The Oklahoma City Thunder might be projected as the worst NBA team, but despite Chet Holmgren’s injury, there are still a few teams that could finish with the worst record
I know that the Oklahoma City Thunder only won 24 games a year ago, but that still did not capture them a bottom three record in the association. I understand they play in the toughest conference in the league that only got better and healthier this offseason. Plus, Chet Holmgren going down puts a damper on things, but the Thunder will still be improved this year.
As mentioned earlier, this team is still talented with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey trying to learn how to play together while improving their games on top of young players like Tre Mann, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, rookies Jalen Williams, Ousmane Dieng, and nice key pieces that provide leadership and defense such as Kenrich Williams and Lu Dort. With a really good head coach in Mark Daigneault and an excellent culture, that still does not smell like a recipe for the worst record in the league.
Well, If I am going on that limb of them not being the worst team, who are they better than?
San Antonio Spurs
The team I think Oklahoma City is better than no matter the moves that happen between now and the end of the season, is the San Antonio Spurs. While they have one of the best coaches in the league, if not the best coach, but not a lot more.
Keldon Johnson is a great piece to have, let’s see how Joshua Primo and Devin Vassell improve, they drafted Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley, and I think they have the best two-way player in the league in Jordan Hall but I still think OKC is more talented. There is no SGA on this roster, there is no Josh Giddey on this roster, and pound-for-pound give me the Thunder’s young talent over the Spurs.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are one of the strongest teams in the league for me. They hired Rick Carlisle back as their head coach and since then have done nothing but launched a rebuild while holding onto Myles Turner despite a ton of drama surrounding his name on the trade market and Buddy Hield.
I think Tyrese Haliburton is a top-tier young player in the league, I like what Isaiah Jackson might become, and Bennedict Mathurin might be a really good scorer even as a rookie, but I just do not see Indiana winning that many games.
The only reason it is a risk putting the Pacers in this category is that they do play in the Eastern Conference to attempt to stockpile wins, but ultimately If I had to place money on it, I think OKC will come away with more victories than the Pacers this season.
Utah Jazz
This is a prediction that will take a little imagination. Sure right now, the Jazz has Donovan Mitchell and really good veterans like Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Malik Beasley, Rudy Gay, and Mike Conley, but they also have Danny Ainge and a first-year head coach, Will Hardy, who want to tear this thing down to the studs.
There is a real world in which this team is only left with a young, and strange, Jarred Vanderbilt, Talen Horton-Tucket, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Walker Kessler roster. Kessler is one of the top young players on this squad, and I had him in the 40s on my draft board.
A Donovan Mitchell trade, which appears likely, makes this Jazz team much worse than Oklahoma City.
There are a few toss-ups that I can understand either argument like for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Detroit Pistons. For the sake of argument, and to not look like a blind homer, let’s just say those toss-ups all go against OKC.
Even so, the Thunder are not even a bottom three team in the league despite this Holmgren injury.