The current Oklahoma City Thunder might just be the best NBA team in the history of the league.
Yes, better than Jordan's Bulls. Yes, better than Duncan's Spurs. And yes, even better than the 2017 Warriors juggernaut of a squad. They're really just that good.
The Thunder currently hold a +16.9 points differential over their 17-1 record to start the year, only losing one game by two points to the Portland Trail Blazers. That's over 6 points better than the 2017 Warriors.
The scariest part? OKC is doing it all without their second best player. Jalen Williams has yet to play a single game for the dominant squad, which is relying on SGA, Chet, and a multitude of talented scorers off the bench instead.
If the Hawks have no shot at a ring, re-tooling seems mandatory for Onsi Saleh
Given the fact that Oklahoma City is not only currently making other contenders look silly, but also given that they're doing it all without their 2nd best player makes contending seem like an afterthought for many squads struggling to remain afloat in the playoff picture, such as Atlanta.
Of course, the Hawks don't own their 2026 pick, or at least, they wouldn't benefit from tanking, given that San Antonio has the ability to swap picks if they so desire. So if not tanking, what can Atlanta do?
The Hawks seem to be operating under a two-timeline approach at present. On one end, the youth of Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson are making waves as a talented young core. On the other, Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis offer savvy veteran ability that's hard to find elsewhere in the league at their positions.
Atlanta must shift to the youth. Trae and KP are both depreciating assets. It's quite likely that Atlanta will get the most value out of the pair if they're traded to true contenders looking to make a last-second upgrade to vye for a shot at besting OKC. If Atlanta misses this opportunity, their return for both vets diminishes exponentially.
While it's a bitter reality, getting value from Trae and KP is the only logical road for Atlanta to take. We'll see what Onsi thinks when the trade deadline approaches. If the squad doesn't make a miracle win streak happen soon, it seems abundantly likely the Hawks are headed for a younger re-tool.