As the Golden State Warriors near the end of their time with superstar Stephen Curry on the roster, with his contract expiring at the end of the 2026-27 season, it is likely that, at least for a brief time, their chances at contention will be virtually non-existent.
Therefore, as the Warriors attempt to make one last run at a title with the greatest player in franchise history, they are also symbolically passing on their mantle of domination to a conference rival and their superstar: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder, who won the championship this past season and look poised to compete for many years to come, could certainly be the next version of Golden State insofar as they could dominate the Western Conference for years on end. Now, the Warriors must attempt to usurp the juggernaut if they want to take home one more title within Curry's career.
SGA and the Thunder could be the next Warriors
On Brian Windhorst's The Hoop Collective, guest Tim McMahon was caught discussing the state of league parity given the Thunder's apparent posture for dominance, and he turned toward Gilgeous-Alexander as the X-factor for the franchise.
He said, "Is [Gilgeous-Alexander] a Kobe [Bryant]? Is he a [Michael] Jordan? Is he a Lebron [James]? Is he a Steph [Curry]? Is he in that level of historical company, and can the Thunder continue putting a championship-caliber supporting cast around him? My answer would be yes on both counts."
Gilgeous-Alexander certainly had a historical year last season. Through 76 games, he averaged 32.7 points, five rebounds and 6.4 assists, shooting 37.5% from 3-point range and 89.8% from the line. With these astounding numbers, he beat out the dominant Nikola Jokic to win his first MVP award.
Moreover, Oklahoma City has poised its young core to compete for a long time. Surrounded by veterans such as Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, the team has locked up Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to long-term deals, cementing their status as contenders for years to come.
In an absolutely loaded Western Conference, the Thunder are undeniable the team to beat, and, as the Warriors begin their slow fade into an inevitable rebuild in the post-Curry era, their rival's dominance could begin to mirror what was seen in The Bay in the latter half of last decade.
Although, under the new CBA, it is becoming tougher and tougher to keep championship-caliber rosters together, Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably already the best player the Western Conference, and Curry, as he nears the end of his career, must pass the mantle on to the younger generation.