Oklahoma City Thunder

Chet Holmgren confirmed that his budding rivalry with San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama doesn't extend off the court.

"We're always going to compete and if people take it as we got beef, those people don't really understand competing, I guess," the Oklahoma City Thunder star said during an appearance on the latest edition of Paul George's Podcast P, Presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment.

Chet sets the record straight on “beef” with Wemby.

New episode premiering NOW: https://t.co/Hb2z4ooNTd pic.twitter.com/48LzFnXyKB

— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) August 19, 2024

While the two lanky forwards weren't members of the same draft class, they shared the same rookie season after Holmgren suffered a Lisfranc injury to his right foot that required surgery and caused him to miss his 2022-23 campaign.

Wembanyama won the 2024 Rookie of the Year award unanimously, although the Thunder forward accumulated 98 of a possible 99 second-place votes. Both players earned spots on the All-Rookie First Team.

Holmgren and Wembanyama share similar skillsets, using their long wingspans to reject shots at the rim while maintaining the ability to handle the ball and efficiently shoot from behind the arc.

They faced off three times last season, with the Thunder winning two of the matchups. While Oklahoma City won the season series, Wembanyama averaged 20.0 points and 13.0 rebounds against them. The individual battle between Holmgren and the former No. 1 overall pick didn't disappoint either, featuring several memorable moments.

WEMBY BLOCKS CHET 😤

CLUTCH DEFENSE. pic.twitter.com/wZBh9Cqxoq

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 1, 2024

As Wembanyama looks to bring the Spurs to a postseason spot following offseason additions such as Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, Holmgren will attempt to help the Thunder defend their status as the reigning No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The two big men should be involved in multiple exciting matchups once again, although Holmgren revealed that there isn't any animosity between them.

After seeing the fruits of their rebuild bloom in 2023-24, the Oklahoma City Thunder are ready for the next step in their evolution to NBA championship contenders.

Despite having the second-youngest team in the league, the Thunder surprisingly achieved the best record in a wildly competitive Western Conference last year by finishing at 57-25. It was Oklahoma City's first winning season since 2019-20 and the team made a massive leap from finishing in 10th place in 2022-23 to first place last year.

The Thunder's youth movement was spearheaded by star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second in the voting for NBA MVP behind Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić. With a core that includes Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City has arguably the best collection of young talent in the NBA.

Unfortunately, the Thunder had their season come to an end in the Western Conference Semifinals in six games against the Dallas Mavericks. Oklahoma City loaded up to make a deeper run next year by adding coveted veterans Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein to the roster this offseason.

This year, the Thunder will be the ones with the target on their backs. Here's a look at the slate Oklahoma City will be facing as it tries to live up to its championship expectations.

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2024-25 Thunder Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Denver Nuggets, Oct. 24, 10 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +700 (bet $100 to win $700), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

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Top Matchups

Dallas Mavericks

If the 2024 playoffs were any indication, the Thunder and Mavericks will be one of the top rivalries in the Western Conference for years to come.

Dallas is led by another perennial MVP candidate in star point guard Luka Dončić, who went toe-to-toe with Gilgeous-Alexander during their six-game series. The Mavs went on to represent the West in the NBA Finals before falling to the Boston Celtics in five games.

The Thunder won the regular-season series 3-1, but things were much more closely contested in the postseason. The six games were decided by an average of 8.6 points, showing how evenly matched the two teams are.

Dort was tasked with slowing down Dončić during the conference semis and did an excellent job, as the Slovenian's average of 24.7 points was his lowest in any playoff series last season.

Dallas made a splash this offseason by signing four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, who is more than familiar with going to war with Oklahoma City in the playoffs after his tenure with the Golden State Warriors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njanF2mUtZM

Both the Thunder and Mavs will be trying to establish supremacy in the Western Conference next season, so the matchups between them will surely produce some intense battles that fans will enjoy.

Memphis Grizzlies

In many ways, matchups between the Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies will be like looking in a mirror for both squads.

It wasn't that long ago that the Grizzlies were the young darlings of the NBA, as they emerged from their rebuild by achieving second-place finishes in the West in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

Memphis even had a similar formula to the one that brought Oklahoma City success last season, as its young core is led by star point guard Ja Morant, swingman Desmond Bane and defensive stalwart Jaren Jackson Jr.

However, injuries derailed the 2023-24 campaign for the Grizzlies as they placed 13th in the West with a 27-55 record, their fewest wins since they went 22-60 in 2017-18. It can be expected that a fully healthy Memphis team will be motivated to reestablish itself as one of the top contenders in the league this year.

The battles between Gilgeous-Alexander and Morant will pit two of the league's most exciting young players against one another. Morant owns a 6-3 advantage in their head-to-head series, and he will be driven to take back his spot as an MVP candidate.

The Thunder swept the regular-season series 3-0 last year, so momentum is on their side. Still, it will be fun to watch the Grizzlies try to knock them off their perch this season.

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Season Forecast

The Thunder are going from the hunters to the hunted, but that shouldn't stop them from being on the shortlist of title contenders this season. Oklahoma City has the second-best odds to win the NBA championship in 2025 behind only the defending champion Celtics.

Questions surrounding the Thunder's youth were rampant following their playoff loss to the Mavericks, and rightfully so. Williams disappeared for long stretches during the series and Holmgren struggled to protect the paint.

However, the sting of losing early despite being the No. 1 seed should serve as fuel for Oklahoma City's youngsters to bounce back in a big way this season.

The additions of Caruso and Hartenstein were among the best moves of any team this offseason. Both are low-maintenance players who will fill their roles perfectly with the Thunder.

Caruso is the reigning NBA Hustle Award winner and is known for being a quintessential "glue guy" who can contribute in a variety of ways. He's earned All-Defensive selections in each of the last two seasons, so the combination of him and Dort will undoubtedly stifle opposing backcourt duos and take pressure off of Gilgeous-Alexander.

Hartenstein spent most of the 2023-24 season as the backup center for the New York Knicks, but he proved he could be effective in a larger role after starter Mitchell Robinson went down with a fractured ankle. He averaged 12.1 rebounds in the month of January while seeing starters' minutes.

These new faces added to Oklahoma City's existing core group should lead to an even bigger year for Gilgeous-Alexander, who has proven to be an MVP-caliber player. The 26-year-old will have more opportunities to dominate on the offensive end while the Thunder look to prove that the 2023-24 campaign was no fluke.

If all goes well, Oklahoma City will be in the running for the top seed in the West once again.

Record Prediction: 54-28

The Oklahoma City Thunder's trade for guard Alex Caruso was voted as the second-best acquisition of the NBA offseason in a recent ESPN poll.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps surveyed 18 coaches, scouts and executives who voted Caruso's arrival in Oklahoma City second behind the Philadelphia 76ers' signing of Paul George.

• Paul George signing with the 76ers: 6 votes
• Alex Caruso trade to the Thunder: 5
• Jalen Brunson extending with the Knicks: 3
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signing with the Orlando Magic: 2
• Rob Dillingham drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves: 1
• Mikal Bridges traded by the Brooklyn Nets: 1

The Thunder acquired Caruso from the Bulls in June, sending back guard Josh Giddey. With Caruso heading into the final year of his contract, it was always expected that the Thunder would explore offering Caruso an extension.

He is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $80 million on December 20. The timing of the deal allows Oklahoma City to see how Caruso meshed with its young roster. He will have two months to work out any potential kinks, but it would be a shock if he did not ink the extension in December.

While Caruso's numbers aren't typically the type to garner massive contracts, his defense makes him a special case. Caruso has made All-Defensive teams each of the last two seasons, emerging as one of the best lockdown guards in the NBA.

"I know I'm one of the best defenders in the league, whether it's recognized or not," Caruso said in March when talking about making All-Defensive teams. "It would be cool, obviously. And making first-team last year, I was pretty proud of that. I think having the respect of the guys I play against and the guys I battle against every night telling me that they enjoy playing against me because it's a challenge and it's competitive, that's just as important as having a first- or second-team All-Defense award."

The Thunder enter next season hopeful to take a leap into true title contention. They made the regular-season leap in 2023-24, earning the top seed in the Western Conference, but fell in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks.

Adding a steady veteran presence like Caruso to the natural progression of the team's young talent could be the thing that puts Oklahoma City over the edge.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander mined from some unexpected sources when he constructed his ideal player.

In a video shared by FIBA, Gilgeous-Alexander said his player would have Kobe Bryant's scoring ability, LeBron James' athleticism and Chris Paul's on-court intelligence. Considering all three are either in the Hall of Fame or destined to get there, they're obvious names to list off.

Unbeatable in 1-on-1 🔥#Paris2024 x #Basketball pic.twitter.com/JiigvpwC9b

— FIBA Basketball (@FIBA) July 23, 2024

However, Gilgeous-Alexander cited Andrew Nembhard for the passing category and Lu Dort for defense.

The two-time All-Star is nothing if not loyal to his teammates. Dort and Nembhard are fellow members of the Canadian national team, while the former shares a locker room with SGA in Oklahoma City.

While Dort has drawn plenty of praise for his defending, he'd probably be much further down the list for most fans when highlighting one player, past or present, for his defense. Nembhard, likewise, has been a solid playmaker through his first two years, but his 4.3 assists per game don't exactly jump off the page.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who steadily improved across his NBA career until he became an MVP candidate by his fifth year, has spoken about how raw traits are only part of the formula for building a great player.

"It's a mentality," he said to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne in April. "The skill stuff I just hammer away at. But what makes a great player is how they carry that to the court. How they control fourth quarters and win games.

"LeBron [James] is LeBron because for 20 some odd years he's controlled games."

One assumes it's implied his ideal player would have that same kind of mental fortitude.

Isaiah Hartenstein has cashed in on his breakout 2023-24 season with a deal from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Thunder will sign Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million million contract.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN confirmed the two sides had come to terms on a deal.

For those in doubt, the Knicks offered Hartenstein the full four-year, $72.5 million deal they could, according to a league source. He elected to test out free agency. The Knicks never pulled the offer. They wanted him back. They just weren't allowed to pay him enough.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 1, 2024

This move, however, did not catch the Knicks by surprise. Reported days ago that the organization was increasingly pessimistic about its chances at keeping Hartenstein, who it sensed would field offers far above NYK's max offer.

This was why. https://t.co/jJxn3nxAhN

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) July 1, 2024

Heard from multiple people how tough a decision it was for Hartenstein to leave the Knicks. He really wanted to stay. Loved his time with Knicks. Difference in average salary is almost double though, plus cost of living is cheaper in OKC.

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) July 1, 2024

Hartenstein spent the past two seasons with the New York Knicks. He took over as their starting center last season due to Mitchell Robinson's injury issues. The 26-year-old averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 75 games.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau used Hartenstein in the starting lineup for 49 games. He entered the season having started a total of 12 games in his first five NBA seasons combined.

The Knicks entered this offseason in a great spot after a thrilling playoff run. Hartenstein and OG Anunoby were their biggest free-agent questions.

It seemed unlikely Anunoby would be going anywhere after the Knicks traded RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire him from the Toronto Raptors in December.

Hartenstein's future was a bit more uncertain simply because Robinson is under contract through 2025-26. Given the concerns about Robinson's durability—he's played more than 70 games only once in six seasons—there seemed to be a strong possibility Hartenstein would return.

Thibodeau relied on Hartenstein more than ever throughout the 2023-24 season. He averaged a career-high 25.3 minutes per game during the regular season. His usage increased to 29.8 minutes per game in the postseason.

Hartenstein has been a terrific player-development story since entering the NBA in 2017. He was a second-round draft pick by the Houston Rockets and played sparingly in two seasons with the club before signing with the Denver Nuggets as a free agent in November 2020.

The Nuggets traded Hartenstein to the Cleveland Cavaliers four months later. He appeared in 16 games for the Cavs, then signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency.

Hartenstein's stellar offensive rebounding last season made him a very attractive big man on the free-agent market.

Oklahoma City was able to present Hartenstein with an offer that was too good to pass up. He will enter 2024-25 in a new place yet again, but he can be an impactful starter for a team with playoff aspirations.

After losing in the second round of the playoffs, the Thunder wasted no time addressing their primary needs. It started when general manager Sam Presti traded Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso.

Caruso's defensive versatility and shooting touch—he connected on 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts last season—will make him an ideal fit for Oklahoma City.

Now, Presti has pulled off another significant move by addressing the Thunder's need for size in the paint. Among teams that made the playoffs, they averaged the second-fewest total rebounds per game (42.0) and offensive rebounds per game (8.8) during the regular season.

Hartenstein averaged nearly one-quarter percent of the Knicks' offensive rebounds just on his own last season (3.3 per game). His ability to attack the glass on both ends of the floor should create more scoring opportunities for a team that already has one established superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and another budding superstar in Chet Holmgren.

In a loaded Western Conference with 13 teams that can reasonably be expected to compete for a playoff spot next season, the Thunder's moves this offseason have made them arguably the deepest team in the field.

The Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be solidifying the team's depth in the long-term future.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that the Thunder are declining team options on Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins for 2024-25. This decision was made to clear "the way for the team to work with both players on long-term deals in July."

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining 2024-25 team options on Isaiah Joe ($2.1 million) and Aaron Wiggins ($2 million), clearing the way for the team to work with both players on long-term deals in July, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2024

Joe was set to earn $2.1 million on the option while Wiggins would have made $2 million. Both players would have become unrestricted free agents following the 2024-25 season.

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Joe averaged 8.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 78 games in 2023-24. Wiggins averaged 6.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 78 games. The duo started a combined five games, but this production was key for a Thunder team that took a big step forward in 2023-24.

Oklahoma City went 57-25 and earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. It would advance to the second round of the playoffs but would eventually fall to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

The story of the team centered around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, but Wiggins and Joe played roles in keeping the pace when the starters needed to rest. While a cheaper option may have been to let the two play on options, committing to them long-term could be what helps the team develop a culture that surrounds its young stars.

The Oklahoma City Thunder entered Thursday without a selection in the second round of the NBA draft, but the team reportedly made a move to change that.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Golden State Warriors sent the No. 52 pick to the Thunder in exchange for guard Lindy Waters III.

Fischer added that "several teams are under the impression" that Oklahoma City is "attempting to move further up from this No. 52 slot."

There are still some impressive names remaining on the board ahead of Thursday's second round, including Duke's Kyle Filipowski, Kansas' Johnny Furphy, Marquette's Tyler Kolek and of course, USC's Bronny James. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman predicted that James would be selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 55 pick in his second-round mock draft.

This trade adds to the wheeling and dealing for the Thunder. After using the No. 12 pick to select Nikola Topić, Oklahoma City reportedly sent five second-round picks between the 2025 and 2027 drafts to the New York Knicks on Wednesday to get back into the first round and select Dillon Jones with the No. 26 pick.

The Thunder finished first in the Western Conference with a 57-25 record this past season. General manager Sam Presti has been known to be a top-notch talent evaluator, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he lands another gem in the second round.

It remains to be seen who Presti is eyeing on Thursday, but it's clear that the Thunder are looking to add players who can contribute right away next season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder sent five second-round picks to the New York Knicks in order to select Dillon Jones with the No. 26 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The second-round picks will take place between the 2025 and 2027 drafts, per Charania.

The Knicks also acquired the 2024 No. 51 pick from the Washington Wizards in a separate Wednesday night deal, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The picks deals caps off a busy day for the Knicks after Wojnaroski reported earlier Wednesday that the team had agreed to a five-year deal for free agent forward OG Anunoby.

The night prior, Leon Rose and the Knicks had acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.

The six second-rounders acquired by the Knicks Wednesday help replace some of the draft capital the team gave up in the costly trade for Bridges.

The Knicks sent the Nets four unprotected first-rounders ranging from the 2025 to 2031 drafts, as well as a projected 2025 first-rounder, an unprotected 2028 pick swap and a 2025 second-rounder, in order to acquire the two-way star, per Wojnarowski.

The Knicks entered the draft with three picks, as the team was slated to select at No. 24, No. 25 and No. 38.

New York then exchanged the No. 24 pick with the Washington Wizards to move down to No. 26, which the team used to net the five picks from a Thunder team in urgent pursuit of Brooks.

The Knicks stayed at No. 25 in order to draft French wing Pacome Dadiet, a move that could also potentially help the team take on Bridges' $23.3 million salary for next season.

Because the wing has played professionally in Europe, New York could potentially draft-and-stash him for next season, which would allow a cap-strapped team some much-needed salary flexibility, as noted by SNY's Ian Begley and CapSheets' Yossi Gozlan:

By trading out of No. 26 and stashing Pacome Dadiet - and replacing those picks by rostering two 2nd round picks on rookie minimum - Knicks could save a total of roughly $3 million in team salary for 2024-25, per @YossiGozlan. Not clear yet if Dadiet will be stashed yet.

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 27, 2024

The Knicks' draft maneuvering likely isn't over yet. Barring any further moves, New York is currently set to select twice more when the second round begins Friday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The Oklahoma City Thunder landed one of the top international prospects in the 2024 NBA draft, selecting Serbian point guard Nikola Topić with the 12th pick.

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Nikola Topić

Position: PG

Height: 6'6"

Pro Comparison: Goran Dragic

Scouting Report: There haven't been many teenagers as productive as Topić was in the Adriatic, where used his 6'6" size, ball-handling, vision and finishing crafty to score and play-make. His shot was inconsistent, and he lacks standout athletic traits, but Topić still has clear shotmaking range and the tools and instincts to compensate for limited explosiveness.

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Thunder Active Roster and 2024-25 Salary (Expiration Year)

Nikola Topić, PG: Rookie-scale contract

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG: $35.9M (2027)

Luguentz Dort, SG: $16.5M (2027)

Chet Holmgren, C: $10.9M (2026)

Josh Giddey, SG: $8.3M (2025)

Kenrich Williams, SF: $6.7M (2027)

Cason Wallace, PG: $5.6M (2027)

Ousmane Dieng, SG/SF: $5M (2026)

Jalen Williams, SG: $4.8M (2026)

Jaylin Williams, C: $2M (2026)

Adam Flagler, G: Two-way (2025)

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Free Agents

Gordon Hayward, SF: UFA

Isaiah Joe, SG: Club option

Aaron Wiggins, SG: Club option

Lindy Waters III, SF: Club option

Bismack Biyombo, C: UFA

Mike Muscala, C: UFA

Keyontae Johnson, SF: RFA

Olivier Sarr, C: RFA

TyTy Washington Jr., PG: RFA

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Topić made a name for himself by leading Serbia to a gold medal at the U18 European Championships in 2023. He started the 2023-24 season at Mega MIS and averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 assists across 13 games before transferring to Crvena Zvezda in December for the chance to play in EuroLeague games.

Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a knee injury. and he was found to have a partially torn ACL when he went through his NBA medical examination. Still, his youth makes him an attractive prospect with a bright future. Once he's fully healthy, he can develop into a key contributor for Oklahoma City in his rookie year.

The 18-year-old is a ball-dominant guard who excels at attacking the rim and making plays for himself and his teammates. At 6'6", Topić has a size advantage over most other point guards, and it makes him a reliable finisher around the basket. He has areas to improve like his three-point shooting and his defense, but he has the skills to develop into an effective primary ball-handler.

Isaiah Hartenstein's free agency market appears to be heating up.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be the front-runners to land the former New York Knicks center.

"Orlando and Oklahoma City continue to be teams cited most often by rival executives when forecasting Hartenstein's likely suitors in free agency," Stein wrote.

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The 25-year-old averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 75 games for the Knicks in 2023-24. He accumulated those statistics in 49 starts and averaged 25.3 minutes.

This was the most starts and minutes he has played in his NBA career, and much of this came due to injuries to Mitchell Robinson. With Robinson set to resume his role as the starter and with the Knicks bringing in Mikal Bridges and hoping to still sign OG Anunoby in free agency, Hartenstein looks like a luxury it can't afford.

This brings Oklahoma City and Orlando into the mix, and Hartenstein could be a solid addition to both squads. Oklahoma City went 57-25 and earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder would advance to the second round of the playoffs, falling to the Dallas Mavericks.

While this was a big season for Oklahoma City, it was the team's return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20 and adding a veteran like Hartenstein could benefit a young star like Chet Holmgren and also provide some stability to the bench.

Orlando is in a similar situation. The Magic earned the No. 5 seed with a 47-35 record and fell in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. Orlando had also not qualified since the 2019-20 season, and Hartenstein could serve as a solid depth piece to aid Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.

NBA free agency is set to begin June 30.