A lot of teams are trying to catch up to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Consequently, the NBA trade deadline saw a lot of action. Many front offices jockeyed for positions in attempts to improve their outlooks. But one fact remains. No one did enough to surpass what the top team in the league is doing. In fact, the number one team in the West is about to get the most significant boost of anyone.
Franchises will often give to get in transactions. Someone is usually pronounced the loser. But no matter how fans slice it, talent usually has to leave the doors in order to get a significant piece back. In what can often amount to a zero-sum game, a lot of trades end up having little to no impact. However, sometimes a GM will bet the better of another. Even in this case, it usually takes time for the new teammates to gel. It can take an entire month's worth of games to figure out how to best complement each other. Sometimes, the pieces simply fail to fit together.
This puts the Oklahoma City Thunder in an even greater winning position compared to everyone else. Although the organization made some room around the edges, these maneuvers focused on draft picks. They also solidified the position of Branden Carlson and Ajay Mitchell on the roster. By contrast, others are going to be looking vastly different as they take the court to the end of the month. And of nothing else, their rotation will likely need tinkering.
Staying the course for the Oklahoma City Thunder
But this is not the case for OKC. They have the luxury of keeping their young nucleus intact. Furthermore, Chet Holmgren is set to return after missing significant time due to injury. The former Gonzaga star is one of the top two-way players in the league and is sure to help the team close the season.
Finally, this rotation already has the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort. They are not only deep, but they also have a legitimate MVP candidate on their side. Adding the likes of Holmgren has to be a scary proposition for everyone else. This is particularly true when factoring in how a lot of their wins are already ending in blowouts as is.
Time will tell if this young corps is experienced enough to make a deep playoff push and threaten a title. But welcoming back Holmgren while others continue to figure things out on the fly can only help. Despite the whirlwind week, the Oklahoma City Thunder still need to be considered this year's favorites.
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