The Thunder Must Keep Their Main Goal In Mind Next Season

As the season goes on, OKC can't let regular-season accomplishments get in the way of a title.

May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) reacts in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Thunder must keep their priorities straight as this coming season stretches on. 

OKC is entering this season with a lot to prove as they try to get back to the NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder are no doubt one of the best teams in the league; however, they can’t get caught up in everything going on throughout the season. 

For instance, the Oklahoma City Thunder have had the best record in the NBA for the past two seasons and have taken the top spot in the West for the past three. While it might seem like the Thunder are a shoo-in for the same position, it might be in their best interest to not chase the best record. 

Of course, if OKC runs away with the one seed as they’ve done in years past, it shouldn’t be a problem. However, they shouldn’t overexert players just to have a one-seed difference. The home-court advantage would only not be in the Thunder’s favor for the conference finals and maybe the finals, but in the end, OKC is good enough to win on the road. 

This overexertion trend could pop up at times during the season as well, with the NBA Cup. While this in-season tournament would showcase the Thunder’s dominance once again, there truly isn’t a reason for the team to risk anything when the tournament is only for money and bragging rights. 

Finally, another thing OKC will have to look past is the aspect of developing players when the time comes. There will no doubt be a time and a place for the Thunder’s rising players to take over games, but the Thunder shouldn’t be married to the idea of allowing their young players to take over. 

While each of these things could be positive factors for points in the season or the future, they could ultimately get in the way of OKC’s biggest goal, an NBA Championship. The Thunder saw this past season where injuries got in the way of giving them their best shot at the title, as both Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell were absent for most of the Western Conference Finals. Allowing its stars to have breaks at points in the season will allow the team to have a better chance to be at full health, while also balancing being in a good seeding position to compete. 

With so many accomplishments available to OKC this year, the team must remember its ultimate goal of an NBA Title.