The OKC Thunder have one of the best young cores in the entire NBA, and as the team projects to take another leap in win total, fans are starting to get antsy. The Oklahoma City Thunder saw a 16-win improvement a year ago without seeing their lone top-five pick in this rebuild step onto the hardwood yet. With the addition of Chet Holmgren, another top-ten pick and a two-time EuroLeague MVP, the buzz around Bricktown is palpable.
While we have yet to see this entire core play together, the OKC Thunder fanbase is already looking forward to the franchise making a big splash on the trade market. However, to acquire some of the lofty names the fans want to see be shipped to Bricktown, you have to give to get.
Luckily, the OKC Thunder have a mountain of draft picks to help shoulder the load of trade negotiations, but picks can not get you totally over the hump when hunting for stars. However, Sam Presti might set his sights on a more complimentary piece rather than a premier elite weapon.
How is tabbed as untouchable for the OKC Thunder heading into the 2023-24 NBA season?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander transform into a genuine Superstar over the past year, and with him already being locked into a max contract that runs through the 2026-27 season, it feels certain that the Gilgeous-Alexander will not be traded away from Bricktown unless he demands a trade.
But to this point, he has said all the right things about wanting to see their rebuild through to give confidence to Thunder fans that he is, in fact, “untouchable.” Even to the point where other Front Office executives have given up hope that he will be made available.
The waters get murky as you move into other portions of the roster. Keeping around a Superstar first-team All-NBA guard who produces at both ends and was fifth in MVP voting a season ago is a slam dunk. What about the youngsters?