As a transformed roster surrounds Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder GM must address Chet Holmgren’s offensive evolution, Jalen Williams’ health, and the immediate impact of high-stakes rookies.
Sam Presti’s annual preseason press conference is always one of those moments where you listen a little closer.
The Oklahoma City Thunder general manager isn’t going to give away everything the organization is thinking, and he rarely does. There will probably be plenty of answers about patience, development and staying true to the process.
But this year, there are some things that feel particularly important.
For starters, what does Presti actually think of the roster as it currently stands?
Oklahoma City made some significant changes this offseason. Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe are gone, while players such as Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain are expected to take on different responsibilities. The Thunder also added Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz and Otega Oweh through the draft.
The core hasn’t changed. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are still here but the team around them is different.
It would be interesting to hear whether Presti believes this is the roster that can win another championship or whether he sees the group as something that will continue to evolve as the season goes along.
Then there’s Jalen Williams.
Few things could change the Thunder’s outlook more than simply having Williams back and healthy. He played just 33 regular season games last season and appeared in only five playoff games.
That made it difficult to know exactly what Oklahoma City had when the postseason arrived.
Presti doesn’t necessarily need to give a medical update. What would be more interesting is hearing what the organization learned from Williams’ difficult season and what it expects from him heading into training camp.
Then comes Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren had an excellent season defensively and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. But offensively, there were moments when the Thunder needed more from him, particularly during the Western Conference Finals. That’s why one of the most interesting things Presti could discuss is what the next version of Holmgren looks like.
Does Oklahoma City want him to be more aggressive? Do they need him to demand the ball more? Is there another level offensively that the Thunder believe he can reach?
Those are much more interesting questions than simply asking whether he needs more shots.
The rookies are another storyline worth watching.
Mara and Stirtz were both selected in the first round, and Oweh was added later. With a team trying to win a championship, there isn’t going to be unlimited room for young players to make mistakes.
So how quickly does Presti think those guys can help?
Finally, there’s probably the biggest question hanging over the entire offseason:
Does Presti believe the Thunder need to be different, or do they simply need to be healthy?
That’s an important distinction.
Oklahoma City won 64 games last season. It had the best record in the Western Conference. They had the reigning MVP and a roster deep enough to survive injuries throughout the season.
And then the Spurs eliminated the Thunder in seven games.
That doesn’t automatically mean the roster needed a major overhaul. But it does mean the organization had to take a hard look at what happened.
Presti’s answer Thursday could tell us a lot about how the Thunder viewed that series.
If he believes the answer is getting Williams healthy, continuing to develop Holmgren and allowing the younger players to grow, that’s significant.
If he believes there are specific things this roster needs to do differently, that’s significant too.
That’s what makes Thursday interesting.
The Thunder don’t need Presti to sell anyone on the team. The results already speak for themselves.
What everyone really wants to know is what he sees when he looks at this team now, and whether he believes this version of the Thunder has everything it needs to finish the job.
