The Top 10 Reasons Why Sam Presti Is Still Overrated — Even If the Thunder Win It All

Sam Presti’s Legacy: From Missed Dynasty to Redemption?

The NBA world is buzzing — OKC is back in the Finals.
The Thunder’s young core is deep, hungry, and built from the ground up. And right on cue, the praise for Sam Presti is louder than ever.

But let’s pump the brakes.

Yes, Presti rebuilt a contender — we’ll give him that. But a chip in 2025 (if it happens) doesn’t erase 13 years of missteps, wasted potential, and generational talent mismanagement.

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Let’s run it down — here are the Top 10 reasons why Sam Presti is still overrated, title or not.

10. He Traded a Future MVP for Kevin Martin and Picks

Let’s stop sugarcoating it.

Presti traded James Harden, a 22-year-old Sixth Man of the Year who just helped them reach the Finals, to avoid paying a luxury tax. The difference? Roughly $4 million.
And to make it worse — Harden was still on his rookie deal. They didn’t have to trade him yet. OKC could’ve run it back, contended again, and explored trade options later with far more leverage.

Instead, he got back:

• Kevin Martin (rental)

  

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• Jeremy Lamb (meh)

• Two firsts, which turned into Steven Adams (solid) and Mitch McGary (bust)

Harden went on to win MVP, lead the league in scoring, and carry Houston deep into the playoffs.

That trade broke the dynasty before it even started.

9. He Never Built Around KD the Right Way

Kevin Durant was a once-in-a-generation scorer, but OKC never gave him the infrastructure to thrive long-term.

• No real ball movement.

• No stretch bigs.

• No true 3-and-D wings.

And while other contenders were adding shooters, Presti was signing Anthony Morrow and Daequan Cook like that was enough.

You had KD, and surrounded him with guys who couldn’t hit open shots in May.

👉 Think Presti’s actually elite, or just lucky with stars?
Check out the Top 10 OKC Thunder Players of All Time and see how many of his picks actually made the list.

8. He Gave Up Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins

In 2011, Presti — then just in his early 30s — traded Jeff Green, a versatile scorer and KD’s close friend, for Kendrick Perkins, thinking it would toughen the front line.

What it really did?

• Killed floor spacing.

• Slowed the offense.

• Gave OKC a guy who couldn’t guard the pick-and-roll or stretch the floor.

Presti had already been the Thunder GM for 4 years by that point  — long enough to know this league was shifting. He stuck with 2000s-style grit while the 2010s demanded skill.

Perk was a culture guy — but not a championship piece. And Green? He’s still contributing to Finals teams in 2025.

7. His Draft Record Is a Mixed Bag

Yes, Presti nailed KD, Russ, and Harden — all in the top 5.
But let’s not pretend every pick was gold:

• Mitch McGary

• Josh Huestis

• Terrance Ferguson

• Perry Jones III

  

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• Cameron Payne (didn’t break out until he left OKC)

He’s hit with Chet, Jalen Williams, and traded for SGA, but it took a lot of swings to get there — and a full decade of missing the mark.

6. He Let Kevin Durant Walk

KD left in 2016 — and yes, it was a gut punch.

But dig deeper:

• Harden trade? That stung.

• No evolution in the offensive system? Facts.

• Roster still ISO-heavy in 2016? Yep.

• Perk and Roberson clogging the floor? You know it.

Presti never adapted to what KD needed. So he bounced — and found the blueprint he wanted in Golden State.

5. He Stuck With One-Way Players Too Long

The modern NBA is about two-way wings and switchable defenders who can shoot. Presti missed that memo.

• Signed Anthony Morrow hoping he’d be a knockdown shooter — he wasn’t.

• Gave minutes to Roberson, Ferguson, Diallo — elite defenders with no jumper.

• Rarely found a real 3-and-D wing, the most important archetype in today’s game.

Presti bet on athletes, not shotmakers — and it cost them year after year.

4. He Let Russ Burn Out

After KD left, it was all-in on Russell Westbrook — but Presti never gave him help that made sense.

• No floor spacing.

• No high-IQ half-court threats.

• No shooters to capitalize on his drive-and-kick game.

Russ put up historic triple-doubles… and got bounced in the first round.

Presti let the MVP cook, but he let him cook alone.

3. He Let Paul George Walk After Going All-In

Give Presti credit: he landed Paul George — but what did it lead to?

• Zero playoff success.

• Kawhi recruited PG out of OKC a year later.

• The Thunder immediately had to rebuild — again.

The George/Westbrook core was never sustainable. Presti doubled down… and it folded fast.

2. He Played It Safe Too Often

The Harden trade? Conservative.
Never trading future picks for win-now help? Conservative.
Waiting a decade to build the next contender? Conservative.

He hoarded picks like Bitcoin but didn’t use them to make aggressive, title-chasing moves until 2024–25.

If he wins the title now, cool. But it took 13 years to get bold again.

1. He Had Three MVPs… and Got Zero Rings Out of Them

Let this never be forgotten:

• Kevin Durant (2013-14 MVP)

• Russell Westbrook (2016-17 MVP)

• James Harden (2017-2018 MVP)

That core was built to run the 2010s. Instead, they got one Finals trip and a pile of regrets. The front office chose cost-cutting over contention, and it broke up a dynasty before it ever had a real shot.

Even if OKC wins it all in 2025, it won’t erase that miss. The Thunder had three MVPs and let it slip away. That L will always stick.

Curious who made the cut? Check out the Top 10 OKC Thunder Players of All Time.