The Oklahoma City Thunder finally completed their rebuild with flying colors, winning the franchise’s first championship since moving to Oklahoma. With most of their roster still incredibly young (no rotation player outside of Alex Caruso is above 27), a dynasty might be upon us.
However, the same felt true for each of the last three champions as well, and none of them have made it back to a Conference Finals. As such, general manager Sam Presti is going to be hard at work to avoid the same pitfalls.
One analyst believes that could mean targeting one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft to further strengthen the team’s foundation.
Thunder Could Target Rising Guard to Build Championship Dynasty
The Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Boston Celtics all appeared poised for extended title runs thanks to stacked rosters and superstar cornerstones in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Jayson Tatum.
It feels like the same case after the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. However, in this new era of the NBA, where the league has crowned a different champion in the past seven seasons, Oklahoma City will need to be smart to stay ahead.
The other three teams chose to remain relatively unchanged going into their championship defense, losing players rather than adding more talent. However, that is where things might change for the Thunder. Note that every player on the roster is still under contract next season.
Additionally, they’re about to add Nikola Topić after he missed all of last season due to injury. Also, they have three picks in this year’s draft. With the 15th overall pick, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports projects that Oklahoma City could target Cedric Coward.
In his mock draft, O’Connor labelled Coward as a 3-point marksman with incredible team defense, both important for playing on the Thunder. A 6-foot-6 product out of Washington State, Coward isn’t a typical first-round rookie.
Looking at some NBA mock drafts & they have Cedric Coward going anywhere from 10 to the mid 20s.
I know the #Cavs don’t have many (if any) assets to trade up, but if Coward is sitting there in the mid20s, I’d give an arm & a leg to get him.
Perfect fit. pic.twitter.com/KquUUyPb4qMikey McNuggets (@MikeLucasTV) June 17, 2025
Rather than a quick one-and-done stay in college, he was in the Cougars program for four seasons.
“Coward has gone from a Division III player to a potential first-round pick in just a few years behind his rapid development into a prospect with a valued 3-and-D skill-set,” O’Connor said. “But he brings even higher upside thanks to his passing vision.”
Clearing 38.0% from beyond the arc in each of his four seasons at Washington State, Coward brings solid size and fits Oklahoma City’s identity of deploying relentless, defensive-minded wings.
Alternative Center Option Could Provide Long-Term Solution
However, others believe that the Thunder can consider a different direction. To shore up their interior, Presti gave Isaiah Hartenstein a massive three-year, $87 million contract. That said, he isn’t going to be the long-term piece alongside Chet Holmgren.
As a result, the latest mock draft from PFSN by Brandon Austin wants them to target Thomas Sorber out of Georgetown. Though more of a developmental piece, Sorber fits the Hartenstein mold to a tee.
Possessing a soft touch, underrated passing skills, and some exceptional footwork, Sorber can be a contributor on both ends. As the Thunder look to avoid the post-title pitfalls that plagued recent champions, choosing a center who can grow alongside Holmgren may offer the more sustainable path forward.
