The Oklahoma City Thunder have executed one of the shortest rebuilding periods in NBA history.
Since the breakup of the Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook pairing, leading into the current Thunder 2.0, only lasted three seasons of extreme tanking.
Those losing efforts netted them the sixth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the second and 12th pick in 2022, and the 12th pick last summer. Those picks landed them the problematic Josh Giddey, the future of the center position and Rookie of the Year favorite Chet Holmgren and future All-Star Jalen Williams, along with a draft-night swap with Dallas for Cason Wallace. Those four players are all crucial parts of the current core. – Lee Escobedo
