Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not going to advise Thunder on offseason moves

OKLAHOMA CITY — With the financial hammer of the NBA’s tax aprons swinging their direction, the Thunder have some hard decisions to make this summer.

Whatever moves Oklahoma City’s front office makes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does not plan on consulting with them.

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“I will give zero input,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after a crushing Game 7 loss. “I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job.”

With or without SGA’s counsel, Presti has some tough calls to make. The Thunder need to get better — because the young Spurs are only going to get better — yet the Thunder’s payroll is about to skyrocket as the max extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams kick in. It’s a fine line to walk.

That need to get better has led to speculation that the Thunder might look at a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. While there’s a lot of random speculation online, even the well-connected and respected Sam Amick at The Athletic floated it as something for the Thunder to consider. The idea is that OKC needs someone to match up better with Victor Wembanyama, and the Thunder do have good young players and a stockpile of picks, including two in this year’s first round (Nos. 12 and 17), which is what Milwaukee wants in an offer. Amick also noted league sources told him the Thunder aren’t interested.

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Don’t expect this — it’s completely out of character for OKC and a questionable (at best) basketball fit.

Bringing in Antetokounmpo means “let’s take the ball out of the two-time MVP’s hands” and bring in a guy famous for not working well off the ball, considerably older than the core (31) coming off an injury-riddled season and wanting a max extension, who also would dramatically alter one of the best locker room chemistries in the league. Does that seem wise?

What everyone seems to be missing: The Thunder are not way behind the Spurs. Game 7 did feel like a passing of the torch, but this was a tight series, and if the Thunder had one (or both) of Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell healthy, or they got the win in Game 1, this article might be about what the Spurs need to do in the offseason. Also, Isaiah…

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Publish date : 2026-05-31 18:38:00

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