When the Oklahoma City Thunder let go of Russell Westbrook and Paul George via trade, it was a sign that the team was heading into rebuild mode. However, they admitted that they're not in a hurry to complete a ‘sustainable' contending core.

The Thunder have been one of the more successful teams in the last 10 years. Since the 2008-09 season, they've made the playoffs nine out of 11 times. And not just that, but they're doing it in the very competitive Western Conference. For the 2019-20 season, the goal may not necessarily involve them making it to the postseason once again. Rather, it is to slowly and carefully rebuild their roster to be able to compete in the long run.

“We’re still 100 percent focused on building the most sustainable path for an elite team in Oklahoma City, realizing that that’s something that eventually we’re going to embark on, but we’re not at that point yet,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press via The Washington Post. “And we think that this season is one that we should really dive into and experience.”

Even though they've lost the likes of Westbrook and George, the Thunder are still in a prime position to succeed. They still have Chris Paul — considered one of the most intelligent players out there. Not to mention Steven Adams — a foundational player who's expected to take on a more active role in the offense this year. Besides, the Thunder have proven their keen eye for talent and development through the acquisitions of Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden through the draft.