The 2023–24 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 16th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 58th in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
After a win over the Rockets on February 27, the Thunder improved on their 40–42 record from the previous year. After a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Thunder reached 50 wins for the first time since 2016. On March 31, 2024, the Thunder clinched their first playoff berth since 2020 after a win against the New York Knicks. They eventually clinched their first division title since 2016, along with the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 2013, after clinching a tiebreaker over the Denver Nuggets, who also finished with an identical 57–25 record, due to a 3–1 season series win. The Thunder became the youngest team to earn the 1-seed since seeding began in 1984 (with an average age almost two years younger than the previous record holder, the 2004–05 Phoenix Suns).
In the playoffs, the Thunder swept the New Orleans Pelicans, 4–0 in the first round, making them the youngest team ever to win a playoff series, surpassing the 2010–11 Thunder. This would also be their first playoff series win since 2016. However, they were upset by the Dallas Mavericks in six games of the semifinals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder drew an average home attendance of 17,451 in 41 home games in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Previous season The Thunder finished the 2022–23 season 40–42 to finish third in the Northwest Division, tenth in the Western Conference and qualified for the play-in tournament. The Thunder won its first game against the New Orleans Pelicans but were eliminated against Minnesota Timberwolves in the second game. This marks the third consecutive season that the Thunder failed to qualify for the playoffs since moving to Oklahoma City.
In their third year of the rebuild, the Thunder exceeded their win expectations behind the All-Star play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, second-year guard Josh Giddey and rookie Jalen Williams. Gilgeous-Alexander broke out for the Thunder averaging a career-high 31.4 points, becoming one of the league's top scorers and notched his first All-Star selection. Gilgeous-Alexander was later named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time. With Giddey and Williams also breaking out as scorers, the Thunder improved offensively and were fifth in points per game as a team after finishing last in the league last season.
In his rookie season, Jalen Williams—the 12th pick in the 2022 NBA draft—led the team in field goal percentage at 52.1% while averaging 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals a game. Williams finished the season winning two Western Conference Rookie of the Month and was named to the All-Rookie First Team.
Finishing tenth place in the Western Conference, the Thunder held the final play-in spot, seeing their first postseason action since the 2019–20 season. Behind Gilgeous-Alexander's 32 points, Giddey's 31 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists, and Luguentz Dort's 27 points, the Thunder won its first-ever play-in game before being eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves with a chance to make the playoffs.
Offseason Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 12 Dereck Lively II C Duke 2 37 Hunter Tyson SF Clemson 2 50 Keyontae Johnson SG Kansas State Cason Wallace was later traded to the Thunder via Dallas Mavericks The Thunder had one first-round pick and two second-round picks entering the draft. Their sole first-round pick had a 1.7% chance to win the first overall pick and a 8.1% chance to jump in the top four after losing the tiebreaker with the Chicago Bulls for the eleventh best odds. Sam Presti represented the Thunder in the lottery drawing room while Nick Collison represented the Thunder at the draft lottery for the second consecutive year. Since retiring, Collison has served a position within the Thunder's front office, recently being named an amateur evaluation scout. With an 85.2% chance at staying at twelfth, the Thunder ended the night with the 12th overall pick. After the lottery, the order of the Thunder's two second-round picks were revealed. Due to the San Antonio Spurs picking ahead of the Houston Rockets in the draft, the Thunder's second-round pick that would have been conveyed from the Portland Trail Blazers at 35th overall, was instead conveyed to the Boston Celtics. The Thunder instead, acquired the 50th overall pick from the Miami Heat. The Thunder's other second-round pick, originally from the Washington Wizards via New Orleans Pelicans from the Steven Adams trade, landed at 37th overall.
On draft night, the Thunder traded the draft rights to Dereck Lively II, the 12th overall pick, to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to Cason Wallace, the 10th overall pick, and Dāvis Bertāns. Coming out of Kentucky after his freshman year, Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals—landing him on the SEC All-Freshman Team. Wallace gained recognition for his elite defense, drawing comparisons to Jrue Holiday as a two-way combo guard who can disrupt opposing guards and can offensively make the right play. The Thunder then traded the draft rights to Hunter Tyson, the 37th overall pick, and the least favorable of the Thunder's 2024 first-round picks to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a future protected 2029 first-round pick. With the 50th pick, the Thunder drafted Keyontae Johnson out of Kansas State. Johnson played his first four years with Florida before collapsing on the court after suffering a heart inflammation. Transferring to Kansas State, Johnson averaged 17.4 points and 6.8 rebounds on 51.4% shooting. Described as a fundamentally sound two-way player, Johnson averaged 38.9% on his 3-point attempts in addition to being effective on defense with opponents shooting 32.6% with Johnson as the primary defender.
The Thunder ended 2023 NBA draft night with Kentucky guard Cason Wallace and Kansas State guard Keyontae Johnson. During the Thunder's 2023 Draft Class Press Conference, general manager Sam Presti confirmed that Johnson will be one of the Thunder's two-way contract players headed into the season, which he later signed on July 7.
Free agency
For this offseason, free agency began on June 30, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. EST. Dario Šarić was set to hit unrestricted free agency while two-way players Jared Butler and Olivier Sarr were set to hit restricted free agency. In addition, Lindy Waters III had an upcoming team option and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl held a non-guaranteed contract with the team heading into the season. On June 29, the Thunder declined Waters III's team option worth $1.9 million. Waters III started with the Thunder on a two-way contract before being converted into a standard contract. In two seasons, Waters III averaged 6.3 points while shooting 36% from three on 4.7 attempts. However, on August 18, the Thunder re-signed Waters III to a two-way contract after losing Butler in free agency. The Thunder also declined to extend a qualifying offer to Jared Butler and Olivier Sarr, making them both an unrestricted free agent. However, on August 21, the Thunder re-signed Sarr to another two-way contract. On June 30, the Thunder guaranteed Jeremiah Robinson-Earl's contract worth $1.9 million. Since being drafted in 2021, Robinson-Earl averaged 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in two seasons with the Thunder.
On July 1, it was reported that Vasilije Micić agreed to a three-year, $23.5 million contract with the Thunder, which he later signed on July 17. The Thunder included a team option on Micić's third year in his contract. Originally drafted in 2014 by the Philadelphia 76ers, Micić's draft rights were traded to the Thunder in 2020 as part of the Al Horford trade. Playing in the EuroLeague, Micić developed as one of the top players, winning back-to-back EuroLeague titles, being named the EuroLeague MVP in 2021, and winning the EuroLeague Final Four MVP twice in 2021 and 2022. In his last season with Anadolu Efes, Micić averaged 16.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists on 43.5% shooting. On July 1, it was reported that Jack White agreed to a two-year contract with the Thunder, which he later signed on July 20 after the Thunder waived Rudy Gay. White joins the Thunder after winning an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. However, on October 22, the Thunder waived White to finalize their regular season roster.
Trades
On July 6, the Thunder acquired Victor Oladipo, a 2029 second-round pick, and a 2030 second-round pick from the Miami Heat in exchange for cash considerations. The Thunder absorbed Oladipo's $9.45 million expiring contract into cap room while the Heat generated a $9.45 million trade exception. Oladipo, who previously played for the Thunder in the 2016–17 season, suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during the 2023 NBA playoffs and was traded by the Heat for some financial flexibility due to being over the tax threshold for the season. On July 8, the Thunder acquired Patty Mills, a 2024 second-round pick, a 2029 second-round pick, and a 2030 second-round pick from the Houston Rockets as a part of a broader five-team trade, in which the Thunder will send cash considerations to the Atlanta Hawks. The Thunder then re-routed Mills to the Hawks in exchange for Usman Garuba, Rudy Gay and TyTy Washington Jr., and a 2026 second-round pick. Recent first-round picks Garuba and Washington Jr. arrived to the Thunder after being traded by the Houston Rockets to the Hawks as part of the Dillon Brooks five-team trade. However, on August 18, the Thunder waived Washington Jr. The Thunder then waived Garuba three days later on August 21.
On October 17, the Thunder acquired Kevin Porter Jr., a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. However, Porter Jr. was waived after being arrested for his domestic assault charge during the offseason.
Front office & coaching changes Following the Washington Wizards' hiring of Michael Winger, Will Dawkins joined the Wizards as the team's general manager. Joining the Thunder in 2008, Dawkins oversaw the Thunder's scouting department for three years before joining the front office. Starting off as an intern, Dawkins served as one of the vice president of basketball operations, sharing the title with Rob Hennigan. Dawkins's promotion marks the fifth assistant under general manager Sam Presti who went onto become a general manager. During the Thunder's 2023 Draft Press Conference, Presti said Hennigan would remain as the only vice president of basketball operations for the season following Dawkins' departure.
On July 19, the Thunder announced that head coach Mark Daigneault signed a multi-year contract extension. Starting off as the head coach for the 2020–21 season, Daigneault had a 16-win improvement in the 2022–23 season where the Thunder ultimately finished with a 40–42 record, including a play-in game victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Daigneault would later finish second in the 2023 NBA Coach of the Year voting.
Injuries During an offseason workout, Aleksej Pokuševski sustained a small right humerus fracture and would be re-evaluated in approximately four to six weeks. Pokuševski missed 38 games including the Thunder's two play-in games last season.
Summer Leagues Salt Lake City