The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the 2025-26 campaign with a relatively unchanged roster, preparing to become the first back-to-back NBA champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
The Thunder opted for continuity this offseason, and their rotation remains largely the same. The team will get Nikola Topic back after he missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a torn ACL, and Oklahoma City will also look to see growth from its other young backcourt options in Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace.
Still, the team's core remains the same, and after finishing first in the West last season, the sky is once again the limit.
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NBA insider predicts Thunder will remain atop the West
The Thunder finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 68-14 record. Now, The Athletic's John Hollinger believes they'll remain atop the West with a 66-16 record.
"Name your record, Thunder. You want to go for 73 wins? You might be able to pull it off, although much like the 2015-16 Warriors, it may cost you in June,” he wrote. “More likely, the Thunder let off the gas just enough to cruise into the finish line with a win total in the mid-60s that still comfortably assures them of home-court advantage in every round.”
With a nearly identical roster, the Thunder are obvious favorites to capture the top seed in the West. Additionally, they'll expect to have Chet Holmgren fully healthy after a fractured hip in November limited him to just 32 regular-season appearances.
Given the youth and upside across the roster, the Thunder still have plenty of room for internal growth. If they can stay healthy, surpassing last season's 68-win total isn't out of the question.
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