It has been a fun ride for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2023-2024 season. No one expected the Thunder to be this great this early in their rebuild, let alone that they would fight for the number one seed in a very competitive Western Conference.
But the expectations have been set and surpassed, and the Thunder now find themselves on a great path to succeed for the remainder of the season and come playoff time.
Things are changing for the Thunder
The Thunder, as young as they are, pushed for a roster upgrade before the trade deadline. They added veteran forward Gordon Hayward, injecting wing depth and leadership, and signed Bismack Biyombo to fortify a thin frontline.
These trades have allowed the Thunder to gain depth in those areas and perhaps position themselves to compete against older, more experienced squads down the line.
There is also the prospect of lineup reshuffles, with struggling players having to take a backseat for new players or less-used bench guys to fill in the shoes. The possibility of injuries and rest should also be considered in the latter portion of the season.
Nevertheless, the Thunder have a lot in store for them after this All-Star break. A few questions, though, need to be answered before the season ends: here are some of them.