In this conversational interview, Draymond Green and former NBA star Baron Davis dissect the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first NBA championship and evaluate whether it marks the start of a new dynasty. They examine the modern challenges of building sustained success, focusing on the salary‑cap landscape, rookie‑scale contracts for key players (Chet Holmgren and Jalen Dubois), and the limited window of opportunity before max contracts reshape the roster. The duo compares OKC’s situation to past franchises like the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons to illustrate how timing is crucial. They then shift to Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander’s historic season—winning the scoring title, regular‑season MVP, and Finals MVP—and discuss his emerging status as the league’s face, emphasizing his brand, media poise, and the need for back‑to‑back championships to cement that role. The conversation also touches on the impact of injuries, notably Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles tear, drawing parallels to other star injuries and their effect on team fortunes. Finally, they briefly consider the Indiana Pacers’ upcoming luxury‑tax situation and its potential influence on the league’s competitive balance. Throughout, the hosts blend analytical insight with personal anecdotes, offering a nuanced perspective on the Thunder’s future prospects.
Chapters
We gotta congratulate OKC winning their first NBA championship.
Yep.
I'm obviously familiar with how dynasties look. Obviously still playing, so I'm hoping they ain't started one right now. But do you think this could be the start of a dynasty in OKC and where their team is? I think dynasties are a lot harder, but I'll get into that. Do you think this is the start of one?
I mean, we'll see. I, I have to go with the numbers. There's going to be a different NBA champion crowned next year. But does OKC have the best chance? Absolutely. If they keep this team intact and figure out, okay, if they can make a couple minor tweaks to upgrade what they got, then I would pick them as number one. Um, I don't think Indiana is a fluke either. I think Indiana now has some championship pedigree or finals pedigree. They'll be back too. But the dynasty part is hard in this era. It's hard in this era because at some point, like you said, they're gonna be facing a hard cap and they're gonna have to be highly strategic about how they shepherd in the old and the new.
I agree with you. I think, like you said, dynasties, I think it's just gonna be tough, you know, right? Like Caruso was big for this championship. Hardenstein was big. Lou Dort was big. When you start paying J Dub the max and Chet max or near max, all those guys, you start to lose. And now you got older guys playing with young guys that don't look the same.
Right.
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. You start talking about health, everybody gotta stay healthy. You know, that drive and will, I don't doubt that that'll go anywhere. They got some young hungry guys, but I think that can definitely play a part in it. And this CBA ain't really set up for that.
Now that the Thunder have won the title, you explained the window of opportunity for them to continue winning championships. You know, we talked a little bit about dynasty. What does that window for them look like?
I think the, their best chance to win another championship is next year because you'll still have Chet and J Dub making rookie money, which means you still allowed to keep your pieces. And so their best chance to win again is the following year. Once that money kick in, everything looks different. And so when you start talking the window opportunity, look at the Houston Rockets. They won 2, they haven't won one since. You know, you start talking Detroit Pistons, won 2, went 13, 13 years, 13, 14 years, won another one, 21 years they haven't won since. Like when you get the chance to kick that window in, you gotta kick it in.
You gotta go all in.
And they kick 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, they should understand that. Yes, you know, that's just the way these things work.
Yeah, yeah, that's what I think we said. We talked about that, um, you know, do you— if they didn't win it this year, they got the next 2 to 3 years to win one. Well, they won it this year, so now they got 2 years for sure, possible 3, uh, if we were setting books, right? Mm-hmm.
Gotcha. 1,000%. That's exactly— that's how it boils down. Like, you're gonna have to start getting rid of people, and when you start getting rid of people Like you can pluck one person from a team and it can change the whole landscape. And so we'll see, but that's how I break down for them. Man, before we move on, gotta speak about SGA, the season that he had. One of 4 players to win the scoring title, MVP, and Finals MVP. Beautiful to see him continue to take that jump after jump after jump. And, you know, finally finishing on out— not finishing on out because he's still got many years to go, but finish this season out. Uh, do you think coming into next year you start talking about, like, does this just make you the face of the NBA or doesn't? Um, I personally don't. I don't know. I think face of the NBA just happened, and I know people keep talking about that, but when you look at the season he had, what else can one do?
You're the number one stunner. What, what, what, what? The number one stunner. Like if you think about it, coming out, you know, coming off the championship, you gonna be at Summer League, you show up to Summer League, you numero uno, baby. You know, start of the season media day, Uno, season start numero uno. So you can carry that, that pedigree, um, and, and, and he has a great brand, right? He has a great brand. He speaks highly of his teammates. He's, he, he's very articulate about the game and patient with reporters. So when you start thinking about, are they gonna have more, uh, national games? Well, they better. Because he the coldest, he the number one starter right now. So as far as face of the league, yeah, he got it for now. In order to be the face of the league and to carry that, they got to come and get him a back-to-back, right? They got to start, you know, looking in the face of dynasties and being compared to the greats. I think, you know, the run that he's had with MVP, scoring title, Finals MVP, um, you know, that's elite company. And he got the title. Now coming back, yes, he should get all the fanfare, the limelight. Now what are they gonna do with it? If they go— if he go back and win it again, oh yeah, he the face of the league because you the number one stunner 2 years in a row. Right, but for right now, yeah, I would say you gotta say he's the face because they gonna get way more national games and he could talk to him, he can, he can talk that talk to anybody.
Most definitely. Uh, but shout out to Draymond Green, man. Congratulations, job well done. It's great to see a guy put the work in and continue to climb.
Word.
Job well done. Congrats to OKC. Welcome to the table.
They in the room with you, Draymond Green.
They in the room. You gotta come on in. They are in the room. Gotta love it.
Well, I also wanna send out some love to Tyrese. You had two teammates, Teddy Achilles, How hard can a team bounce back when one of your best players get hurt?
I think it's tough, man. You know, we obviously had Klay go down, KD went down, but he left. Same year Steph went down. Like, it's tough. You're not winning without your best player in this league. Like, you could put together a decent season, but it ain't happening. But man, I do send my love and well wishes to Tyrese though, just on a speedy recovery. Leaving it all out there on the floor. You know, these calf to Achilles injuries are tricky, man. I put on my Threads account as soon as it happened, like, man, that look too familiar. NBA Finals elimination game, guy get to cooking, cooking.
Cooking.
KD got to cooking. Like, it was just looking too familiar.
KD was cooking, cooking. Oh my gosh.
And so, man, I just wish him well and a speedy recovery.
Oh my God.
'Cause that sucks, man. But I'll tell you what, it does. When you look at the Indiana Pacers about to go into the tax for the first time, it'll be interesting to see if they change their tune because you got Halle out for a whole year now.
Yeah.
More than likely, so. Man, you just wanted Draymond Green from everything changing, man.
Totally, totally, man. I went down, I was, I damn near wanted to cry for my bro, 'cause, you know, to not get a chance to finish is heartbreaking and he deserved it. He fought to a Game 7, he fought with an injury. We talked about it on this show that playing with that calf muscle was gonna be risky. Remember we talked about if he can show up and give us a Willis Reed. He did that game 6, 23 minutes. That was a little bit more, but coming into game 7, it's like you forget that, that the way you feel going into a game 7, you feel so much better.
Yeah.
But you not so much better.
You still the same.
Right, it's more damage if anything.
Yeah. Still the same. When I say still the same, I mean you still dealing with the same thing.
You still dealing with the same thing. And a lot of times, like, you so hyped and you feel good. Like, how many times— I can remember so many times, like, man, I feel good, and then jump and land and be like, now how did this happen, right? Then you forget, you forget, you forget that, oh, you still injured or you still nursing the injury. So it was tough to watch that. Because that young man deserved to be, be able to finish that game, uh, and walk off that court on his own. But he will be back, I know that's right. He'll be back.
Most definitely, most definitely will. Most definitely. So shout out to Tyrese, man, and the Indiana Pacers. Uh, they had a great year, get to the NBA Finals. Sucks when you get there and lose, but they had an incredible year. So congratulations to those guys as well.
