Sacrificing $5,302,025 in Luxury Tax for Stability, NBA Insider Sees No Other Option For the Thunder

Published 03/04/2024, 11:56 AM EST

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been flirting with the Larry O’Brien trophy for the better part of two decades. Despite coming as close as an NBA finals, the ring eluded the ill-fated franchise. The last time OKC won the ring was in 1979, when they were located in a different city and had a different name the “Seattle SuperSonics”. However, part of their misfortune has to do with the poor trade decisions they made during their peak.

It’s easy to forget that OKC had three future Hall of Famers – Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook on their roster. Even after having three league MVP, squandering their championship chances are a disaster, to say the least. While most teams would completely re-haul their front office after such a catastrophe, OKC stayed put. Now, eight years after KD left for Golden State, Oklahoma City is a legit contender again.

Meanwhile, their roster is made up of players either drafted by them or traded for a lesser value. The likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren have ensured the best record to Thunder in the league. Discussing Thunder, Evan Turner in the latest episode of ‘Point Forward,’ implores OKC to its keep young core together at any cost. “Make sure y’all going to the luxury do, not let this team go…After y’all trade away three MVPs, don’t ever touch sh*t again. Do not touch sh*t again, just assume you did a great job,” said Turner.

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OKC still has a significant amount of luxury tax space, totaling $5,302,025. So Turner emphasized that despite the potential need to exceed the luxury tax threshold, OKC should prioritize retaining their current roster. Especially after trading away star players such as Paul George, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.

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What should Thunder do with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co?

Thunder are poised to be a playoff contender with a strong foundation in place. Led by their standout star Gilgeous-Alexander, who recently earned All-NBA First Team honors, Thunder boast promising young talents like Josh Giddey, Holmgren, and Jalen Williams who complement Shai’s style of play. Despite facing a roster crunch, the franchise have a blend of veterans and rookies filling important roles.

While they could opt to acquire a second star to compete immediately, they might also choose to stay patient, following their established rebuilding strategy, and allow one of their current players to develop into that role over time. So, do you think Shai and his boys can get to the finals?

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Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by:

Akashdeep Banerjee is an NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. He commenced his journey in sports writing after obtaining a degree in Mass Communication. The pinnacle of the three-point revolution, marked by the captivating performances of Stephen Curry and the GSW, ignited his passion.

Edited by:

Bilal Handoo

Sacrificing $5,302,025 in Luxury Tax for Stability, NBA Insider Sees No Other Option For the Thunder

What should Thunder do with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co?

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