OKC Thunder 2024-25 season preview: Best in the West? Or will young stars stumble?

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We’re breaking down the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy outlooks for all 30 teams. Enjoy!

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

2023-24 finish

Offseason moves

Additions: Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Nikola Topić, Dillon Jones, Ajay Mitchell, Alex Ducas

Subtractions: Josh Giddey, Lindy Waters III, Bismack Biyombo, Gordon Hayward, Mike Muscala

Complete roster

Here’s everything you need to know for the 2024-25 NBA season. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The Big Question: Are the Thunder really ready?

Only one team had a better record last season than Oklahoma City. Only one outscored opponents by more points per 100 possessions. Only one joined OKC by finishing in the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

That team won the NBA championship.

Maybe the Thunder — with what still ranks as the NBA’s youngest roster — aren’t as close to that Celtics team as the statistical résumé might indicate. It’s worth remembering, though, that while Boston pulverized the Dallas side that vanquished Oklahoma City, Thunder-Mavericks was dead-even across its six games, three of which were decided by four or fewer points — including Game 6, which P.J. Washington won with free throws after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got whistled for a foul on a 3-point attempt with two seconds left.

Which is to say: Despite Dallas’ defense grinding OKC’s drive-and-kick game to a halt, despite non-SGA Thunderers missing nearly 70% of their 3-pointers, and despite Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. having the shot-making series of their lives against Mark Daigneault’s play-the-percentages defensive scheme, the Thunder were right there. And then Sam Presti went out and plugged their biggest — only? — holes.

Out goes Giddey, rendered all but unplayable in the postseason by his offline jumper. In comes Caruso, a better and higher-volume shooter and a better off-ball player who fully understands the assignment of a championship-level role player — Oklahoma City’s version, Presti hopes, of Boston landing Derrick White.

Even with more…

Source link : https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/okc-thunder-2024-25-season-preview-best-in-the-west-or-will-young-stars-stumble-140026792.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-01 14:00:26

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.