NBA Power Rankings week 10: OKC Thunder vault up ladder

OKC Thunder:

Offense: (107.8)  18th
Defense: (107.0) 13th
Net: (plus +0.8) 13th

Games Week 10 (2-1): Won vs Hornets 104-102 (OT), Raptors 98-97, Lost to Grizzlies: 97-110
Games Week 11: Tues vs Mavericks | Thurs at Spurs | Sat at Cavaliers

The Thunder continue to roll in December quietly being one of the best clubs in the West — YES one of the best.

While everyone focuses on the teams in Los Angeles, Harden’s Rockets and the sudden improvements of the Jazz and Nuggets everyone is sleeping on the Thunder.

Are they title contenders? No — but in the same token consider what they’ve accomplished this season. Their record isn’t indicative of an easy schedule, rather they’ve had one of the most difficult strength of schedule.

More importantly, they aren’t just winning in the clutch they are DOMINATING.

The big blue elephant in the room sitting beside Sam Presti is what do I do now? The team as constructed has overachieved and the problem is he has to decide what to do with his veterans. Danilo Gallinari is the biggest question mark because he’s stated he’ll take less money this summer to play for a contender.

But here’s the thing — with all those draft picks in the closet how close are the Thunder to being a title contender? More importantly, would it behoove Presti to trade some of those picks to add another talent instead of trading Gallo to add more picks?

The one fact that is definitive is you know what existing players can bring to the table but draft picks are never a certainty. Sure, it’s great to have those picks and the potential to land a generational talent but with the team performing so well breaking it up now only to suffer for years can’t be an easy decision to make.