After being the youngest first seed in NBA history, the Oklahoma City Thunder pivoted to win-now moves in the 2024 offseason. The rebuild was over as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren established themselves as one of the best trios.
The Thunder wasted little time building around them. They traded Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso. That one-for-one deal was met with praise. The Thunder flipped their worst starter for a role player who perfectly fits their brand of basketball.
Soon afterward, the Thunder backed up the Brink’s trucks to lure in Isaiah Hartenstein. He signed a hefty three-year deal to leave the New York Knicks. That move was also met with praise. He was the perfect traditional center to pair next to Holmgren.
One NBA championship later, safe to say both moves will greatly age for the Thunder. They were Sam Presti’s final touches to a basketball masterpiece. The 2025-25 Thunder went down as one of the greatest teams in league history with the best point differential ever and a title to cap it off.
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton recently revisited the 2024 offseason. He brought out his marker to regrade all of the big deals. For the Thunder, that meant hearing more praise on the savvy moves to bring in two textbook role players that enhanced their playoff chances.
“After limiting Caruso’s minutes during the regular season, coach Mark Daigneault relied heavily on him during the playoffs,” Pelton wrote. “Caruso started the second half of Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets and was asked to defend three-time MVP Nikola Jokic in what became a blowout win. He also played an important role in the NBA Finals.”
Pelton gave the Caruso deal an “A” for the Thunder when it happened. It remained there a year later. The 31-year-old’s importance multiplied the deeper they went into the playoffs. It got to the point he was one of the five most important players.
Meanwhile, Hartenstein’s addition received a bump. He went from an “A-minus” grade to an “A.” The 27-year-old had a career season where he averaged a double-double. The Thunder needed that type of production from him as they dealt with injuries.
“The only concern with the Thunder signing Hartenstein was how he might fit alongside incumbent center Chet Holmgren. Injuries prevented us from seeing that duo until February, but they started together for all but the first three games of the Finals during Oklahoma City’s title run,” Pelton wrote. “Hartenstein was outstanding defensively, and his screening and high-post passing proved important offensively.”
Whether you’re a basketball supergenius like Pelton or more of a casual viewer, what Caruso and Hartenstein brought in their first years was pretty evident to see on the court. They helped the young Thunder grow up and played winning basketball.