How the OKC Thunder Could 'Run It Back' With Nearly Identical Roster in 2024-25

In 2023-24, the Oklahoma City Thunder had its best season in nearly a decade, earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and becoming the youngest team in NBA history to win a playoff series.

While OKC was eventually defeated by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals, the team showed that it clearly has a bright future with a young roster that returns almost everyone from its run this season.

The only certain change to the Thunder's rotation over the offseason is Gordon Hayward's contract, which is set to expire, making the veteran wing an unrestricted free agent.

Sam Presti and company will also have important front office decisions to make regarding Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins' futures in the Modern Frontier, but it seems likely that both Joe and Wiggins will be on the team in October unless Oklahoma City mades a trade over the summer.

Aside from Hayward, however, OKC can run it back next season with the same roster it had in 2023-24 and will likely get similar results as the team's young core develops with another offseason together.

While many observers are hoping for the Thunder to make a big trade of free agency signing over the summer to add a center or another shooter on the wing, there is a decent chance that Mark Daigneault's team is the same heading into next season.

Oklahoma City will likely bring in a lottery pick from the 2024 NBA Draft and Hayward will no longer be on the team, but aside from swapping out a rookie for the former Charlotte Hornets wing, OKC could elect to play the year out with its current roster.

The Thunder have flaws that need to be addressed, but there is no reason to expect Presti and company to make an acquisition over the offseason if the team's front office doesn't feel like the player fits the Daigneault's on-court system or the organization's culture.

With such a young roster, Oklahoma City's window to compete for a championship has just opened, and there will be other opportunities to add players.

If the right fit doesn't become available this offseason, OKC should wait until the trade deadline or the 2025 offseason to make a move, as rushing the process and bringing in a player who disrupts what the Thunder have built could derail the team rather than improve on a 57-win regular season.

While it seems that many Oklahoma City fans and observers are expecting the team to make some type of roster move ahead of its upcoming campaign, the team could also elect to give it another shot with the group that earned the top spot in the Western Conference.

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