Could you cut OKC in half and have two playoff teams?

[Patches Perry]

Team 1:
Shai
Mitchell
Dort
Wallace
Hartenstein
Kenrich
Dieng

Team 2:
Jalen Williams
Caruso
Isaiah Joe
Jaylin Williams
Chet
Wiggins

Just a split off the top of my head. Perhaps it could be split more evenly.

Assuming no injuries, could both teams make the playoffs?

[Wolveswin]

If in the East - for sure.

If each team was allowed one (fair) upgrade trade using Presti’s war chest of picks - 100% yes.

[Special_Puppy]

Yes IMO

[Cubbies2120]

Team 1:
Shai
Mitchell
Dort
Wallace
Hartenstein
Kenrich
Dieng

Team 2:
Jalen Williams
Caruso
Isaiah Joe
Jaylin Williams
Chet
Wiggins

Just a split off the top of my head. Perhaps it could be split more evenly.

Assuming no injuries, could both teams make the playoffs?

Yes - and believe it or not, team 2 may be the better regular season team.

[Bornstellar]

Yes. They are an all-time team that is completely loaded top to bottom. The way Presti has built that roster is extremely impressive. And if they hadn't whiffed on Dieng or had really bad luck with Topic and Sorber, this team could be EVEN better, which is hard to fathom. It's almost unfair tbh. Thank goodness they didn't keep Sengun

[jg77]

I think their supporting cast is overrated. Team 2 is a play in team at best.

[Shock Defeat]

The fact is it's easier to make the Playoffs than it is to miss the Playoffs. In the East there are 3 1-win teams, and the Hornets are not one of them. It's pretty much impossible to not be in contention for the play-in if you are even trying to win.

[CobraCommander]

Team 1:
Shai
Mitchell
Dort
Wallace
Hartenstein
Kenrich
Dieng

Team 2:
Jalen Williams
Caruso
Isaiah Joe
Jaylin Williams
Chet
Wiggins

Just a split off the top of my head. Perhaps it could be split more evenly.

Assuming no injuries, could both teams make the playoffs?

do this with all the top 5 teams (on paper minus injury) and the answer is yes in the east...

houston, NYC, Clippers, Lakers, cleveland, Bostons (last year team)

[badpotato]

Another thing is that, honestly, the rest of the NBA should have a non-spoken agreement not to trade for OKC players and just let them hit free agency if they want any hope of stopping the Thunder dominance. The way they’re set up, they can just keep trading guys they won’t be able to afford for picks and keep reloading.
And they’re very good at finding talent.
Presti built something truly special this time around.

[Wolveswin]

Another thing is that, honestly, the rest of the NBA should have a non-spoken agreement not to trade for OKC players and just let them hit free agency if they want any hope of stopping the Thunder dominance. The way they’re set up, they can just keep trading guys they won’t be able to afford for picks and keep reloading.
And they’re very good at finding talent.
Presti built something truly special this time around.

I think Presti has a consolidation trade in him. Eventually he will not be able to S&T players, due to apron rules, so letting them walk without compensation is only option (or trade before expire). Doesn’t seem Presti like.

Also, Giddey is a cautionary tale for Presti. As a STACKED championship as goal team, young players don’t have the runway, playing time, or even roster space to develop. And even sometimes like Giddey, develop but develop into not being ideal roster fits (so Presti traded Giddey for an ideal fit in Caruso.

I think as early as 2026 offseason we would see that trade. Presti has like 3x TO he needs to deal with. I could see him picking all those up (or extending date) so he can use some version of them in trade.

[ball_takes23]

Shai and Mitchell should be on different teams

[AbeVigodaLive]

I no longer like RealGM.

As a fan of a Western Conference team, I'm reminded almost every day just how good OKC is now... and will continue to be. That's not a knock on the posters... or the Thunder. They're legitimately THAT good.

It's just depressing rooting for teams who can't compete.

[Clay Davis]

I no longer like RealGM.

As a fan of a Western Conference team, I'm reminded almost every day just how good OKC is now... and will continue to be. That's not a knock on the posters... or the Thunder. They're legitimately THAT good.

It's just depressing rooting for teams who can't compete.

What's ironic is that they did it by capitalizing on teams who were trying to build superteams. If the Clippers don't think of building their PG-KL two-headed monster, OKC would not have what they have.

The rizz of irony...

[Optms]

Shai is so good, yes. He would make any team a playoff team. His numbers would be even more insane if he had more reign to score.

[tmorgan]

Pretty easily, I think, assuming both teams can use the rest of the available space to fill out the roster. Double the cap room, after all.