OKC Thunder Draw Long Title Odds Despite Optimism Around the League

The Oklahoma City Thunder have garnered plenty of attention from around the NBA this offseason.

After a shocking season in 2022-23 that saw OKC win 40 games and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earn First-Team All-NBA honors, the Thunder have been riding high this offseason. With the additions of Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Davis Bertans and Vasilije Micic, Oklahoma City should be poised for an even better year in 2023-24.

Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams, who were already key contributors last season, should take another step forward and be even better this season than last. Giddey, Bertans and Gilgeous-Alexander are also fresh off of impressive performances at the FIBA World Cup, which could lead to a solid start to the year from the aforementioned players.

With everything trending in the right direction, Thunder fans are confident that the team will improve on its 40-win season, which seems likely considering OKC didn't lose any of its mainstays from 2022-23.

Despite this confidence, DraftKings Sportsbook has the Thunder's title odds at +8000, which is the 19th-highest in the NBA. Denver, Boston, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Miami have the best odds while OKC is slotted just behind Brooklyn, Minnesota and Atlanta.

Even if the team is able to reach the over on its projected win total, which would put Oklahoma City better than 44-38 this season, it seems that the Thunder are still a few years away from competing for a championship.

Despite the talent on OKC's roster, the team is still extremely young and needs time to develop into a more experienced group of veterans. As the squad plays more and grows together, they will become more battle-tested and better prepared for high-stakes, playoff basketball.

This difference in championship odds and national conversation about the Thunder matches Oklahoma City's trajectory. Many media members have raved about what the future holds for OKC, while the current NBA title odds reflect who has the best chance to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year.

Even if national media and fans are more confident in what the Thunder are building going forward, teams like the Hawks, Timberwolves and Nets have older rosters with stars who hold playoff experience.

For the Hawks, Trae Young led his team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. In Minnesota, Rudy Gobert has played plenty of playoff series during his time as a member of the Jazz.

Even the Nets, who many believe will take a step back this season, are led by 2021 NBA Finals participant Mikal Bridges.

Though the three aforementioned teams may not have as bright of a future as OKC, it is easy to see why oddsmakers are more confident in the Hawks, Nets and Timberwolves to win in 2023-24 than the Thunder.

Still, it would not be shocking to see Oklahoma City finish the upcoming season with a better record than Minnesota, Atlanta or Brooklyn.

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