Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has long been hailed as one of basketball’s boldest architects—last night he finally cashed in the blueprint.
With Oklahoma City’s hard‑fought 103‑91 Game 7 victory over Indiana delivering the franchise’s first NBA title since relocating in 2008, here are moves that turned patience, draft picks and shrewd cap management into a championship core.
Vision: Hit the Reset Button (2019‑21)
Presti accepted short‑term pain, trading every veteran star for draft capital and financial clean‑up space. The result: a modern‑era record 13 first‑rounders still on the books after tonight’s parade.
The Blockbuster That Started It All
July 2019: Paul George to the Clippers; OKC receives SGA, Danilo Gallinari, five unprotected firsts and two swaps.
That exchange alone produced the new Finals MVP and two more current starters.
Betting Big on Shai
Presti extended Gilgeous‑Alexander early, then built the offense around his downhill slashing. At 26 he now owns an MVP, a scoring title and a ring—Kareem is the only other player to hit that trifecta this young.
Draft‑Night Gold: Jalen Williams at No. 12
The Santa Clara wing—picked with a Clippers first‑rounder—has grown into an All‑Star and clutch No. 2 scorer, giving OKC a second 20‑plus‑PPG threat on a rookie‑scale deal.
The Unicorn in the Paint
Selecting Chet Holmgren No. 2 overall (2022) gave the Thunder an interior shot‑blocker and pick‑and‑pop partner who averaged 16‑8‑2 and swatted five shots in Game 7.
Free‑Agent Splash That Finally Stuck
Presti’s largest outside signing ever—three years, $87 million for Isaiah Hartenstein—plugged the rebounding gap and freed Holmgren to roam as a weak‑side eraser.
Perimeter Pit‑Bulls: Lu Dort & Alex Caruso
Undrafted Dort was re‑upped on a value contract; Caruso cost only second‑rounders. Together they chased Jamal Murray, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton into poor shooting nights all spring.
The Coach‑GM Symbiosis
Hiring Mark Daigneault from the G‑League in 2020 let Presti install a player‑development junkie who shares the long‑view philosophy—
and just guided the NBA’s youngest champion in 40 years.
A Development Factory
From J‑Will to two‑way standouts, the Oklahoma City Blue pipeline and a data‑heavy support staff turn late picks into rotation pieces, keeping payroll flexibility intact.
Cap Sheet Kung Fu
Presti staggered rookie extensions, avoided luxury‑tax penalties and stockpiled expiring deals, leaving max‑slot room plus 13 first‑round picks through 2032—NBA’s best dual‑track safety net.
Knowing When Not to Swing
Trade rumors for Luka, Durant 2.0 and Towns came and went, yet Presti resisted gutting the core, trusting internal growth instead of a splashy shortcut. Tonight’s banner validates that patience.
What’s Next?
This isn’t a one-hit wonder. The Thunder are the youngest NBA Championship team in 50 years. This year, they were the fourth-youngest roster in the NBA (24.2 years old), and carried only the 25th highest cash payroll for the season.
They now enter the offseason with no notable players hitting free agency, and with plenty of assets to trade if they want to bring in some support for superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Additionally, they will bring in last year’s first-round lottery pick, Nikola Topic, who is recovering from a partially torn ACL. Before his injury he was a potential top five pick. The also have the no. 15 pick in Wednesday’s draft.
You better get used to them, because this is a dynasty, brought to you courtesy of future Hall-of-Fame GM Sam Presti. It’s not surprise that they are predicted to win the title again next season.
