Cavs: 3 teams they will definitely be better than in 2021-22 NBA season

Cavs: 3 teams they will definitely be better than – Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in an interesting place in the timeline of their franchise. On the one hand, they are prepared to perform an all-out tank, with the roster nearly completely stripped of veterans and the organizational patience to not pursue winning. On the other hand, they have a star at point guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and stocked with first-round picks from everyone else could win this year and not damage their treasure trove too extensively.

They seem destined to open Door #1, and for at least this season seek to finish at the bottom of the standings and go after an elite prospect in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Western Conference may not be as elite at the top as recent years but they are stocked with teams who will try to make the playoffs this year. Only the Thunder and the Houston Rockets look to be on the outside of that chase, making it a prime year to bottom out.

Gilgeous-Alexander would be the main impediment to that, a dynamic shot-creator who just signed a maximum rookie extension as he enters his fourth season. He is better than anyone on the Cleveland Cavaliers right now and will win the Thunder some games by himself.

He might be the only impediment, however, as the rest of their main core are either young, raw prospects (Theo Maledon, Aleksej Pokushevski, Josh Giddey) or veteran role players unlikely to move the needle (Derrick Favors, Lu Dort, Mike Muscala). With the entire organization pointed towards the bottom of the standings and working in lockstep, this team should finish below the Cavs in the standings.