Move over Spurs, the OKC Thunder seem to be on track to have a brand new rival emerge onto the scene come the 2028-29 season.
In a recent update on the ongoing NBA expansion team process, ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that the league is entering "deeper and deeper stages" of these conversations, noting that Las Vegas is closest to landing a squad.
However, along with Sin City, conversations surrounding Seattle as a team destination have been "continuing" as well.
Since the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder in 2008, Seattle has regularly been floated as a prime location for future league expansions. Given the Emerald City's long and storied history in the NBA, there's no doubt that it is deserving of a reintroduction into the association.
Of course, considering Oklahoma City technically stole their beloved club in the first place, there should be no doubt that, assuming the Sonics make their return, they and the Thunder will automatically become one of the game's most entertaining must-watch rivalries from a personal standpoint alone.
Thunder would willingly give Seattle their history records back
As is generally the case with most NBA team relocations, the Thunder organization holds the history and records that were established with the Sonics during their 40-year existence.
Because of this, the likes of Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, and Jack Sikma, all of whom never once suited up as a member of the Thunder, are found at the top of a number of OKC's career-leaders lists.
Fortunately for Seattle, should the bids and votes go its way, they are slated to get their historical records back. At least, that's what many sources have revealed, with the folks at ESPN saying that should Seattle make their long-awaited return, the Thunder "would cede the Seattle history back to the SuperSonics."
Now, obviously, this would be a great scenario for Seattle on account of the fact that they'd get their storied past back in their grasp rather than having to start from scratch.
However, this would also prove to be a tremendous situation for the Thunder, for they would finally be able to come out from the shadows of their SuperSonics connection and officially cement themselves as a separate entity with their own, unshared lore.
On top of this, having Seattle's past dropped would only make Russell Westbrook look even more dominant in the all-time record books, as he'd become the all-time leader in assists, rebounds, field goals made, steals, and games played. These, paired with his status as the all-time points and triple-doubles leader, would only further cement his status as the Thunder's G.O.A.T.
That is, of course, until Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ready to take over the title himself.
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