The Rise of the Thunder Dynasty: 7 Great Masters Operations Revealed the Miracle from Bad to Finals

The 2024-25 NBA playoffs are coming to an end. The Knicks have just scored a 2-3 game at home, and both sides may have to drag into the tiebreak. The Thunder team in the West has taken the lead in entering the finals, waiting for the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals. No matter who enters the finals of the Pacers and the Knicks, all the outside world agree that they will not be the opponent of the Thunder, and the Thunder team has been labeled as the championship without playing in the finals.

Reviewing the Thunder's season, from the best record in the team history of 68 wins and 14 losses, to sweeping the Grizzlies 4-0 in the first round of the playoffs, and finally crossed the 4-3 strong match with the Nuggets in the second round. He encountered almost no obstacles in the Western Conference Finals. The 4-1 gentleman swept the Timberwolves straight to the finals. The Thunder team is not simply relying on the strong strength of Alexander, Jaylenway and Chett. These three are still much inferior in talent than Deweyden, who also led the team to the finals in 2012. However, this Thunder has been a team that plays team and defends first from beginning to end. In terms of ability in these two aspects, the new Thunder is far more powerful than the Thunder in 2012. This is a team that "everyone is for me, I am for everyone".

And how did this Thunder team become the favorites in the league in championships step by step? After Du Dengwei and the other three left one after another, the team quickly rose and turned into the Western Conference overlord in just five years. All this depends on the management's magical operation of "step on the point every step". Today, let’s play the 7 major decisions of Thunder Management. After reading it, you will know why they took off!

①, George Trading: Rebuilding God to Begin! In the summer of 2019, in order to form the double-god forward combination of Leonard + George, the Clippers gave first-year rookie Alexander + 3 first-round picks + 2 first-round swap rights to exchange Paul George from the Thunder. At that time, everyone felt that Thunder was suffering. Now, when I look at it, I have to admire the Thunder management's keen eyes! Alexander has grown into an MVP-level player in the league step by step, averaging 30+ with 50% shooting percentage per game for three consecutive seasons, becoming the second guard in history as Jordan. This season, he won the regular season MVP, scoring champion, and Western Conference Finals MVP. Once he won the finals MVP, he will be directly awarded the gods! The first round picks obtained from the Clippers were not wasted. Jaylen Williams was selected for the first round pick in 2022. He has now grown into the second leader of the team. Dillon Jones was selected for the first round pick in 2024. The first round of 2026 is still tightly held in his hands and can be used to strengthen or exchange for future assets at any time.

②, Westbrook replaced Paul! Also in the summer of 2019, the Thunder sold Westbrook while sending George away. The Thunder exchanged Westbrook for Paul + 2 first-round picks + 2 draft picks from the Rockets. He thought it would be inevitable that the Thunder would be a bad move, but Paul led these young people to the playoffs and trained Alexander to become a league superstar. The next year, the Thunder sold Paul to the Suns again, in exchange for Oubre and others + the first round of 2022 pick. Paul's entry and exit not only earned the Thunder three first-round picks, but also allowed Alexander to receive one-year free teaching from the master, and finally made room for Alexander to show off. This operation can be called "making money out of nothing"!

③, with a vicious vision, and he got Jaylen Williams in the 12th place! 2022 is the most widely believed in the outside world to be the youngest draft. This year, except for Ban Keiro and Chet, who were recognized as the No. 1 picks and No. 2 picks before the draft, there are no other players who are particularly optimistic about. In order to get Jaylen Williams, the Thunder used the 12th pick in his hand, but Jaylenway was 22 years old in the draft, a veritable older rookie. The outside world unanimously believed that he had no great potential to tap, and he was generally not optimistic about the Thunder's choice, but the Thunder did not believe in evil, and Jaylenway was also truly successful. He averaged 14+4+3 in the rookie season. He averaged 20+5+5 in the game so far this year's playoffs. He has secured the position of second-in-command team and achieved the most achievements in that year's draft. Looking back now, Thunder’s choice of people is comparable to opening the sky’s eyes!

④, 87 million free market signing in 3 years! In the Western Conference semi-finals last season, the Thunder were eliminated by the Mavericks 2-4. In this round of the series, the team's weak ability to protect the frame in the interior was fully revealed. During the offseason, the management hit the pain point and used a three-year, 87 million contract to win Haltenstein from the free market. This contract is still decreasing + unguaranteed in the last year. This "risk hedging" is too smooth. After coming to the Thunder, Harten showed his tough framing protection ability and efficient cake eating skills. This year's playoffs, he averaged 9.2 points and 8 rebounds in less than 24 minutes, with a shooting rate of 62%, and his annual salary was less than 30 million yuan. Compared with Gobert's 200 million contract next door... The Thunder management is afraid that there are no spells to predict the future?

⑤, Kiddy exchanges Caruso! As a tall organizational forward and outstanding talent, but Alexander and Jaylenway of the team also need to hold the ball. Kiddy obviously overlaps with them, and there was also a minor incident during this period. After learning from his mistakes, the management sent Kiddy to the Bulls before the end of the season's trading date, in exchange for the two-time best defensive player Caruso with championship experience, becoming the last puzzle for the Thunder to win the championship. So far in the playoffs, Caruso has averaged 8.8 points and 1.7 steals per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 41.5%. His individual defense ability and awareness of defense are the best in the league!

⑥, 48 million in 4 years and 45 million in 5 years, locking Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins! In the 2024 offseason, the Thunder reached a four-year, 48 million contract extension with Joe Wiggins and 5-year, 45 million contract extension respectively. The annual salary decreases year by year and the team options for the last year not only preserves the team's bench depth, but also makes the team's future salary space more flexible.. This season, Joe contributed 10.2 points + 2.6 three-pointers per game during his 21 minutes of playing time, with a three-point shooting percentage of 41.2%. Wiggins averaged 22 minutes per game, handing out a record of 12 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 three-pointers. The two men's playing time in the playoffs dropped significantly, but they can still provide the team with a good bench firepower output. The two have an average annual salary of only 21 million yuan, which is simply cheap compared to the Magic's Pope (average 8.7 points + 34.2% three-point shooting percentage). The Thunder's two waves of operations are too cost-effective!

⑦, Dignot was elected as the head coach! After the 2020 playoffs, Donovan left office. Dagenut, who was only 35 years old, was pushed to the position of head coach. He was initially not favored because he had no player experience and was too young. However, this young coach, who focused on space tactics, was good at data analysis, and was known for his flexible rotation and modern basketball concept, took the team back to the playoffs in just three years. His original five-for-one offensive system made Alexander and Jaylenway feel like fish in the game. While the players got beautiful data, the team's record also improved rapidly. Now who else is not convinced by the tactical genius Daigenot?

For a long time now and in the future, the Thunder will always have the iron triangle of Alexander + Jaylenway + Chett, and they still hold a bunch of first-round picks in their hands. Jaylenway and Chett’s rookie contract will not expire next summer, and Alexander’s contract will expire until the summer of 2027. The Thunder’s salary structure can remain healthy for several years. In recent years, the Thunder will be a favorite to compete for the championship and may even establish a dynasty. In just five years, from being bad to attacking the dynasty, it can only be said that every wave of operations in the management during this period was too amazing. Every pit was stepped on the point and every step was right!