The OKC Thunder are once again in position to make a championship run this season, as they return with most of their core from their championship-winning 2024-25 season.
OKC is still primed for another ring, but that might not be all they're playing for this year.
Some of their most fearsome competitors have deep rosters as well, but there is another wrinkle that could lead to a complete Western Conference upheaval.
ESPN recently published an article featuring five coaches whose positions are "warming up." In other words, if all doesn't go according to plan this season, their jobs could be on the line.
Three of them are coaches of major Western competitors.
Thunder have clearly plagued their Western Conference foes
San Antonio's Mitch Johnson, Denver's David Adelman, and Houston's Ime Udoka were all mentioned in the piece, and the Thunder's recent dominance could be playing a major role in their inclusion.
If any of these coaches find themselves without a job after this season, it'll be for one reason: they were unable to get past the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There is simply no way around it. Both the Rockets and Nuggets in particular have hit a plateau ever since the Thunder rose to power. Having not changed much from last season to the present, both coaches will be expected to topple the juggernauts with what resides on their respective rosters.
Adelman has only been Denver's head coach for a year and a half, but there are high expectations in the Mile High City. Udoka has coached the Rockets for three years and has yet to help them break through the opening round of the postseason.
Spurs would only make a coaching change for one reason: the Thunder
Many might be wondering why Spurs coach Mitch Johnson would make this list, even though he just brought his club to the NBA Finals in his first year after serving as the interim coach for the 2024-25 season.
The reality is Johnson is already out of excuses. He now has arguably the best young core in the league, led by a top-three player in the world in Victor Wembanyama, and most of his core now has Finals experience.
The article also cites his poor rotation management against the New York Knicks in the title round, when his team blew countless late leads, only to have him elect to keep the same starting five throughout.
His questionable lineup management could be even more under the microscope if San Antonio fails to cash in on their star-studded cast.
Given that the Thunder remain the biggest threat to their title hopes, Johnson's job could come into question if he were to blow the Western Conference Finals (presumably against the Thunder) this time around.
At the end of the day, all three of these teams' paths to the Finals run through the Thunder. If any or all of them fail to reach their goals, fans may see a change at the top of each organization.
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