How a trade 19 years ago is *still* helping the Thunder and their title hopes
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- Rashard Lewis was traded from Seattle to Orlando in a 2007 sign‑and‑trade, the first move in a five‑step chain that eventually built OKC’s championship roster.
- Sam Presti was hired as the Thunder’s GM after Spurs GM R.C. Buford recommended him, and his roster decisions have kept the team the Western Conference’s top seed for three straight seasons.
- Tony Dutt, Lewis’s agent, watched the 2007 draft lottery from Texas and imagined the Sonics would draft Texas phenom Kevin Durant with the No. 2 pick.
- Clay Bennett orchestrated the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma City in 2006 and later helped secure Presti’s hiring, linking ownership moves to the team’s success.
- Thunder captured the NBA championship in 2025 and are on a repeat run, a legacy traced back to the 2007 trade chain.
Why it matters: The Thunder’s three‑year run as the Western Conference’s top seed validates Sam Presti’s roster‑building, bolstering his reputation among NBA executives and cementing Oklahoma City’s status as a championship contender.
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