As the 2024-25 NBA season slowly approaches, with the official schedule set to be released this afternoon, people are speculating how it will all turn out. From championship contenders to player awards, media members and fans alike are voicing their opinions, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are a hot topic of conversation for some.

Last Tuesday, the NBA announced the official schedule for the Emirates NBA Cup and members of ESPN’s NBA Today discussed who they thought would win the championship as well as the Most Valuable Player.

During this debate, ESPN analyst Tim Legler tipped the Thunder to win this year’s NBA Cup. He emphasized that the group of players is incredibly special and that they have the ability to win, but they need to show progress:

“They had an incredible year last year, but we saw that they were a little too young and too inexperienced to break through in the West… How do you make a statement at the start of next season? By winning (the NBA Cup).”

But that’s not all. Legler continued to express his confidence in the Thunder, stating that he believes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be crowned NBA MVP.

There is still a lot of work to be done, though. Last year the Thunder finished 1-3 and failed to advance past the first round of the tournament. But this is a new team with more experience, so the future looks bright for this Thunder squad.

The Thunder’s first game in this year’s NBA Cup will take place on November 15 against the Phoenix Suns.

ESPN’s Tim Legler predicts the Thunder will win the NBA Cup. He notes that OKC was young last season but is on the rise.

“How do you make a statement next season? By winning this victory.”

— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) 13 August 2024

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