Sam Presti wants to let everyone know that the Oklahoma City Thunder are more than ready for 2027. Now with less pressure, no longer carrying the burden of being the defending champions, it only means they will keep playing as hard as usual. It is a straight warning to all NBA teams.
In a recent declaration, he made it more than clear that the Thunder are about to play just as aggressively as they did in 2026, when they reached deep into the postseason and pushed the San Antonio Spurs to a Game 7 during the conference playoffs. That is something all other teams should pay attention to.
“Our goal is to repeat a process, not chase an outcome. This process is to position our team and our organization so that if we are fortunate enough to have things break our way, we can achieve ultimate success. This is how every NBA champion is able to achieve success,” Presti said.
A strong season for the Thunder
Two straight years with 60+ wins for the Thunder is exactly what Presti wants to see continue. Since the 2012-13 season, they haven’t won that many games. In the words of the General Manager, his franchise is more than ready to get back to work and replicate the results of the last two seasons.
Presti’s confidence in what the Thunder have to offer is a clear wake-up call for rivals who might think the team is shaken after being unable to defend their NBA title in 2026. In his presser, he noted that great teams not only have stamina, but the endurance to sustain success over time.
The 2026 season was quite special for Presti and his organization. Not only did they enter the year as defending champions, but it marked their third straight appearance in the postseason. Following a playoff drought from 2020-21 to the 2022-23 season, this current run signals just how prepared the team truly is.
