Oklahoma City Thunder: 2019-20 NBA season preview

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - SEPTEMBER 30: Steven Adams #12, Dennis Schroder #17, Chris Paul #3, Head Coach Billy Donovan, Danilo Gallinari #8, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder pose for a portrait during media day on September 30, 2019 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Will the Thunder still contend for a playoff spot in the Western Conference?

While Oklahoma City is setting the table for a rebuild, the timeline isn’t clear.

Typically in the NBA, a rebuild starts once a team cuts ties to all their quality veterans and starts to bottom out. That isn’t the case for Oklahoma City yet with a handful of high-end elder statesmen still on the roster.

When the Thunder trade those players is when the tanking starts, but will that be this year? Their projected starting lineup is pretty formidable, even in a stacked Western Conference. Could the front office elect to delay the rebuild another year in favor of making a playoff push with the current roster?

The possibility exists as long as those starters stay intact.

Another factor in the Thunder’s potential playoff push is how they start the season. Between the first regular-season game and Christmas Day. Oklahoma City plays 29 games. 15 of those are against teams that made the playoffs last season and two of the games against non-2019 playoff teams are against the current odds-on favorite for the NBA title; The Los Angeles Lakers.

Needless to say, the Thunder’s schedule is heavily front-loaded. If the team is playing close to .500 basketball come Christmas Day, the front office may have some decisions to make on playing the season out with the current roster and seeing if they can make a playoff push when the schedule slows down.

There is also the chance that Oklahoma City’s record looks something close to 10-19 on Christmas and it becomes clear that it’s time to tear it down. Only time will tell.

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