Draymond breaks down why it will be hard for OKC to build a dynasty: "Their best opportunity to win again is next year" originally appeared on Basketball Network .
If there's anyone who's qualified to speak about the difficulties of winning back-to-back NBA championships, it's Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green . After all, Dray and the Dubs were only able to do it once during their remarkable run of success over the last 10 years.
So when Green discussed the prospects of the Oklahoma City Thunder building a dynasty after their impressive run to the 2025 championship, he mentioned how the team is built for success, but only until the business side of basketball kicks in the door to ruin the party.
The champagne has yet to dry inside the Thunder's locker room after they defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the finals. However, current and former NBA personalities have already thrown caution to the wind when it comes to the possibility of an OKC dynasty.
This includes Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade , who mentioned how building a dynasty in today's NBA landscape isn't as easy as it sounds. Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers also chimed in, saying that managing a formidable roster becomes tricky when money enters the discussion .
Green shares this opinion, stating that while the Thunder can still win another title or two, the smooth road the front office has been treading will soon come to a bumpy end. Dray cites the team's current salary cap situation and looming contracts for key players as factors that may impede the team's ability to keep its core intact.
"Dynasties — I think it's just going to be tough. Like Caruso was big for this championship, Hartenstein was big, Lu Dort was big. When you start paying J-Dub to max and Chet max or near max, all those guys, you start to lose," Draymond said on his podcast.
"And now you playing — got older guys playing with young guys — it don't look the same, you know. So I think they're set up for success, for sure, but is it the start of a dynasty? Those things are hard to come by," he continued.
A lot of things have to go right for an NBA team to reach the mountaintop. While talent, skill and chemistry are all crucial components, health and mentality are also just as important. Health, for one, was in OKC's favor in this postseason as none of their core players suffered major injuries.
The same couldn't be said for the Thunder's opponents, as the Denver Nuggets ' Aaron Gordon suffered a hamstring injury in Game 6 of the second round. Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton obviously tore his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the finals.
A common mistake many players make is believing they'll continue to make deep postseason runs year in and out. With how fluid the league is nowadays, coupled with a collective bargaining agreement that imposes severe penalties on teams that enter the luxury tax, it's not realistic for any team to maintain the same core for an extended period of time.
That said, Draymond expressed that the Thunder must make the most out of their core while All-Star Jalen Williams and promising big man Chet Holmgren are still on their rookie contracts.
"I think their best chance to win a championship is next year, because you'll still have Chet and J-Dub making rookie money, which means you're still allowed to keep your pieces," he conveyed. "Once that money kick in, everything looks different."
" They kicked the window in now. But your best chance is now, because teams start building to beat you. Injuries happen. Contracts happen. Their best opportunity to win again is next year. And I think they should understand that — that's just the way these things work," Dray emphasized.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti has done a terrific job playing the long game, culminating in their rise to the top this season. However, sustaining that success will involve some tough decisions in the next few seasons.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
