Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off of the best season of his young career. After being named to the All-NBA First Team in 2022-23, it seems that teams hoping to engage the Thunder in trade talks for Gilgeous-Alexander are now quieting down.
“All those rival executives who were hoping he would want out of Oklahoma City less than a year ago appear to have given up hope on that front,” per Sam Amick of The Athletic.
At this time last year, it was easy to speculate that Gilgeous-Alexander may have had his sights set on greener pastures. The 25-year-old was traded to the Thunder as part of the shocking Paul George-Clippers trade in 2019, and he has established himself as an elite scorer in the years since. Still, the Thunder franchise didn't necessarily appear to be on a great trajectory heading into last season.
However, now considering Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's ascension along with surges by Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams, combined with the imminent debut of Chet Holmgren, it appears that the Thunder star is content to stay with the franchise and see if he can help return them to the glory days not seen since the days of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Although the Thunder finished below league average last year, missing out on the playoffs after a Play-In game loss, the team is still extremely young and has a 30-point scorer in Gilgeous-Alexander who can help lead a talented offensive cast for years to come.
The Thunder open up the 2023-24 season on October 25 against the Chicago Bulls.
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