The Oklahoma City Thunder did not rush their rebuild mode. Instead, they embraced it.
Under the leadership of general manager Sam Presti, the Thunder front office committed fully to a long-term vision centered on draft picks, player development, and flexibility. The foundation of the vision included tough, but, in retrospect, savvy decisions in trading away veteran stars like Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Chris Paul, which have led to it taking shape faster than most expected.
Now, the Thunder boast one of the NBA’s most dynamic and well-rounded young rosters. Led by head coach Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City is now a legitimate title contender, not despite being the league’s youngest team (average player age is 24.148), but because of it. Presti and company have put on a masterclass in roster construction and provided the blueprint for building in the modern NBA.
The Thunder’s Trade-Fueled Rebuild
Presti’s roster-building formula involved loading up on draft picks, turning every transaction into a long-term investment. The George deal alone netted Oklahoma City a franchise-altering return.
The nine-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-Defensive Team selection spent two seasons in Oklahoma City. Unfortunately, the dream core of George, Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony didn’t yield any tangible results beyond the regular season.
Instead of riding it out, the Thunder front office shipped George to the Los Angeles Clippers. In return, Oklahoma City landed five first-round picks, two pick swaps, and a young guard named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has blossomed into one of the best players in the game today.
While the quantity of assets was somewhat surprising, it was up to Presti and the front office to capitalize on the value. The Thunder struck gold in the 2022 NBA Draft by grabbing Chet Holmgren at No. 2 overall and then landing Jalen Williams at No. 12. Both players are now core pieces to OKC’s success on the court.
The trade also allowed Oklahoma City to nab Nikola Topic with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft. While Topic has yet to touch the floor as he rehabs a torn ACL, the team is excited about his future in the NBA.
While the George trade was the most notable due to what the Thunder were able to acquire with those assets, the front office made a couple of shrewd moves to set the franchise up for future success. They also moved on from fellow All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul in deals that yielded them long-term flexibility and draft capital.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP Breakthrough
At the center of the trade that sent George to the Clippers was the large haul of draft picks the Thunder acquired. However, what quietly reshaped the franchise’s future was the inclusion of then-21-year-old guard Gilgeous-Alexander, who was just one season into his NBA career.
As a rookie, the former first-round pick averaged 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds, finishing sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.
While Gilgeous-Alexander was viewed as a promising young guard, not many people anticipated the caliber of player he’d eventually become. Over the next five seasons, the Canadian native elevated every facet of his game, developing a methodical, unguardable offensive skill set and play style.
By the 2022-23 season, Gilgeous-Alexander had transformed into a 30-points-per-game scorer, a mark he has achieved in each of the past three seasons. After earning All-Star and first-team All-NBA nods in each of the past two seasons, the Kentucky product put together his most complete campaign yet this year.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in scoring (32.7 ppg) on a career-high 21.8 shot attempts per game. He also averaged 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals while shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from behind the arc. He went on to beat out Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokić for NBA MVP honors, marking the seventh straight season that an international-born player has won the award.
What makes Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise so special is that it wasn’t just about scoring, even if that’s what garners most of the attention. Sure, he can score from the midrange better than just about anyone, but over time, he’s grown as a facilitator and as a defender.
Gilgeous-Alexander may not get a ton of credit for his defense, but he’s proven in the 2025 NBA Finals just how much he’s grown on that end of the floor, recording 12 steals and nine blocks through five games against the Indiana Pacers.
Filling Out Oklahoma City’s Championship Core
Gilgeous-Alexander’s growth as a basketball player and as a leader has been fun to watch. And while he earned his MVP award, he can’t do it alone. Holmgren and Williams have both played integral roles in the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals.
Holmgren missed his entire rookie season and much of this season, but when in the lineup, he makes his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He’s averaged 16.1 points and 2.3 blocks per game over the past two seasons.
Jalen Williams with a 40 piece in the Finals. Now the whole world knows how nasty this dude is. pic.twitter.com/nPhd5gwCuf
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2025
Williams, meanwhile, has gotten better every year, and he’s exceeded expectations after getting drafted out of Santa Clara. The 24-year-old posted career-high averages in points (21.6), rebounds (5.3), and assists (5.1) en route to earning his first All-Star and All-NBA selections. He also dropped 40 points in Game 5 of the Finals.
The trio of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren has been the driving force behind Oklahoma City’s resurgence. They’ve drawn comparisons to the previous core of Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and James Harden that went to the NBA Finals in 2011.
Presti and OKC’s front office have done a fantastic job of filling out the roster around their young stars. The Thunder have found additional talent through the draft in Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace, with Luguentz Dort getting signed as an undrafted free agent. Isaiah Joe and Isaiah Hartenstein were free-agent signings, while the team acquired do-it-all role player Alex Caruso in the Josh Giddey trade.
The NBA Finals Payoff
The Thunder finished the 2024-25 season with an impressive 68-14 record, the best mark in franchise history dating back to the days of the Seattle Supersonics. That’s no accident, either, as Daigneault’s squad was dominant on both ends of the floor this season, posting an NBA-best +12.7 net rating, according to NBA advanced stats.
Even though Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP, this team has proven that it’s more than just a one-man show. The Thunder have prided themselves on being an unselfish bunch, filled with players who can make a tangible impact on games without having the ball in their hands. Their togetherness and camaraderie on and off the floor, including in group post-game interviews, speak volumes about the culture that’s been built in Oklahoma City.
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Now, the Thunder are just one win away from securing the franchise’s second NBA championship and the first since the team moved to Oklahoma City and rebranded.
It may be difficult to sustain the success as players look to get paid, so it’s unclear what the future holds. However, Presti’s vision has officially come to fruition, and front offices around the league should take note.
It’s safe to say that Oklahoma City’s patient, methodical rebuild has paid off.
