The NBA officially released its Week 7 power rankings, with the Lakers rising to 4th place while the Clippers dropped to 26th.
Week 7 Power Rankings:
Thunder (Last week: 1)
Nuggets (2)
Rockets (3)
Lakers (6)
Pistons (4)
Knicks (10)
Suns (7)
Spurs (8)
Magic (13)
Timberwolves (12)
Raptors (9)
Heat (11)
Celtics (18)
Hawks (14)
Cavaliers (5)
Warriors (16)
76ers (15)
Bucks (17)
Grizzlies (22)
Trail Blazers (20)
Mavericks (23)
Hornets (25)
Bulls (19)
Jazz (24)
Clippers (21)
Kings (26)
Pelicans (28)
Pacers (29)
Nets (27)
Wizards (30)
Well-known basketball commentator Yang Yi discussed the Thunder on the show You Qiu Bi Ying.
Regarding whether the Thunder can become a superteam comparable to the Warriors, Yang Yi said:
“The Thunder’s core roster is already complete. The three key players—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren—are all under contract through 2031.
“The roster is very complete and young, with core players united and a long-term shared development plan. Even when Hartenstein and Dort’s contracts expire in the summer of 2027, the team will have plenty of flexibility. The Thunder hold a large number of draft picks (13 first-rounders and 16 second-rounders over the next seven years, including a Clippers first-rounder next year). The front office’s ability is evident—they can maintain competitiveness while supplementing the roster.
“Currently, they already possess the hard skills to compete for a championship. Their goal naturally is to contend for titles and potentially build a dynasty. I honestly can’t think of any reason to ignore the Thunder’s strength. This team is here, already possessing the foundation and structure of a dynasty.”
Yang Yi further compared the Thunder to past greats:
“The 73-win Warriors were a team with historically great offense but only decent defense, and they ultimately didn’t win the championship. The Thunder, however, are excellent on both ends, with defense especially outstanding. So in terms of team type, the Thunder don’t really resemble that Warriors squad—they’re more like the Chicago Bulls back then: extremely strong defensively and with a superstar like Gilgeous-Alexander who can step up in critical moments.
“And the most important point is that I think the Thunder are stronger than the Warriors in one key aspect. People say Durant joined, right? The Warriors were certainly great, completing a two-peat, but their third title fell short due to Durant’s Achilles injury and other circumstances. The Thunder, by contrast, have a greater advantage—they are united. There’s no outside interference, no one undercutting the team, no one saying ‘we were champions before you arrived.’ The core players will stay together long-term, which is extremely important for a team sport.”
Commentator Xu Jingyu also shared a different view on You Qiu Bi Ying:
“No! Oklahoma City has very limited financial appeal. In such a small market city, how can they compare to a massive market like the Bay Area? Look at the Warriors— even after Durant left, the team faced high luxury taxes every year. The Thunder lack the financial boldness at key moments. For example, Harden’s contract demands weren’t extremely high, but the Thunder let him go over just a $4 million difference. This delayed the potential glory of their original ‘Big Three’ and even caused them to miss it entirely. Small-market teams are inherently limited in resources.
“Another point is that Gilgeous-Alexander’s style doesn’t create the same kind of fan frenzy. His type of play doesn’t have massive public appeal. He isn’t like Curry, who took the Warriors from middle-tier value to the top of the league. Curry brought enormous financial and brand benefits, making the franchise economically strong and sustainable. Even from a future earnings perspective, the owner was willing to invest, keeping the Warriors competitive long-term. The Thunder clearly don’t have these conditions.
“Back then, the Warriors had two MVPs—Durant and Curry—both at their peaks, top-ten-level players in history. Their combined prime was overwhelming. Now, what can the Thunder use to attract a superstar of that caliber? There’s no landing MVP out of nowhere. Plus, with the precedent of Durant, which other superstar would dare to join?
“Considering all these factors, it’s very difficult for the Thunder to compare with the Warriors of that era.”
