The Oklahoma City Thunder are in possession of arguably the best young core in the NBA. Not only do they have an elite young player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they have a war chest full of draft capital to go and acquire whichever star they like. In addition, they have a fantastic core of players like Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and more.
However, there has been concern over how long SGA will stay put in OKC while the world can see him develop into an All-Star. The Thunder have quashed trade rumors before, and SGA has now reiterated he has a strong relationship with OKC GM Sam Presti.
An @OklahomanSports exclusive with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on his superstar evolution, his unguardable off-speed drives and what it’s like following Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the next Thunder great: https://t.co/B9CF0zW9C1
— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) December 7, 2022
“It’s always easier to trust someone when they tell you something and it happens. And that’s been my relationship with Sam so far… Everything he’s told me has happened & he’s never lied to me”
Presti has earned SGA’s trust, but that won’t last a lifetime. The Thunder will be under pressure to make moves soon enough to give themselves a real shot at contending once again.
How Long Until The Thunder Start Pushing Towards Contention?
Teams around the league, like the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, were hoping they would have a shot at trading for SGA if the Thunder were tanking. While it does look like they won’t be making a run at the play-in, the Thunder don’t look any closer toward trading Shai anywhere else.
The Thunder could realistically start pushing for contention by next season. They can make one trade and change the fortune of their franchise, pairing Shai with a genuine co-star with the young Thunder players forming a competent core. Exciting times might be ahead in OKC but depending on when they make the push.
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