Oklahoma City Thunder's 2026-27 NBA season preview and pressure points

The Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA title. Last spring, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs ended their title defense. On Tuesday, they open the 2026-27 season in San Antonio ⚡🏀🔥The core is still elite. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time reigning MVP chasing a third straight, something nobody has done since Larry Bird. Chet Holmgren made All-NBA Third Team last season, and Jalen Williams gives OKC a third star. Mark Daigneault is still the coach, and SGA has already put the league on notice.But the roster around them looks different. To get below the luxury tax's second apron, Oklahoma City traded Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta, and Isaiah Joe left for Detroit. The Thunder signed no free agents, instead trading up in the draft for Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz and adding big man Aday Mara. That means more minutes for Cason Wallace and new lineups that lean more on offense than the defense-first Thunder ever have.There's pressure, too. Holmgren struggled in the playoffs after his All-NBA season, and the NBA's new push-off crackdown has everyone watching how it affects SGA's game. The schedule doesn't wait: the Spurs on opening night, then Denver at home, and Christmas Day in Minnesota.Same big three, a younger supporting cast and a score to settle with San Antonio. OKC wants its second title in three years. ⚡