Following Breakout Season, What Is Next For OKC Thunder?

Emerging as a team set to be a postseason threat as early as next season, the Oklahoma City Thunder took a huge step forward in the 2022-23 campaign. Following two rebuilding seasons, the team made it back to the postseason and finished one victory away from earning the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

It was the first 40-win effort for Oklahoma City since the 2019-20 season as the Thunder continued to be the most surprising team in the entire league.

With that in mind, development isn’t linear. There’s no guarantee that the Thunder wins more games next season or even makes the playoffs. However, the upcoming offseason will give OKC every opportunity to continue taking steps towards contention.

For starters, Chet Holmgren will be taking the floor for the first time in the 2023-24 season. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, he projects to be an immediate starter that could instantly improve areas of weakness for the Thunder. A 7-footer that can space the floor and protect the rim, his sheer size and paint presence should naturally enhance Oklahoma City’s ability to compete with any team next season.

Not only will the Thunder be integrating Holmgren into the lineup, but there will be yet another incoming high-caliber rookie set to join the team. Oklahoma City has the 12th highest odds in the draft lottery next month, meaning the Thunder has secured a top 14 selection. It could be as high as No. 1 overall (1.7% chance), but the most likely scenario is the pick landing at No. 12 (85.2% chance).

While Oklahoma City will likely draft the best player available regardless of position, landing a wing or forward that can shoot well from the perimeter could be yet another critical piece of the puzzle. It takes time for most rookies to really make an impact on winning at the NBA level, but adding the right player could still enhance the Thunder’s postseason odds.

From there, OKC also projects to have upwards of $30 million in cap space this summer. While it makes the most sense avoid making a big splash in free agency to maintain financial flexibility, it is another tool that Thunder GM Sam Presti has at his disposal.

Between having both a lottery pick in the draft and cap space to get creative, the Thunder really can go multiple directions during the offseason. There could be yet another roster crunch in training camp, given the team also has two second-round picks as well, but that’s a good problem to have. The Thunder has always been about creating a competitive culture.

Outside of adding new talent to the roster, Oklahoma City has a history of internal development ensuring the team takes strides. That was the case in the 2022-23 season, as the Thunder’s best two players significantly increased year-over-year productivity. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as one of the best guards in the NBA and Josh Giddey shined bright in the biggest moments as the team’s secondary scoring punch. That will likely be the case again next season, as players like Jalen Williams, Ousmane Dieng and Aleksej Pokusevski continue to grow.

The combination of existing talent improving along with new faces could push the Thunder into the playoffs as early as next season. It’s a pivotal offseason on both fronts as external expectations will be high for the Thunder in the 2023-24 campaign.