This is an NBA Preview I wrote for my fill time employer SportsNetwork.com... As many of you know I have recently accepted a full time writing and editorial position and will be covering the league on a full time basis this season.
No team in the NBA's Western Conference did more to secure the future of its franchise during the summer of 2010 then the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Coming into the "Summer of LeBron," the Thunder had one thing on their mind: re-signing their own superstar Kevin Durant to a long-term deal. The move was not necessary, as Durant still had one more year left on his initial rookie contract, but in a effort to put the Thunder faithful at ease, the OKC brass made the move and signed Durant to a five-year deal that will keep the 22- year-old sensation in a Thunder uniform until the 2015-16 season.
Beyond the extension given to Durant the team also secured its front office future as they picked up the option on head coach Scott Brooks and secured general manager Sam Presti to a multi-year contract extension, all of which will allow the young organization to grow with the group of people that created one of the league's most dynamic franchises.
The Thunder were one of the NBA's Cinderella stories last season as the franchise improved to the much coveted 50-win plateau and made a legitimate run at dethroning the Western Conferences big dogs, the Los Angeles Lakers.
They had two of the team's leaders, Durant and point guard Russell Westbrook, spend the summer improving with Team USA at the FIBA World Championships and stacked their Summer League roster with some of their most highly touted young talent in an attempt to begin the 2010-11 season where they left off last year, on the verge of the primetime.
The last time we saw the Thunder was a David versus Goliath playoff series as they pushed the eventual champion Lakers to six hard fought games and proved that the future of the Western Conference is not located in California.
The Thunder will again come into the season as one of the league's youngest teams and an early favorite to possibly dethrone the Lakers as kings of the Western Conference.
