capped a spectacular season by winning the MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring title — a rare triple crown of accolades. Behind him, cornerstones Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are eligible for rookie-scale extensions, while Serbian guard Nikola Topic, a 2024 lottery pick, is expected to debut next season after missing the year due to injury.

“We definitely still have room to grow,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters. “That’s the fun part of this. So many of us can still get better. There’s not very many of us on the team that are in our prime or even close to it. We have a lot to grow, individually and as a group. I’m excited for the future of this team. This is a great start, for sure.”

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault now adds an NBA title to his resume just five years into his tenure. With general manager Sam Presti and team owner Clay Bennett rarely addressing the media, Daigneault has become the public voice of the franchise.

“There’s no guarantee you end it the way that we did,” Daigneault said. “I just wanted it so bad for them. I was just so thrilled that we were able to get that done and they get to experience this because they deserve it. The way they approach it, the professionalism, competitiveness, team-first nature, like I said, I wanted it so bad for them.”

More from Oklahoma City:

— The midseason trade for Alex Caruso proved crucial to Oklahoma City’s title run, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Caruso added toughness and defensive versatility, quickly becoming a trusted piece. “I think just through my career, I figured out that I can do stuff that’s not necessarily sexy or not necessarily the mainstream offensive or even defensive skill set that people recognize,” Caruso said. “I just leaned into it. I practiced being great at the stuff that nobody else does.”

— Holmgren set a new mark with five blocks in Game 7, the most in a Finals Game 7 since the NBA began tracking the stat in 1973, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. After missing a chunk of the season with a hip injury, the rookie big man finished strong. “Honestly, I never really play for records,” Holmgren said. “I never play for stats. All that will be forgotten. But us winning is forever. It’s immortal.”

— Extension talks loom across the roster, and ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes that while Luguentz Dort would normally be a top extension candidate, decisions on Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Williams could complicate matters. Marks also expects OKC to explore trade options involving its No. 15 and 24 picks, along with an additional second-rounder in Wednesday’s draft.