Box Office Buckets

What You Did Last Summer: The Thunder’s Chance at Repeating

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(Video Courtesy of the NBA on Youtube)

With the release of I Know What You Did Last Summer, the newest installment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise — which is definitely not confusing — it posed an interesting question to the NBA world: What will it take for the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, to repeat?

Despite several amazing championship teams, the NBA has not had a repeat champion since 2018. Injuries, roster shakeups, and a variety of other factors have stopped any chance of a modern dynasty before it’s even gotten off the ground. The Thunder, however, may have the best shot in recent years at breaking that trend. They have a talented, young squad with depth and have managed to keep almost all of their championship roster together. Still, repeating is one of the hardest things in sports — and doing so will require some key elements from the team.

Most Valuable Player?

Winning MVP, Finals MVP, and a scoring title in the same season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander completed one of the greatest seasons in NBA history — achieving a feat very few behind him have ever come close to. However, just sitting back and reveling in that success won’t be enough to bring another championship to this young star’s career.

His maturity and poise make a fall-off unlikely, but it’s still important to note how crucial he is to the team’s success. Shai is the engine that keeps the Thunder’s offense going. While other players may have good and bad nights, Shai provides a consistent 30 points to keep the offense from being stagnant. Staying healthy and aggressive will be the first step in his path to becoming a two-time champion.

Reinforcements

Rarely do teams around the NBA stay the same over the summer — and this summer is no different. Almost every team, especially in the Western Conference, has made improvements. One key example is the Denver Nuggets, who swapped Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson, brought back Bruce Brown, and added sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. and backup big man Jonas Valančiūnas.

For a team that took the Thunder to seven games before, it’s difficult to favor the previous Thunder roster in a rematch. If they hope to compete, they will need to improve. There are two main ways they can do this: add players to the roster, and develop the players they already have.

Player Additions

For the Thunder, player additions come in the form of a pair of rookies. Firstly, they drafted Georgetown big man Thomas Sorber 15th overall in this year’s draft. However, they have a secret weapon that many people have probably forgotten about — Nikola Topić.

The 6’6″ Serbian point guard was actually drafted in last year’s draft, 12th overall, but missed all of last season due to injury. While that was unfortunate, it’s probably the only reason the Thunder were able to get him, as he was slated as a top-5 pick on numerous mock drafts before the injury.

His elite passing skills could revolutionize the Thunder’s offense with their plethora of shooting and defense. While he may not be a star right away, with the right development he could become a key piece in the team’s chances to repeat. While Sorber may not see a lot of minutes as a rookie — sitting behind the Thunder’s current center rotation — he will be learning behind some of the best. Depending on their financial situation, he may have a much larger role down the road.

Player Development

For a young team like the Thunder, the layout of the roster can vary rapidly from year to year. With their success happening so quickly, it can be easy to forget how young they actually are.

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren — two of the Thunder’s “Big 3” — aren’t even 25 years old yet. While Jalen Williams has already proven he can be an All-Star, Holmgren will look to make that leap this coming season. He has often showcased the unique skillset the Thunder drafted him 2nd overall for in 2022, but will likely look to be more consistent — especially on the offensive side of the ball, something he is undoubtedly capable of.

21-year-old Kentucky guard Cason Wallace will also look to make even more strides in his third year in the NBA. Wallace, who played some big moments for the Thunder in the Finals, made solid improvements between his first and second year — a streak he’ll likely look to continue.

Financial Freedom

One of the biggest concerns with the Thunder’s early success is their ability to pay everyone — especially under the constraints of the new salary cap era. All three of their stars — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren — have signed extensions. Thankfully, due to their age, the team’s payroll is still manageable.

The Thunder also have a plethora of draft picks they can use to bring in cost-controlled talent down the road. Thomas Sorber is likely a promising developmental piece in case big man Isaiah Hartenstein cannot be retained. In a couple of years, difficult decisions will likely have to be made. For now, though, the team is able to stay intact and “run it back” to compete for another championship.

The Right Mentality

Perhaps the most important factor in going back-to-back is keeping the right mentality. Oftentimes, championship teams lose focus. The goal is to win a championship — and once that’s achieved, things get out of whack.

However, good teams can win a championship — but great ones look to win more than just one. The Thunder will have to keep the mentality that made them great in the first place: playing team basketball and executing, especially on the defensive end, to perfection. When they play confident and execute the game plan with their depth, the Thunder are nearly unstoppable.

The noise post-championship will be loud this summer — and even more so next year. If they can stay focused, though, the world has already seen what they are capable of. This is also a team that, despite making sure to have fun, is a very mature roster. With veteran leaders such as Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso, staying focused on another ring should be no problem for this squad.

Conclusion

Winning a championship is probably the hardest thing to do in any sport — and winning two is even harder. Teams that do so have to keep their roster together and mentally focused while still being able to add new players and schemes.

Coming off a championship summer, the Thunder will likely be favorites to repeat with their returning roster. If they can do all the things mentioned above — and a bit more — next year, they’ll have a good chance to go back-to-back and become the NBA’s first repeat champion since 2018.

P.S. Also make sure to check out I Know What You Did Last Summer. It’s in theaters now and keep an eye out for our review coming soon… stay safe out there!

(Video Courtesy of Sony Pictures on Youtube)

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