From The Archives: The Thunder Once Let A Star Walk To Avoid…

By the Thunder Nightly Desk · Thursday, September 17

The Thunder's 2025 championship, their first since leaving Seattle in 2008, arrived thirteen years after the franchise traded James Harden rather than pay to keep its young core intact. Oklahoma City chose the opposite path this time, carrying a $214.8 million payroll to keep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein all under one roof.

Thunder Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

The Harden Trade

Oklahoma City once broke up a core rather than pay for it. In October 2012, with a contract extension unresolved, the Thunder sent James Harden to Houston for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and draft picks, choosing not to pay him alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. That team had just reached the 2012 Finals and lost to Miami 4-1. The trade broke up a young core instead of extending it, and Oklahoma City did not return to the Finals for thirteen years.

Thirteen Years Later

Oklahoma City returned to the Finals in 2025 and beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games for the franchise's first championship since the move from Seattle. Mark Daigneault's team backed that title with a 64-18 record last season and a net rating of 11.1 that led the league, with a defense that ranked first as well. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points and 6.6 assists across 68 games last season to lead the way. This time, the front office kept the group that won.

Paying To Stay Whole

Keeping this roster together costs $214.8 million, with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren each carrying a $41.5 million cap number, Gilgeous-Alexander at $40.8 million and Hartenstein at $23.1 million. That is the bet the 2012 front office chose not to make, and it is the bet this one is making instead. Whether it pays off again starts with the October 20 opener against the Spurs, the first test of a roster built to stay exactly as it is.

Has Oklahoma City lost a Finals before winning one?

Yes. The Thunder reached the 2012 Finals and lost to the Miami Heat 4-1, thirteen years before beating the Pacers in seven games for the 2025 title.

Why did the Thunder trade James Harden in 2012?

Oklahoma City chose not to pay him a contract extension alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and sent him to Houston for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and draft picks.

By the Thunder Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.