Plain and simple, the OKC Thunder are the "It" team of the Western Conference.
With their headline talents in MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams, and rising stud Chet Holmgren, accompanied by arguably the deepest roster in the game and attached to the best record currently in the NBA at 65-14, the proof is in the pudding.
Add this to the fact that the team's average age rings in at roughly 24 years old, and all the rest of the conference can really do is attempt to stockpile themselves with as much star power as possible in an effort to go toe-to-toe with Oklahoma City should they end up squaring off under the bright lights of the postseason.
One of the league's prime examples of operating in such a fashion is the Phoenix Suns who, back during the summer of 2023, pieced together a roster that would be spearheaded by perennial All-Stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, all in an attempt to set themselves up for the franchise's first-ever championship run.
Fast forward two years later, however, and all this ball club has to show for their efforts is a 2024 postseason appearance that ended in sweep fashion during round one of action and, now, 79 games into 2024-25, a sub-.500 record of 35-44.
OKC Thunder have chance to put failed superteam out of their misery
Considering how competitive the Western Conference is, the Suns find their playoff fate completely up in the air with under a week remaining in the regular season.
In fact, the Thunder have the opportunity to put the kibosh on Phoenix's hopes and dreams with a win on Wednesday night, for not only would such an outcome eliminate them from playoff contention, but it could very well lead to the dismantling of the roster altogether come summertime.
Dating back to the trade deadline, talk about the Suns cleaning house was circulating quite heavily.
From reports of internal dysfunction to rumblings of the front office shopping Kevin Durant, the end of Phoenix's failed superteam attempt has been looming for quite some time now.
Once seen as a high-potential assortment of ballers, the organization is on the brink of complete implosion, especially if they are eliminated from so much as a Play-In Tournament berth, let alone a playoff bid.
Wednesday night, the Thunder have the opportunity to put the final nail in Phoenix's extremely underwhelming coffin.