Roundtable: 2026-27 Thunder Season Predictions
Time to put our picks on the record. Cray Allred, Brandon Rahbar, Ryan Woods and John Napier weigh in on the Thunder’s season, the playoff field, the awards and one bold prediction apiece.
What will the Thunder’s record be?
Cray Allred: 59–23. The theme of my picks: this season will be one of experimentation and development by design. Injuries and the championship roster’s pecking order turned Mark Daigneault’s once-chaotic rotations into a more rigid hierarchy last year. With the exodus of Lu Dort and bench fixtures, a logjam of first-round talent and an even higher premium on preserving the stars’ health, I envision a return to Daigneault’s more fluid rotation strategy, optimized for long-term discovery and growth rather than dominating the standings.
Brandon Rahbar: 61–21. It’s incredibly hard to win 60 or more games in three straight seasons, but if any team can pull it off, it’s this team.
Ryan Woods: 58–24. I have concerns about the defense and the shooting when it comes to a 60-plus-win season.
John Napier: 59–23. I want to believe 60+, but with a deep Western Conference and more balance in the East, that will be very difficult this season.
Who will be in the Thunder’s opening-night starting five?
Allred: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jared McCain, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Jared McCain will not be the starting two-guard, but I have a hunch that the team will aggressively rest any player with any ailment, even on opening night. I’m guessing Chet Holmgren and/or Ajay Mitchell will be held out of the Spurs rematch, and I think Daigneault will mix it up rather than default to Cason Wallace, then Ajay Mitchell, then Jared McCain when someone sits.
Rahbar: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Woods: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Napier: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Which Thunder player takes the biggest leap this season?
Allred: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s arguably the greatest linear-development player of all time and will once again find spots on the floor and elements of his game to improve.
Rahbar: Sixth Man of the Year winner Ajay Mitchell.
Woods: Jared McCain. He’ll get a huge bump in minutes and usage, with a neon-green light.
Napier: Jared McCain. He’ll generate some Sixth Man of the Year buzz.
Which teams will reach the Western Conference Finals?
Allred: Thunder vs. Spurs. Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio will be obsessed with asserting themselves this season, as they should.
Rahbar: Thunder vs. Spurs. Duh.
Woods: Thunder vs. Spurs.
Napier: Thunder vs. Spurs. Revenge series, please.
Which teams will reach the Eastern Conference Finals?
Allred: Pistons vs. Pacers. The trades of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown mixed up the East’s talent and entertainment balance, but the summer also cemented Indiana and Detroit as the most modern teams with the youngest top-end star power.
Rahbar: Knicks vs. 76ers. I don’t feel confident about this one at all.
Woods: Knicks vs. Celtics.
Napier: 76ers vs. Cavaliers. The Eastern Conference is wide open.
Which teams will reach the NBA Finals?
Allred: Thunder vs. Pacers. We need this rematch. Tyrese Haliburton deserves it.
Rahbar: Thunder vs. Knicks. Shushing the parity-era talk for one season.
Woods: Thunder vs. Celtics.
Napier: Thunder vs. 76ers. I'm assuming good health for the 76ers, here.
Who will win the NBA championship?
Allred: Thunder. Welcome back, Jalen Williams.
Rahbar: Our website’s namesake.
Woods: Thunder.
Napier: Thunder. Time for some revenge on LeBron James after he beat the Thunder with the Heat in the 2012 Finals.
Who will win NBA MVP?
Allred: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Everyone is predicting voter fatigue, and so am I: voters will grow tired of begrudgingly voting for Shai because they have to and finally realize that he is the best player of his era. If I’m right and Shai improves on one of the greatest volume-scoring runs of all time, he will be seen by many as a legend for the first time.
Rahbar: Victor Wembanyama. The media finally get their wish.
Woods: Victor Wembanyama.
Napier: Victor Wembanyama. Ugh.
Who will win NBA Rookie of the Year?
Allred: Cameron Boozer. He’s both the best prospect and the most NBA-ready player from the stacked 2026 class. He’ll be a monster this season.
Rahbar: Darryn Peterson. He’s going to have the numbers and will be on a better team than AJ Dybantsa’s or Cameron Boozer’s.
Woods: Darryn Peterson.
Napier: Cameron Boozer. He's going to get plenty of chances to fill the stat sheet.
What is one bold Thunder prediction?
Allred: The Thunder rank in the top two in both offensive and defensive rating through 65 games. I think the Thunder will be unfazed by the new mediocrity incentives (“anti-tanking rules,” as most are calling them) until the end of the season. Once they’ve reached around 50 wins, they’ll cruise to maintain a top-three seed while keeping their players fresh as the play-in bubble teams jockey for picks and postseason gate.
Rahbar: Aday Mara makes the All-Rookie First Team.
Woods: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a 52/44/92 shooting season.
Napier: Both Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain will be serious Sixth Man of the Year contenders. After a slow start, Mitchell takes control and wins it.