Today is the day to read the Oklahoma City Thunder 2024-25 NBA Preview. Data, results from the previous season, a look at their squad and their future free agents, the objectives of the course, the player to follow and a prediction on the franchise.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The staff
- Market movements: Transfer for Alex Caruso, signing of Isaiah Hartenstein and renewals of Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe (here all the movements).
- Rear area: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Kenrich Williams, Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Dillon Jones, Nikola Topic, Ajay Mitchell (double), Alex Ducas (double) et Adam Flagler (double) .
- Front yard: Chet Holgrem, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.
This is how they face the season
The Oklahoma City Thunder are facing this new season with great ambition and a tremendous desire to conquer the world. And it’s no wonder. Last season proved to be a clear demonstration of intentions: the 40 victories obtained in the 2022-23 season transformed, in just one year, into 57 victories, the lead in the Western Conference and a participation in the playoffs playoffs ended in defeat. in six games against the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals. The elimination left a bittersweet taste after an exceptional season, but, at the same time, it demonstrated the enormous potential of a project that has not yet reached its ceiling.
The most valuable aspect of this setback was the identification of the team’s major structural deficiencies, primarily regarding the lack of inches in the paint beyond Chet Holmgren, weakness in rebounding and a few other adjustments uncomfortable in outdoor play. For this reason, Sam Presti opted for caution heading into the summer market, where he prioritized acquiring accessories to strengthen these cracks rather than shutting down any large-scale movement.
The most notable addition was Isaiah Hartenstein, a center who brings interior strength, rebounding ability and some resources to both positions, as he already demonstrated during his time with the New York Knicks. His presence promises to be a balm for Chet Holmgren, who showed, in his first year, a high level and an impressive adaptation to the Thunder system, even if, at times, he needed another pillar, more physical, at his side to face it. the most demanding rivals. The Hartenstein-Holmgren duo promises to balance the inside game, offering both a healthy dose of protect the rim as well as offensive versatility at all three levels of the field.
The idea is that Chet can play more freely on offense, playing further from the post, while Hartenstein takes care of carrying the rebound and strengthening the defense. The main unknown is whether, ultimately, the two are able to coexist and complement each other to bring positive results to their team. For now, Hartenstein will have to wait to return to action after being diagnosed with a broken wrist, which will cause him to miss at least the first month and a half of competition.
Additionally, Oklahoma City added Alex Caruso, one of the most sought-after outside defensive specialists for both quality and price. The former player of Chicago Bulls y Los Angeles Lakers He will replace Josh Giddey who, despite his undeniable quality, had ceased to have his place in the face of the leadership of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the step forward taken by Jalen Williams and the best work in the trio of teammates like Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins. The approach of Daigneault, named Coach of the Year last season, has been to maintain the defensive intensity that characterized the team, now complemented by Caruso’s experience and Hartenstein’s strength in the paint.
At the collective level, the big question will once again revolve around the Thunder’s youth. With an average age of just 24, doubts remain as to whether the team will be able to make the necessary jump into the playoffs this year, where they will again face, hopefully, much more veteran teams of this type. of scenario. Although they managed to finish in the top five in offensive and defensive efficiency last season, that inexperience was exposed against the Mavericks who were able to capitalize on the mistakes of a still growing team. However, the consistency of Gilgeous-Alexander, who confirmed himself as one of the best players in the NBA after finishing second in the voting for the MVP of the season, added to the continuous improvement of Holmgren and Williams, gives fans plenty of reasons why the Thunder dream of competing at very high levels.
In a very competitive West, Oklahoma City enters this new season with an almost perfect blend of young talent, balance and winning voracity. If the newcomers perform as expected and the young core continues to improve, the ceiling for this team is very high: repeat the first place finish in the conference and reach the long-awaited NBA Finals, something they have not achieved since 2012. In this scenario, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could win the MVP title, while Holmgren and Williams will be seriously considered to make their All-Star Game debuts. As if that wasn’t enough, Presti’s ability to maintain financial flexibility and all the draft picks collected in recent years provide teams with enormous room to maneuver, also from the front offices, throughout the season. In a league where youth is often an obstacle, the Thunder seeks to be the exception that proves the rule.
The player to watch
Jalen Williams is the name that many fans and analysts have highlighted as a potential catalyst for the step forward the Thunder want to make this season. After a remarkable year second year studentWilliams has established himself as one of the key elements of Mark Daigneault’s project, and the 2024-25 season could be the one that propels him to star status. His ability to play different positions on the court and fulfill various roles, combined with a privileged physical body and his defensive versatility, has allowed him to establish himself as a constant presence on both ends of the court.
In fact, Williams has shown that he can be much more than a complement to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, from whom he will have to offload some of his offensive responsibilities in favor of a less predictable offense. Establishing his outside shooting and ball creation adds an extra layer of creativity to Oklahoma City’s offense that will be vital in half-court situations and moments of peak tension during the playoffs.
His challenge this season will not only be to consolidate his game and be more consistent, but also to take a leading role when the team needs it. The presence of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso should facilitate his defensive work, allowing him to concentrate more on the opposing edge. If Williams can take a step forward, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see him make his All-Star debut. And, more importantly, be the X-factor that gets the Thunder to make that definitive jump to the playoffs.
NBA Preview 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder, Prediction
On paper, the Oklahoma City Thunder seem destined to improve and increase the number of victories obtained last year. They have a large, versatile and balanced team and, above all, with room for improvement in the future. For this reason, even the quintets and the most extravagant approaches of Mike Daigneault do not constitute an obstacle to the attack of 60 victories. It also represents a double-edged sword for a team that is still very young: the pressure of knowing that anything other than playing in the conference finals will be considered a failure.
- Balance: Between 58 and 64 victories.
- Position: 1st from the West.
- The maximum they aspire to: The team’s recent trend, development of its young core and notable additions puts its ceiling in the NBA Finals.
- If things go wrong: They don’t have a very deep inside game. Injuries (Hartenstein’s has already occurred) and/or a poor adjustment that would cause them to fall to fourth or fifth place, where an unfortunate playoff match against a fully-capable and more experienced Nuggets or Suns awaits them. could send them home in the first round.
Previous team analyzed: Minnesota Timberwolves Next team: Denver Nuggets.
(Cover photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
