OKC Thunder Rightfully Tabbed As NBA's Best Front Office

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been voted as the NBA's best front office according to executives polled by the Athletic. The OKC Thunder deserve this top spot.

May 28, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hugs Oklahoma City Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti after their team defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City is dominating the NBA in every aspect. Not only did they win their first NBA Championship a year ago after owning the best record in the league with 68 wins (a franchise record) while having the best defense and point differential of all time and boasting the MVP, two All-NBA and as many All-Defensive players, but they haven't slowed down to start the 2025-26 campaign.

After a quiet offseason full of locking up their core signing their big three –– Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams –– to max contract extension but inked Ajay Mitchell and Jaylin Williams to new, team friendly, pacts as well. To start this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 24-1, tying the best mark in NBA history through 25 games. Riding a franchise-best 16 game winning streak, everything is turning up Thunder to start this campaign. Despite the fact that Saturday will be the first time all year the team is healthy enough to deploy it's expected starting lineup.

The Athletic released a poll ranking the best front offices in the NBA. It is no surprise to see Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the list

“The best-ever job of acquiring future assets while dominating in the present,” one voter described to The Athletic. “Usually, those two are a little exclusive when you’re talking about championship-level teams. Presti is just the preeminent GM in the league.”

The Bricktown Ballers front office garnered 31 first-place votes, the second highest was a tie between Minnesota and San Antonio, who got three each. Oklahoma City got three more second place votes and a third place ballot as well.

This landed Oklahoma City far and away at the top of the Athletic's list, polling 36 NBA executives.

Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti and owner Clay Bennett stand next to the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the ring ceremony before the start of a game against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Top 10 NBA Front Offices via The Athletic's NBA Executive Survey

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Boston Celtics
3. Houston Rockets
4. Miami Heat
5. Indiana Pacers
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Nwe York Knicks
9. San Antonio Spurs
10. Golden State Warriors

Presti has built a juggernaut and has done the work to bare out these results. Sure, Chet Holmgren was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but he is the lone top five pick on the roster. Swinging the Paul George block buster in 2019 is still being felt around the NBA to this day with the Clippers tied for the best odds to land the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is headed to Oklahoma City unprotected. Eight of the Thunder's 15 man roster are players who went in the second round or undrafted.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the deepest and most talented squad in the NBA while navigating the new restrictive CBA perfectly. A well deserved top place finish for Presti and company.