OKC Thunder Has A 'Loaded Roster' After Elite Offseason Moves

Are the Thunder the best team in the Western Conference after the offseason?

Apr 1, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) drives to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder might have won the offseason after trading for Alex Caruso and signing Isaiah Hartenstein out of free agency. They also made underrated moves by re-signing Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, both of which have incredible values on their contracts.

Heading into the dog days of the NBA offseason, awaiting the arrival of training camp, the Thunder should receive plenty of buzz. They did happen to have one of the strongest offseasons while building off one of the best regular seasons in the league a season ago.

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley used one sentence to describe the team's offseason, and it was quite simple.

"Loaded roster looks like the best in the west," Buckley wrote.

Again, it's quite a simple message. The best team in the Western Conference added two incredible role players in Caruso and Hartenstein -- both of which bolster the defense while they don't hinder the team's versatility.

"The top of the Western Conference is crowded with really-good-to-great teams. The Oklahoma City Thunder might still be a step above the rest," Buckley continued. "They arguably deserved that distinction before the offseason started, as they just claimed the conference's top seed with a rotation almost exclusively populated with 25-and-under talent. Few teams have more internal avenues to improvement, which is a wild notion given how dominant this group has already been."

Had the Thunder not made any moves this offseason, they'd arguably be the top team in the Western Conference once again. As mentioned, the bulk of the team's core a season ago was under 25-years-old. Development alone will take this team a long ways. Adding two key contributors that fit the team's scheme and system helps this team take another leap, as they've got the necessary talent to win 60-plus games next season.

Needless to say, there are exciting times coming in Oklahoma City.

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READ MORE: OKC Thunder Make Two Intriguing Selections in Bleacher Report's 2025 Mock Draft

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