Where do OKC Thunder Rank Among Western Conference Teams after Free Agency?

The Oklahoma City Thunder secured the top seed in the Western Conference during the 2024-25 regular season and went on to win their first NBA championship. Despite postseason challenges, they retained 14 of 15 title-winning players, replacing Dillon Jones with 2025 draft pick Thomas Sorber, positioning them as early favorites to repeat as champions.

Repeating as champions is historically difficult, with the Golden State Warriors (2017-2018) being the last team to achieve back-to-back titles. The Thunder face formidable Western Conference rivals who made significant offseason moves: The Denver Nuggets acquired Cam Johnson (via Michael Porter Jr. trade), signed Bruce Brown, and traded for Jonas Valanciunas. The Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durant while adding Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela after securing the West’s No. 2 seed.

ESPN’s offseason tier rankings placed Oklahoma City alone as the "clear-cut favorite," citing their league-deepest rotation and minimal roster changes beyond drafting Nikola Topic. The second tier included Houston, Denver, and Minnesota Timberwolves (whom OKC defeated 4-1 in the 2025 Western Conference Finals). Tier three ("the old guard") featured the LA Clippers, Lakers, Warriors, and Mavericks. Teams like Memphis and San Antonio are also expected to contend for playoffs if healthy.

With the Western Conference’s heightened competitiveness, OKC’s 2026 title hopes hinge on strategic regular-season management—leveraging depth to secure wins while resting key players (like Alex Caruso) for postseason readiness.