It's early in the season, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking like the team to beat. But they also have some major decisions to make before summer as salaries are climbing and the cap is looming. There are roster changes coming, and the Sacramento Kings could benefit.
Sam Presti has been the general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder since they were the Seattle SuperSonics. It's impossible to understate how good he is at his job. He drafted Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka, turning the Thunder into a monster team.
While that crew didn't win a title, they were impressive nonetheless. After that era came to an end, Presti focused on a rebuild that started with trading Paul George to the Clippers, a move that netted him a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a draft pick that would become Jalen Williams.
Payroll problems are coming to OKC
Presti proceeded to put together a championship team, as well as collecting a shocking number of draft picks along the way. The issue is that the bill is coming due for all that talent, similar to what the Celtics faced after last season, and decisions must be made.
Both Chet Holmgrem and Jalen Williams will get massive pay bumps going into next season, an increase of almost $70 million between the two of them. OKC stayed below the salary cap this season, but they will be well above the second penalty apron next season if the roster stays the same.
That means change is coming. Both Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein have team options coming up next season that OKC has yet to take. There is a real chance that Presti will have to let them walk in order to keep the Thunder's salary remotely under control.
Welcome to the Kings, gentlemen!
Both Dort and Hartenstein are high-caliber players, particularly on defense, which is an area the Kings are actively working on. One or both of them would be incredible additions to Sacramento's roster, assuming the front office can figure out how to make the numbers work for them.
The Kings have several unrestricted free agents coming, but none of them are big-money contracts. Zach LaVine has a high price tag and a player option coming his way. If he goes, it might be doable, keeping in mind that Keegan Murray is getting a sizable pay increase next season, too.
If Scott Perry fancies himself as good a general manager as Sam Presti, maybe he has some magic he can pull off to make this all work. To pick up either Hartenstein or Dort, it will be more than worth the effort for the Kings. It might even be a step towards Beam Team 2.0.