"You don't know what's going to happen next year" - Dwyane Wade warns OKC Thunder that building a dynasty won't be as easy as it looks

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"You don't know what's going to happen next year" - Dwyane Wade warns OKC Thunder that building a dynasty won't be as easy as it looks originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Many doubted that the Oklahoma City Thunder would win it all this year because they were a young squad and did not have the championship experience. But now that the Thunder are your 2025 NBA champions, not only do they have the experience to win again next season, but they also have the youth to build a dynasty run.
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However, Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade doesn't think that the Thunder's age and newfound experience will guarantee multiple titles in the coming years because there are a lot of unknowns that will try to derail even the greatest teams.
"We know that some of the things we don't know is contracts gonna be coming up in this window, we also understand that it's jealousies that pop up in this window injuries pop up in this window. A guy want a bigger role pops up in this window. So it's a lot of things that changes in the midst of not just what the organization is going to do. But just in life, a lot of things is going to happen," said Wade when addressing the OKC repeat chances.
Money and role could be potential issues
Many believed that after winning the 2024 NBA titles, the Boston Celtics would be the next dynasty in the NBA. However, not only were the Celtics dethroned right away, but they also have a small chance of returning to the top next year with Jayson Tatum's injury. Also, they have been forced to trade key players due to financial implications.
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If you look at the OKC payroll, only Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and Nikola Topic are locked in for the 2027-28 season. That means that the Thunder will be busy handing out new contracts in the next two seasons, starting with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, whose contracts are up after next season.
The numbers could get tricky with the new CBA rules, and keeping the current team together for a dynasty run may not be plausible. Aside from money, another issue with having so many good young players is, as Wade said, somebody might want a bigger role soon and can't get it on a loaded team.
That's when jealousy could enter the picture, and we've seen how it has broken up many great teams in the past. And then, even if the Thunder successfully navigate potential money and jealousy problems, the risk of injury is always there to derail a great team.
"This is not a guarantee for them to start a dynasty because they're a very good team, and they're gonna win this championship right now, and they got a very young team. You don't know what's going to happen next year. Everybody thought that Boston was going to be right back here this year because of how good they were last year and everything we seen. Injuries, man, hunger. None of these things is guaranteed to you," added Wade about Thunder future.
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Related: "He was the most popular teammate we had" - Horace Grant on why the Bulls loved Pippen more than Jordan
Rivers on how difficult it is to keep a team together
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shared Wade's concerns, particularly on the financial side, last week. While speaking with Bill Simmons on the latter's podcast, Doc said the challenge in keeping together a championship core lies in the numbers because the salary cap and aprons will soon catch up with the Thunder and force them to make difficult decisions.
"They also have some things coming up — max contracts, paying guys, and that whole challenge of sustaining a core. What Sam has done is amazing when you think about it. He's done this without, you know, Shai really at full playoff strength," Rivers said. "But next year, after this season or in a year, they're going to have to start paying guys. And then all of a sudden, they probably won't be as deep as they are now because they're going to have to make some tough decisions."
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But while Rivers and Wade are correct about the uncertainties facing the Thunder, Presti built this current team while also accumulating a boatload of draft picks that could mitigate possible losses. So, while they aren't guaranteed to win year after year, they are in a better spot than most, if not all, of their rivals, who are also having a hard time balancing talent and salaries.
Related: "I don't know if we will ever know if the best team won the NBA Finals" - Emmanuel Acho puts an asterisk on OKC's championship
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.