What is the Biggest Question Facing the OKC Thunder?

Approaching another season of championship contention, the expectations for the Oklahoma City Thunder are higher than ever.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) shoots a three-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter of game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Unsurprisingly, the expectations for the Oklahoma City Thunder are the highest they've been in several years.

Coming off a season at the top of the Western Conference and a second round exit to the Dallas Mavericks, the Thunder is primed to compete for a championship once again. It was a disappointing end to the year, but then again, it hadn't been on that stage since 2020.

Now entering the 2024-25 season, Oklahoma City falling anywhere short of a Western Conference Finals appearance would likely be a disappointment. But with the added pressure and increased expectations, will it live up to that?

Jasmyn Wimbish of CBS Sports considered the Thunder's biggest question right now to be if it can live up to expectations or not, and rightfully so. In what she considered to be the "best offseason of any team in the West," it managed to improve on an already talented roster with the acquisitions of Alex Caurso and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Both players help target the few weaknesses Oklahoma City had last year — that being rebounding and 3&D play at the starting shooting guard position — leaving it with hardly any potential issues that could plague the roster. So when analysts consider it to be an NBA Finals favorite in the West, that's not a stretch by any means.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should be a top contender for the MVP award for the third straight, and the progression of Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and others could result in a much better team just through experience and growth in the league. With the considerably young age of the Thunder's core, it should only improve going forward.

Still, overcoming the high expectations and making a deeper run in the playoffs isn't going to be an easy feat. With teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets breathing down its neck, the top of the West is stacked with talented and deep rosters. This is the first time in the Gilgeous-Alexander era that the franchise is in this position, so naturally, it'll be tough to navigate through it.

Oklahoma City undoubtedly has the talent to get there, but it'll be a true test to see how its last campaign will carry over in a new season. It should be better, but repeating a No. 1 seed isn't a common occurrence in the NBA.

But that's what the expectation is when you build a championship-contending team.

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