Thunder Will NOT Finish Last In Western Conference

Everyone slept on the Oklahoma City Thunder last season and picked them to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference and while we do it again this season, they will likely find a way to exceed expectations again. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and Darius Bazley are three young players with a lot of potential for growth and that is exactly what this year will be used for. 

While they have virtually no chance at making the playoffs this season, that is alright with OKC’s front office for the fact that this season is almost like an audition for future years. They want to evaluate the talent on this roster and see who can and who cannot be a key player for the future of the organization. 

Given their draft stockpile, it doesn’t really matter where the Thunder finish in the Western Conference because either way, they are going to end up with a high draft pick every year through 2027. While it is easy to say they will finish at the bottom of the league and be one of the worst teams in the league, they actually have some decent players that could win them quite a few games.

Between the three young players mentioned earlier, along with Al Horford, George Hill, Trevor Ariza (who will likely get bought out of his contract at some point) and Mike Muscala, the Thunder have some decent players who will absolutely win a handful of games this year. Will they be terrible? 

Yes, the Thunder will not be the team they have been over the years, but does it matter in the long scheme of things? Not one bit.