NBA Front Office Members Peg OKC Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as 2025 NBA MVP

The Oklahoma City Thunder could roster the league MVP for the third time as NBA front office members project Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to take home the honor in 2024-25.

Nov 22, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrates after a basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the talk of the NBA offseason, after a season in which the second youngest team in the NBA ripped off 57 wins and won their first playoff series since 2016, the Thunder made massive improvements this offseason.

Oklahoma City could have leaned on their youth and just returned to the 2024-25 season with a similar roster after capturing the No. 1 seed in the West a year ago, but instead, Sam Presti made key changes swapping out Josh Giddey - who refused to shuffle his way out of the starting lineup - to Chicago in favor of Alex Caruso, a two-time all-defensive member that can guard four positions and shoot 40 percent from beyond the arch while providing playmaking.

The Thunder didn't stop there, bolstering their roster with a key free agent signing - their largest in franchise history - bringing in New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein this summer to fill a massive hole in the team's front court depth.

These moves have led to nearly every pundit picking the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the Western Conference and even Vegas giving the Thunder the best odds to head up the West.

A year ago, it was superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who carried the load for the OKC Thunder, finishing runner-up in the Most Valuable Player race. His loss to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has since been lamented by former players such as Dwayne Wade and Paul George.

Now, Gilgeous-Alexander still finds himself near the top of MVP odds for the 2024-25 season. This week, ESPN put out their annual GM Survey polling top decision-makers in the NBA on burning questions including who will win MVP.

The OKC Thunder superstar earned seven votes for that category, leading the way with Luka Doncic (5), Anthony Edwards (2), Jayson Tatum (2) and Jokic (2) filing in behind.

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