CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs and Oklahoma City Thunder both acquired their franchise cornerstones via blockbuster trades. But the similarities end there, as one franchise now stands atop the NBA mountain while the other struggles to find direction.
The contrast offers a masterclass in NBA team-building philosophy and exposes a fundamental flaw in Cleveland’s approach.
“The main difference between the Cavs and the Thunder to me is that the Thunder got their superstar and all the draft picks at once and the Cavs had to give up all their draft picks to get the superstar,” explained Cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast.
This simple yet profound observation cuts to the heart of why Oklahoma City has emerged as a budding dynasty while Cleveland has stagnated despite similarly timed rebuilds.
The Thunder’s acquisition of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Clippers – which also netted them a treasure trove of draft picks – has proven to be one of the greatest trade heists in NBA history.
Watkins elaborated on the brilliance of Thunder GM Sam Presti’s approach: “Acquiring Paul George and the way they managed Paul George, the way they played up ... you’re not just trading for Paul George, LA Clippers, you’re trading for Paul George and Kawhi. And your price should reflect that.”
This strategic foresight stands in stark contrast to the Cavaliers’ all-in move for Donovan Mitchell, which cost them valuable draft capital and narrowed their championship window to the present. While Mitchell has been stellar for Cleveland, the trade limited the organization’s flexibility and ability to build sustainably around him, particularly as they sit as the only team in the NBA in the second apron this season.
The divergent outcomes from these superstar acquisitions have created entirely different developmental environments for the young supporting casts on each team.
Evan Mobley has been asked to develop at a rapid pace to match Mitchell’s championship timeline, as he was seen as the “caretaker of the franchise until Evan Mobley was ready.”
That accelerated timeline has put immense pressure on Mobley to develop quickly, while Oklahoma City’s young core has been allowed to grow more organically alongside their superstar.
As Watkins noted, the presence of SGA gives their young players time to grow: “Evan Mobley has been asked to grow up a little bit faster than the Thunder have needed Chet \[Holmgren to grow up.”
The Thunder’s abundance of draft capital also allowed them to take calculated risks and uncover gems like Jalen Williams (12th pick), Isaiah Joe (undrafted), Aaron Wiggins (55th pick) and Lu Dort (undrafted) building a deep roster of complementary talents.
Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, who previously covered the Thunder, highlighted the organization’s comprehensive approach: “They don’t leave any stone unturned as far as assets and what they can use from their resources because they have to. Like this is Oklahoma City, man. Steph Curry ain’t signing there in the summer. Giannis ain’t signing there in the summer.”
This recognition of organizational limitations and strengths has enabled OKC to build a sustainable contender through methods appropriate for their market.
Meanwhile, Cleveland appears caught between trying to win now with Mitchell while still developing young talent like Mobley and Darius Garland.
The Thunder’s approach doesn’t just offer advantages for roster construction – it creates a more forgiving environment for player development.
For Cavaliers fans, the lesson is bittersweet.
While the Mitchell trade brought excitement and raised the team’s floor, it may have simultaneously lowered their championship ceiling by limiting their pathways to improvement. The Thunder, meanwhile, have shown that acquiring a superstar doesn’t have to come at the expense of future flexibility.
As Oklahoma City emerges as a new-age dynasty while Cleveland struggles with identity and consistency issues, the contrasting approaches to superstar acquisition stand as a stark reminder that in the NBA, how you get your franchise cornerstone can be just as important as getting one in the first place.
Here’s the podcast for this week: