Stephen A. Smith didn’t hold back on the Thunder after their 15-game winning streak came to an end.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the top team in the Western Conference. Depending on who is determining what makes a team the best in the NBA — they might just hold that, too, though Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland might disagree.
Recently, the Thunder held a 15-game winning streak that didn’t come to a close until they played the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the best record in the league. Their loss prior to the Cavaliers game came in the NBA Cup final against the Milwaukee Bucks, though that doesn’t go down as an official loss.
Despite holding a 30-6 record, the two losses to the Cavaliers and Bucks are leaving some hesitant to label the Thunder as title contenders or favorites.
The Thunder have enjoyed quite a bit of success since arriving in Oklahoma City from Seattle, though they haven’t raised a banner in the arena. That is a problem for some, including ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, despite the club’s sustained success.
The Thunder have had to rebuild once since their arrival and it took a few seasons to execute. They’ve been quite dominant outside of not having won a title, and they’re constantly a contender. That didn’t stop Smith from going on a rant and calling out the Thunder and executive Sam Presti.
“There is no question [Presti] is an elite executive. Nobody is advocating for him to be removed or anything like that. The guy is a phenomenal executive,” Smith said.
“But, damn, at some point in time, it ain’t about you just competing, can you win the chip? Could you close the deal? I mean, think about it, Sam Presti has overseen the Oklahoma City Thunder for years…
“You’ve had Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, James Harden, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Victor Oladipo, I mean the list goes on and on. Now you’ve got my MVP with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s a stud, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren.
“I’m just looking at them and I’m saying, ‘At some point in time, is just accumulating a roster and being a perennial playoff challenger, is that all it is? Could you win one? That’s what I’m going to say about Sam Presti.
“… Sam Presti, you’ve had enough of a honeymoon. I want a chip in Oklahoma City. When you gonna get one?”
Is winning a title good? Absolutely. Every sports team and fan base wants to see a championship arrive in their city. That’s the mecca of sports. The problem? Only one team can win a title on an annual basis in any given league.
Smith’s comments regarding Presti are entirely based on winning a championship. The team has only been in Oklahoma City since 2008. They’ve got an incredibly short history. They’ve made the NBA Finals just one time, and they’ve had to learn from that experience.
Many teams have active title droughts in the NBA. How many years since the Sacramento Kings have been in an NBA title drought? 73 years. For the Atlanta Hawks? 66 years. More than ten NBA teams have never won an NBA title. So let’s throw away all their history, yeah?
Smith’s logic is flawed. Yes, the Thunder need to win a title to solidify years of being a contending squad and perennial playoff team. No, it doesn’t define everything about the club. They’re one of the best-run organizations in all of American sports, and not having a title doesn’t change that.
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