The Oklahoma City Thunder have apparently reached the point where their general manager is being accused of making roster construction look almost criminally easy.
Former Thunder center and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins delivered an entertaining assessment of Sam Presti following Oklahoma City’s 116-104 season-opening victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
Despite significant offseason departures, the Thunder opened their season looking like a team that still possesses an embarrassment of riches. Perkins believes Presti deserves considerable recognition for maintaining that advantage.
However, the former NBA champion found a rather unusual way to express his admiration.
Kendrick Perkins Calls for Sam Presti to Be ‘Investigated’
“Sam Presti needs to be investigated because it has to be a crime what he is doing and how he is running circles around the rest of the league and the rest of GMs around the league,” Perkins said.
The ESPN analyst then pointed toward Oklahoma City’s remarkable ability to maintain its depth despite losing several important contributors.
“How in the h*ll did you lose three key guys, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort, and you come in and you still, after Game 1, have the deepest roster in the NBA?”
Obviously, Perkins wasn’t suggesting Presti had committed an actual crime. His comments were a colorful endorsement of the executive’s roster-building abilities. Still, there’s an interesting argument behind his exaggeration.
Most NBA teams would struggle to replace three dependable rotation players without experiencing some noticeable decline. Oklahoma City, however, continues to operate as though losing valuable contributors is simply another opportunity to showcase its organizational depth. That doesn’t happen accidentally.
Presti has spent years positioning the Thunder to withstand roster turnover without sacrificing their championship aspirations.
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Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Oklahoma City’s roster construction isn’t simply the talent at the top.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams provide the foundation, but the Thunder’s ability to develop complementary contributors separates their approach from many competing organizations.
Finding stars is difficult enough. Building a supporting cast that consistently fits those stars can be even more challenging. That’s where Presti has established a significant advantage.
Rather than becoming overly dependent on a handful of recognizable names, Oklahoma City has emphasized versatility, player development and maintaining multiple options throughout its rotation.
Of course, declaring the Thunder the NBA’s deepest team after one game might be premature. An 82-game season will provide a much clearer picture of whether their revamped supporting cast can consistently deliver. Nevertheless, Perkins’ larger point deserves attention.
Oklahoma City didn’t simply survive its offseason changes. The organization appears positioned to remain among the NBA’s most dangerous teams. For opposing general managers, that might be the most frustrating part.
Presti continues finding ways to preserve Oklahoma City’s championship window while maintaining enough flexibility to keep improving. And if Perkins’ assessment proves accurate, the rest of the league could spend another season wondering how the Thunder keep making it look so easy.
Ex-Thunder Player Calls for Sam Presti to Be ‘Investigated’ After Latest OKC Win