The Oklahoma City Thunder will soon begin the 2024-25 season, with very high expectations, as almost all media experts and even betting odds suggest that the team will be the best in the Western Conference. May predicts a date with the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals for this young Thunder team.
A year ago, Oklahoma City improved its record by 15+ wins, improving 17 games to 57 wins and take the lead in the Western Conference. It was another surprise and a step beyond what was expected before the season began. In the 2024-25 campaign, Oklahoma City will not jump by 15+ wins overall and will struggle to exceed expectations given the magnitude of the goals set for it at the start of the year.
However, even though the Thunder won their first playoff series since 2016 and nearly reached the Western Conference Finals, their biggest victory may have come off the court in November.
Oklahoma City voters have extended a tax bill that would allow the city to work with the organization to build a new arena in downtown OKC, with taxpayers agreeing to shoulder the financial burden to ensure the future of their only professional sports franchise.
With the new area set to open in 2029-30 and another long-term lease in Bricktown, OKC’s home base has seen the benefits the community has reaped since becoming a major league city. That’s why they came out in force to support it on Election Day.
It allows Thunder fans to get their teeth into this team by enjoying the development of rising stars Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, the dazzling play of superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and reflecting on how the rest of the roster continues to take shape under the engineering of one of the best executives in the sport in Sam Presti.
The Thunder appear poised to compete for the next decade, and securing their future in Oklahoma City only adds to that stability.
Oklahoma City voters who made this decision allowed them to avoid the bickering, negotiations, intimidation and threats that follow a negative vote as seen in Oakland, Kansas City and most recently Philadelphia.
The historic 76ers could soon have a new home after failing to get their way in stadium negotiations — the franchise made its first threat this week by exploiting the possibility of a move to New Jersey against the City of Brotherly Love.
“The place where all of Philadelphia’s teams belong is here in Philadelphia, and that’s a priority for me as mayor of this city,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said Wednesday after New Jersey offered the organization a stadium deal to address its arena woes.
It’s unclear whether this is an empty threat to establish themselves in a new arena for their current – and historic – City or whether a last-minute change is in order. The only thing that remains clear is that the voters of Oklahoma City made the right choice to ensure the future of their team, or these same threats would surely have been made.
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