The 8 things Thunder has done the most correctly in the past five years, each of which is a masterpiece

The NBA playoff division final this season is basically not suspenseful. The Pacers defeated the Knicks today and took the lead 3-1. Even if the Knicks win back the next away game and G6 returns to home, the Pacers will attack with all their strength. However, judging from the current strength of the two teams, the Pacers are likely to end the series away game in G5. In the West, the Thunder also led the Timberwolves 3-1. The Thunder's high-pressure defense made the Timberwolves uncomfortable. The two core points of Edwards and Randle were restricted to death. Even if the Timberwolves bench blossoms in full swing, it is still difficult for the Timberwolves to win. The encounter between the Thunder and the Pacers in the Finals almost became a reality, and the Thunder is likely to win the coveted championship this year. Alexander's evolution, the team's offense and defense improvement, and the deep rotation lineup have made this team the biggest favorite to compete for the championship from the beginning of the playoffs.

As a small football market, the Thunder stood out from the fiercely competitive league, step by step from reconstruction to rise, which is inseparable from the precise vision and decisive decision-making of the management. In just five years, the Thunder has been transformed from a bad team into a top Western Conference powerhouse. The following 8 operations are all the gods.

①, George Trading: The "God's Purse" to start reconstruction

In 2019, the Thunder decided to rebuild. At this time, the Clippers recruited Leonard. Leonard asked the Clippers to trade Paul George as their deputy no matter how much the price they paid. Then the Clippers sent away Alexander, 5 first-round picks and 2 first-round swap rights, and exchanged George from the Thunder. At that time, the outside world generally believed that the Thunder "losed", but now looking back, this transaction is a robbery operation - Alexander gradually grew into the top five superstar in the league. In this year's regular season, Alexander won the MVP with his 32+ score and the league's first team record. He averaged 29.5 points, 7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs. He is likely to win the MVP in the Western Conference Finals. If he leads the team to compete for the championship and wins the MVP in the finals, Alexander will be directly won! Among the five first-round picks obtained from the Clippers, the first-round pick in 2022 was converted to Jaylen Williams, the first-round pick in 2024 was converted to Dillon Jones, and the first-round pick in 2023 was sent to the Heat. The Thunder not only gained the cornerstone of the team building, but also held the initiative in future assets.

②, traded Chris Paul, and doubled the profits in this season, the Thunder not only sent George away, but also sent Westbrook to the Rockets, exchanged for Paul and two first-round picks, and the two draft picks were exchanged. In other words, the Thunder got a total of 7 first-round and 4 draft picks exchanged by sending George away. What is even more amazing is that Paul actually led the young Thunder into the playoffs, reshaping the team's winning culture, and the transaction value soared directly, and he also became Alexander's mentor. Just one year later, the Suns found the Thunder, willing Ubud, Rubio, Jerome and others, as well as a 2022 first-round pick for Chris Paul. With this magical operation, the Thunder not only earned the draft pick, but also made room for Alexander to grow, which can be called a "free" resource replacement.

③, 11th pick Jaylen Williams

The 2022 draft conference is generally considered a junior year of the draft. Among this rookie, there are only a handful of talented stars. The Thunder used the No. 11 pick to choose Jaylen Williams, which was widely questioned by the outside world at that time. Although Jaylen Williams is tall and delicate, as an older rookie, his training value is generally despised. However, the Thunder still has a keen eye to recognize talents. The 198cm forward guard swings people, and after joining the Thunder, he contributed 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists in the rookie season, and his three-point shooting percentage is 35.6%, becoming the most reliable deputy attacker around Alexander. Its potential for integrated offense and defense allows Thunder to lock in the core framework of the future at extremely low cost. This season, the reason why the Thunder have evolved is closely related to Jay Leonard's contribution. So far in the playoffs, Jay Leonard has averaged 20.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, and his efficiency is even better than Alexander. His contribution on the defensive end is also extremely outstanding.

④, 3-year, 87 million yuan renewal of Harten: The most cost-effective answer to the inside line

In the 2024 offseason, the Thunder signed Haltenstein from the free agent market with a 3-year, 87 million yuan decreasing contract, and 27.5 million yuan in the last year of this contract is insured. Before signing, Harten performed well in the Knicks, averaging 8.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. His ability to protect the basket and eat cakes in the inside are not only a perfect complement to Chetholmgren, but also their personal style is very suitable for the Thunder's defense replacement system. The design of decreasing contract + unsecured clauses for the last year not only fills the shortcomings of the inside line, but also avoids long-term salary lockouts, which can be regarded as a model of "risk hedging". In this year's playoffs, Harten performed well, averaging 9.3 points, 8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, and a shooting percentage of 61.3%, becoming the Thunder's fourth scoring point.

⑤, Gidey for Caruso: The key to the defense upgrade

Although Gidey's personal ability and talent are excellent, his position in the backcourt overlaps with Alexander, and negative news is plagued by negative news. In order to clear the negative culture of the locker room, the Thunder management sent Gidey to the Bulls before the 2024 transaction deadline, in exchange for 3D defender Caruso. As a member of the two best defensive team and an important rotation player in the Lakers' championship competition, Caruso's personal strength is naturally unquestionable. After joining the Thunder, Caruso became a defensive pioneer on the outside. This year's playoff three-point shooting percentage is as high as 43.5%, averaging 8.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, and can also make 1.6 steals. This deal directly improves the Thunder's external defense.

⑥, 48 million locked in Isaiah Joe in 4 years: Three-point firepower perpetual motion machine

In 2023, Isaiah Joe is renewed in advance, which can be called a "bottom-buying" operation. The 191cm shooter has a three-point shooting percentage of 41.2% this season, averaging 2.3 three-pointers per game, 10 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, and has the ability to run without the ball and switch defenses. The contract with an average annual average of 12 million yuan has retained long-term spatial flexibility for Thunder in today's era of rampant premium contracts.

⑦, 5 years and 47 million bets Aaron Wiggins: Accurate investment in the championship puzzle

Born in 1999, Aaron Wiggins averaged 12 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in the regular season this season, with a three-point shooting percentage and high attendance rate of 38.3%. Despite its general defense, its catch-and-shooting efficiency (1.28 points per leg) ranks in the top 10% of the league. This contract with an average salary of less than 12 million ensures that the Thunder Flank firepower is constantly increasing and has a high cost-effectiveness.

⑧, Mark Dagenot selected: Young coach's counterattack

During the team's reconstruction, the Thunder chose the 35-year-old Young coach Dagenot as the head coach in 2020, and was initially questioned. But this "data madman" quickly proved himself: in the 2023-24 season, the Thunder ranked third in the offensive efficiency in the league and fourth in the defensive efficiency, becoming the only team with the top five in offense and defense. Last season, the Thunder evolved again, and their offensive and defensive efficiency once again ranked among the top in the league. The "five foreign systems" he developed maximized Alexander's breakthrough space and activated Chet Homgren's support potential, completely subverting the traditional concept of basketball position.

Today's Thunder, with the core framework of Alexander + Jewish + Chett, holds multiple first-round picks, and has a healthy salary structure until 2027. They are not only popular in the Western Conference Championship, but also likely to be in the championship window for the next few years - and this is the inevitable result of the management's "doing every operation right".