Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder’s season ended in heartbreaking fashion, optimism quickly grows when zooming out to the big picture. It’s hard not to be excited for OKC’s future because this was likely the first of several playoff runs with this core.
It sounds like the people within the building feel the same way.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander concluded his best season yet with a runner-up MVP finish. At 25 years old and under contract until 2027, the Thunder will have one of the league’s best players during his prime.
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren round out one of the best trios in the league. The pair of second-year players had stellar individual seasons.
The Thunder will have a lengthy title window that should span several seasons. The OKC trio’s tenures are perfectly aligned, and the guard-wing-big three-man show complement each other well.
In his exit interview, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is excited to see what the latter can accomplish with an offseason to look forward to.
“This is the lowest level of Chet Holmgren we’re going to see, which is pretty exciting,” Daigneault said. “The reason I’m so confident saying that is because of his appetite for improvement. He’s a guy that is incredibly focused. Basketball is his No. 1 priority. He sleeps in his sneakers. He will have a great summer physically and skill-wise.”
Offseasons are when most of a player’s development occurs. The four-month break allows players to decompress and work on their weaknesses. Holmgren’s openness to working out with NBA legends should bolster his odds of improvement.
After a stellar rookie season, the 22-year-old has already established himself as one of the best defenders in the league. His outside shot and handle make him a viable offensive threat, too.
“He’s done a great job of working with us as an organization on a plan and sticking to that plan. He did that last summer through the season. He’ll do that again this summer,” Daigneault said. “When you’ve got a guy with that kind of drive. … that plan is that focused and he’s willing to execute it the way he is, improvement is very predictable.”
If Holmgren continues to develop at the rate he has, the Thunder’s notable improvements will be internally instead of adding outside help. This is the most organic approach if OKC wants to be a constant title threat.
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