The Next NBA Dynasty Race Has Already Begun
Will it be OKC or San Antonio who dominate the league for the next few years?
Just one year removed from winning the 2025 NBA Championship, the Thunder were sent home by a young San Antonio Spurs team led by Victor Wembanyama. For most franchises, losing in the Western Conference Finals would hardly be considered a failure. But for Oklahoma City, the series exposed some uncomfortable truths that can no longer be ignored.
The good news? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still one of the best players in basketball.
The bad news? The rest of the Western Conference isn’t standing still.
And neither is Victor Wembanyama.
The Wembanyama Problem
Every championship contender in the NBA now has the same question:
How do you beat Victor Wembanyama four times in seven games?
The Thunder thought they had the answer.
Instead, they discovered that their current roster may not be built to handle what the Spurs are becoming.
Wembanyama’s dominance throughout the series highlighted a major concern for Oklahoma City. While Chet Holmgren remains an outstanding young player and a future All-Star, he looked overwhelmed at times by the size, length, and offensive versatility of the Spurs superstar. Holmgren struggled to establish himself offensively and often looked hesitant when attacking the paint. Recent reporting suggests the Thunder remain fully committed to Holmgren despite his difficult series, and they should be. But commitment and complacency are two very different things.
The Thunder do not need to trade Chet.
They need to help him.
Adding strength, developing more self-creation ability, and finding ways to reduce the burden on him against elite frontcourts should be a top priority.
Because the reality is simple:
If Wembanyama is the future face of the NBA, Holmgren will be seeing him for the next decade.
The Injury Concern Nobody Wants To Talk About
Jalen Williams remains one of the most complete young stars in basketball.
When healthy.
Unfortunately, health became a recurring theme this season.
Williams dealt with multiple injuries and missed significant stretches of action, including playoff games against San Antonio. Even when available, he often wasn’t operating at 100 percent.
This shouldn’t create panic.
It should create urgency.
The Thunder’s championship formula works because they have three legitimate stars. If Williams becomes unavailable for extended stretches every postseason, Oklahoma City’s margin for error shrinks dramatically.
The front office shouldn’t overreact, but it should acknowledge a reality every contender faces:
Depth matters more than ever.
Which brings us to one of the most encouraging developments of the season.
Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain Changed The Conversation
Every great team eventually becomes expensive.
The Thunder are heading toward that reality.
That’s why the emergence of Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain may end up being one of the biggest stories of the year.
Both players provided offensive sparks throughout the season and playoffs, often looking far more comfortable creating shots than expected for players their age. During stretches when injuries piled up, they proved capable of carrying offensive responsibility rather than simply filling minutes.
Championship teams survive because unexpected contributors emerge.
Think of the role players who elevated Denver.
Think of the depth that carried Boston.
Think of the young contributors Golden State consistently developed during their dynasty.
Mitchell and McCain might not become stars.
But if they become reliable playoff rotation players, Oklahoma City’s future becomes much easier to manage financially.
The Lu Dort Dilemma
This is where things get interesting.
Lu Dort remains one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders. His toughness, effort, and willingness to take difficult assignments are invaluable.
But the playoffs have a way of exposing offensive limitations.
Against elite defenses, there were stretches where opponents were comfortable helping off Dort and daring him to become a primary scorer.
That creates a difficult question for Sam Presti.
Not whether Dort is a good player.
He absolutely is.
The question is whether Oklahoma City can afford multiple limited offensive players in a playoff environment where every possession matters.
The answer may simply be improving the players around him rather than moving him.
But it’s a conversation worth having.
What Sam Presti Should NOT Do
The easiest mistake would be panic.
Fans will inevitably call for blockbuster trades.
There will be social media proposals involving Chet Holmgren.
Some will suggest breaking up the core.
That would be a mistake.
This team is still incredibly young and have not reached their ceiling.
Most franchises would kill to have this foundation.
The Thunder don’t need a revolution.
They need refinement.
What Sam Presti SHOULD Do
If I were running Oklahoma City, I’d focus on three objectives:
1. Add More Size and Physicality
The Spurs exposed Oklahoma City’s lack of strength in certain matchups.
The Thunder don’t need another star.
They need players capable of surviving playoff battles against the likes of Wembanyama, Jokic, and the league’s elite frontcourts.
2. Prioritize Additional Shot Creation
When defenses load up on Shai, someone else must consistently punish them.
Williams can do it.
McCain has shown flashes.
But another reliable creator would make life significantly easier.
3. Keep The Draft Picks
This is where Presti has always been different.
Most contenders empty the cupboard chasing short-term upgrades.
The Thunder still possess one of the league’s strongest collections of future assets.
There is no reason to mortgage the future when the present is already elite.
The Race Is Officially On
For the last two years, Oklahoma City looked like the team everyone else was chasing.
That may no longer be true.
The Spurs have arrived.
Wembanyama is ahead of schedule.
San Antonio’s supporting cast continues to improve.
And for the first time, the Thunder enter an offseason knowing there is another young team capable of matching their long-term trajectory.
That’s not bad news.
It’s exactly what dynasties need.
Pressure.
Competition.
A rival.
The Thunder already proved they can win a championship.
Now they must prove they can adapt.
Because the next decade of Western Conference basketball may ultimately come down to one matchup:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren versus Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
And after what we just witnessed, that rivalry feels like it’s only getting started.