The OKC Thunder are clearly not playing around when it comes to their pursuit of chasing a repeat title in 2025-26.
Over the week since winning their first Larry O'Brien Trophy of the Sooner State era, GM Sam Presti has managed to land arguably the biggest steal in this year's NBA Draft in Thomas Sorber, create roster space via the Dillon Jones trade, and shell out new, cost-efficient contract extentions to guys like Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell.
In the process, Presti has reminded everyone why he's revered as one of the best executives the league has ever seen, while Oklahoma City fans are champing at the bit to see what else this front office may have in store.
Now, though any follow-up moves that the storied GM is bound to make this summer will certainly be essential and highly beneficial to this Thunder team, expectations of seeing them pull off any big-time splashes should be lowered significantly.
In fact, the most likely game plan Presti and company will follow is one that involves securing their own big-name talents for the long haul rather than pursuing outsourced ones.
Though perhaps not as rousing as, say, a hypothetical blockbuster trade, this is without a doubt the correct course of action for this ball club.
OKC Thunder are done adding new players -- and that's ok
Long gone is the logic from last summer that suggested the Thunder still needed someone like Cameron Johnson and his sharpshooting abilities to help thrust this team over the hump and into the promised land.
After winning their electrifying seven-game championship series against the Indiana Pacers, they've officially made it -- now, the focus should be geared toward staying there.
This means rewarding and, simultaneously, locking down the players that got them past that final hurdle, specifically their core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
All three are up for lucrative new extensions, with the two latter talents each being eligible for $246 million pay bump over a five-year span, while their superstar guard could ink a four-year, $293.4 million pact.
With this foundation, the Thunder managed to put forth a truly historic campaign, headlined by securing the fifth-most wins in a single season (68), SGA becoming the fourth player ever to win the scoring title, regular season MVP, and Finals MVP in the same season, and the ball club recording the highest point differential in league history (+12.9).
Being Oklahoma City's roster registers in with an average age of just 25.6, many believe they could be on the verge of becoming a legitimate dynasty as is.
Why, then, should they consider adding any big-name newcomer into this mix that's already established such a status?
Newsflash: They shouldn't and, knowing Sam Presti, they won't!
Making a splash has the potential to create waves with disastrous consequences. For this Thunder team to have their best chance of repeating, they need to keep the water as calm as possible.