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4 Reasons why the Thunder have already won the 2024 NBA Offseason

The NBA Offseason may only just be in its infancy stages, but the OKC Thunder are already the clear winners.

By Harrison Leiby

Dec 8, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7), and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrate after Chet Holmgren scores a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 8, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7), and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrate after Chet Holmgren scores a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
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2. Cap situation

It’s rare to see a team as young as the Thunder be as successful as they are. Since many of the players are on their rookie contracts, it has led to the club having a ton of cap flexibility.

Going into this offseason OKC has the fifth-most cap space in the NBA, sitting at $35.3 million available to spend this summer. With essentially a max slot available, the Thunder have endless possibilities of how they could fill out their roster.

One of the most noticeable problems for Oklahoma City last year was their center rotation. They did not have an enforcer in the paint to guard some of the stronger centers on opposing teams.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Jonas Valančiūnas are two of the top centers on the free agency market. Not only is Oklahoma City compelling due to their chances to compete for a title, but they can also afford to splurge on a player.

As Hartenstein looks to get paid this Summer, he has been linked to the Thunder as a possible landing spot. Entering the 2024-2025 season, he will be 26 years old. He fits the timeline in OKC. Could Hartenstein be the Thunder’s answer at the five?

Another big to keep an eye on is Kevon Looney. As the Warriors aim to avoid the luxury tax, it’s become very possible Looney is released or traded by the team. He could also fill a void for the Thunder in the paint.

On top of this, there is always the possibility that the Thunder don’t use their cap space in free agency, and rather trade to bring in a player on a larger contract.

Following the Bridges trade, it’s clear Brooklyn is entering a full-blown fire sale. This means that, for the right package, 3-and-D forward Cameron Johnson could be on the trade block. His build is exactly what OKC needs on the wing to help with their spacing.

Another Net, Dorian Finney-Smith, could bring the same thing to the Thunder. Both bring a similar game to the table and a package for DFS could come at a reduced price for Presti and co.

Whatever direction the Thunder decide to go, it would be shocking if they did not at least give Sean Marks a call to gauge the value of Brooklyn's wings.

There are truly endless possibilities of what Oklahoma City can do with its cap space. For now, they can sit back and watch as teams do what they can to open up cap space for the big names on the market.

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