17. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last season in the Western Conference, it was the New Orleans Pelicans (for the first half of the season) and then the Sacramento Kings (for the second half of the season) that were the sweethearts of the league. This season, there is growing speculation that the Oklahoma City Thunder could be the next in line to fall into that category in the West. The Thunder has all the ingredients to be that team.
They have a young budding star in Shai Gilgeious-Alexander and an extremely talented young supporting cast. There’s a scenario where the Thunder are a big surprise team in the West. If Chet Holmgren is ready to contribute on a consistent basis and if Josh Giddey continues to take professional steps in the right direction, the Thunder are not only going to be one of the most exciting teams in the league, but they’re going to be a handful for most teams.
I highly doubt the Thunder is ready to compete with the top of the West, but could they sneak into the plays as the sixth, seventh, or eighth seed? Absolutely.