The OKC Thunder find themselves heading into Sunday's winner-take-all Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets with more at stake than just their 2025 postseason lives.
That is, at least, according to Stephen A. Smith.
During a May 16 episode of First Take, the polarizing ESPN personality dropped a rather bold assessment of what his mindset will be if Oklahoma City loses their upcoming semifinal finale, stating that, if they get eliminated, "Y'all know who I'm gonna look at -- Mr. Sam Presti."
Stephen A. throws shade at Sam Presti before Thunder’s biggest test
Going off on a tangent (as he famously does), Stephen A. would specifically note during his run down that despite the fact that Presti has been running the show out in OKC for nearly two decdes now, he's yet to prove himself capable of building a team that can thrust itself over the hump and take home that coveted Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"He has been running the basketball franchise for 17 years and doesn't have one championship to show for it... He's never closed. Something's wrong with that," Smith said.
Since being named general manager back in June of 2007, Presti has undeniably established himself as one of the top front office minds in the game today, even earning NBA Executive of the Year honors for his efforts in the 2024-25 campaign.
From his brilliant draft track record that wound up resulting in teaming Russell Westbrook (No. 4 pick in 2008) and James Harden (No. 3 pick in 2009) with Kevin Durant from the late aughts to the mid-2010s to his elite trade skills that has famously netted the organization 15 first-round picks through 2031 and, of course, current cornerstone Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, his resume is rivaled by very few.
Yet, despite all of his accomplishments and history of building highly talented rosters, all he really has to show for his efforts are four conference finals appearances, five first-round exits, and one NBA Finals berth.
Now, following last year's ill-fated round two trouncing via the Dallas Mavericks, the Thunder find themselves in a situation where they could realistically be prematurely eliminated in the conference semifinals for the second straight season.
Considering they came into the playoffs as the favorites to win it all, it goes without saying that such an outcome would be a tremendous upset.
Though it's extremely hard to believe that a hypothetical elimination in Game 7 would or even should lead to Sam Presti's job security being brought into question, at the very least, as Stephen A. Smith pointed out, it may raise some eyebrows over the fact that this team under his watch has "never closed."