Stephen A Smith PREDICTS Who Will DETHRONE The OKC Thunder

Stephen A Smith PREDICTS Who Will DETHRONE The OKC Thunder

Do you think the Thunder are the league’s next dynasty or has the current CBA effectively? I think they have a chance to be because of all the draft capital that they have, all the things that they’ve collected throughout the years with all the trades that they’ve made. They’ve got so many assets. They don’t have to dip. You know, when you see a guy like Wallace, he might Carson Wallace, he might be gone, you know, because they want to take care of their back court. You get that? Okay. One of their bigs may end up being gone. Not both of them, but Hoggrim or Hartstein, one or the other. There isn’t a single hole they can’t fill because they have the draft capital to either go out and draft somebody or the draft capital to give to somebody else in favor of a trade because some teams are desperate for the draft capital because they don’t have it. So, no matter what way you slice it, I’m not saying it’s going to happen. But if there is a team that has the potential to be a dynasty in the NBA, it is Oklahoma City because that back court ain’t going nowhere. And on top it all, neither Sam Prey. So in your opinion, which teams are the pose the biggest threat to stopping the Thunder from repeating this season? I I view Dallas I do val I view Dallas as a preeminent threat because they’ve always had OKC’s number. If you look at them, even last year when Luca was down, they still beat Oklahoma City running through everybody except Dallas. They run into Dallas without Luca, Dallas beat them. They run into Dallas with with Kyrie, Dallas beats them. This is what they do. For some reason, Dallas has their number and they know how to play against them. And I think that because of that reality, you cannot dismiss the Dallas Mavericks as being that threat. But again, it’s asking a lot for both Kyrie and AD to be healthy. I would not underestimate Houston because of KD because Oklahoma City, I look at Oklahoma City’s defense big time, stellar. They have no answer for KD. No answer. No answer. You and they go and they’ve gone through these droughts, these scoring droughts, but their defense saves the day. Your defense ain’t saving the day against KD. It’s not happening. It’s not happening. If nothing else, that brother gonna eat. He good for 25. He good for 25. It’s not a problem for him at all. Well, let’s stay in Texas. Got to talk a little bit about Wimby. Saw his sophomore season shortening with the blood clot, but been training with Shaolin Monks this summer. Kevin Garnett, you know, two different sides of the spectrum putting that work in. How much of a leap do you expect Wimby to make in year three? Well, he’s the future. I mean, you can’t teach 7 feet five. Yeah. I mean, it was one of the most embarrassing interviews I ever had to do because I interviewed him the day he was drafted and I was here, you know, I was a damn belly for crowd. Embarrassing, you know, like damn, this is this is a legitimate 7T five with a J. Let’s call it what it is. And so, obviously having De’Aran Fox, I think goes a long way with some of the other pieces that they have. I like San Antonio a lot. I expect them to make the playoffs this year. And Wimby being in that lineup is I mean he’s hell to deal with. So you can’t rule out anything. But again, when you look at Dallas and their size and you look at Houston now having KD, there are answers to that puzzle and I think those two teams have it. Oh, Texas going to be a hell of a hell of a battle down there. That’s right. Absolutely. Shout out to What do you think about the East this year? The East? Yeah. with uh with Boston being down like a lot of I think it’s going to come down to the Knicks in Cleveland. Knicks and Cleveland. Boston doesn’t have Tatum. Mhm. Milwaukee doesn’t have Lilard. Um Indiana don’t have Indiana doesn’t have Hallebertton and and Miles Turner went to Milwaukee. Um Orlando’s on the come up. I like the Desmond Bane pickup. Um and I love Benro. I think that he’s special and he’s coming but they’re not there yet. Um, I don’t like the fact that Tib’s gone. I don’t think Tibs deserve to be fired. But in the same breath, stubbornness when Mikuel Bridges, who’s known for playing practically every game, um, never says anything, suddenly is saying, “Yo, we need rest.” I think that that was a huge, huge deal with Tibs. Uh, because that was the player saying, “He’s not listening. He’s not listening.” And remember, they had just given him a three-year contract extension. So, for them to make that shift, that clearly came from up top um because they weren’t prepared for him to be gone. That’s that’s James Dolan saying get rid of him. That’s what that was. So, you got Mike Brown now. Um and we forget that he’s a coach of the year. Uh that he’s coached the number one offense. He knows a thing or two about what he’s doing on the offensive side of the ball. That he was an assistant for years in Golden State under Steve Kerr. That never hurt you cuz Steve Kerr is one of the best ever. So, I look at it from that standpoint and I say, “Okay, New York Knicks with Brunson and and and Cat and all those guys, they could be fine.” My issue with the Knicks is like Cat facing the basket, he’s a sniper, but it’s back to the basket, it doesn’t look good. Um, that’s not his game. That’s not his game. Um, and again they, you know, they get they get low on him and they start messing with his legs and his knees and it’s compromised. I don’t think that’s I don’t think that’s a strength of his. I think you need another bonafide scorer. Mhm. If you’re the New York Knicks, um, Cleveland has all the pieces. They just choked in the playoffs. They just didn’t show up. You There’s no This is where And I’m a Donovan Mitchell fan. We got a Cavs fan here. He I’m a Donovan Mitchell fan. But let me tell you something. when it comes to his teammates, there is absolutely positively no excuse. And I don’t care what anybody says, there’s no excuse. You cannot be injured and can’t play game two, but you can play game three. If you if you could play game three, that means you could have played game two. All right. You don’t give away playoff games. I mean, it was like three or four starters that were not available for a game in the playoffs. Inexcusable. And so I I just think that the Knicks have a chance to come out of the East, but I think Cleveland in terms of their roster. I think they should be the favorites. You like Detroit? I do like Detroit. I do like And I think they’re coming. And I think they’re coming. I really, really one piece away. I think so. I think so. You know, um I like them. I I really do. Cuttingham, Brother Ball, Smooth. Yeah. silky smooth. He can do some things. They’re well coached by bigger staff as well, but I like some of their pieces. I’m not going to undermine I wouldn’t sleep on Detroit. So, on the AD front, obviously Kyrie may miss most if not all of this next season coming up. Do they get to use that as an excuse or do you feel like this mass squad can still be a top tier team in the excuse if Kyrie isn’t isn’t there? But I think that Kyrie’s going to be back after January or after Allstar break. That’s what I’m ant that’s what I’ve been told to anticipate that Kyrie could come back. Now, obviously coming back from his knee injury, he’s not going to be himself initially, and we get all of that, but the brother’s still special, and I think and and his game isn’t predicated on his athleticism. His ball handling and shot making ability is what saves the day for Kyrie Irving. And so, he can come back now. See, if somebody like Russell Westbrook had that kind of injury, it’s over because his athleticism is what carries the day for him to this very day. That’s not the case with Kyrie Irving. It’s two different things.

Stephen A Smith PREDICTS Who Will DETHRONE The OKC Thunder in 2026 as the King of Sports Media joins Gilbert Arenas and the Gil’s Arena Crew to give his takes on the upcoming NBA Season. While Shai Gilgeous Alexander & the reigning champion OKC Thunder look to be the NBAs next dynasty, Stephen A isn’t buying all the hype and highlights how new additions like Kevin Durant & Anthony Davis to teams like the Houston Rockets & Dallas Mavericks along with the up and coming San Antonio Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama will give the Thunder an uphill battle at repeating next season.

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