OKC Thunder Will Need to Improve to Best Rival Next Season

The team’s postseason rival got better ahead of next season, and OKC will need to match that improvement.

May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) watches Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoot free throws in the second half of game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Despite the Indiana Pacers taking the Thunder to a seven-game series last postseason, the Denver Nuggets were likely still OKC’s top rival.

Armed with Nikola Jokic and his slew of off-ball weapons, the Nuggets seemed the only team the Thunder were incapable of fully figuring out. Despite Oklahoma City eventually blowing Denver out in Game 7, things never necessarily felt certain until the final buzzer sounded.

Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein hinted toward that exactly on Paul George’s ‘Podcast P’ show weeks ago, saying “I think the only series where we were kind of a little bit on the ropes was Denver. Just [Nikola] Jokic, the way they play, they’ve been there before. That was the only series where we were like ‘even if we do everything right, they still probably have a chance.”

Isaiah Hartenstein: “I think the only series we were kinda a little bit on the ropes was Denver.”

(via @PodcastPShow)
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— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) July 21, 2025

And that reason is why the Nuggets are likely the steepest competition the Thunder will face next year, too.

Denver has made lemonade of limes this offseason, creating a better product on paper than it had at this time last year, despite a lack of real future assets. It was able to glean Cam Johnson from the Nets in exchange for sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr., and added weapons in free agency such as former champion Nugget Bruce Brown, and longtime veteran Tim Hardaway Jr.

With other additions like DaRon Holmes II back from injury, and trading for backup big Jonas Valanciunas, the Nuggets are an obviously better basketball team. And that means the Thunder will need to be as well.

It’ll be tough to improve on 68 wins and a championship run — especially getting every team’s best shot on a nightly basis — but OKC has the means to do so.

Completely discounting the team’s future pick cache — which could be used to make any number of moves on the trade market — they should have plenty of internal development ahead.

Center Chet Holmgren perhaps has the most to gain in that area, having already seen two major injuries early in his career that have derailed progress to stardom. Combo guard Cason Wallace is entering just his third season, and stands to get better in numerous offensive facets. Players like Nikola Topic, Ajay Mitchell, Brooks Barnhizer and Thomas Sorber add an infusion of youth with limitless ceilings. And if MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's arc has taught us anything, it's that players like Jalen Williams might not be done growing just yet.

While the Nuggets have improved on-paper, the champion Thunder could be scheduled to do the same.