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Oklahoma City Thunder
Overall: 25
Title track: 69
Ownership: 64
Coaching: 47
Players: 19
Fan relations: 26
Affordability: 23
Stadium experience: 40
Bang for the buck: 22
Change from last year: -18
The Thunder have spent the past eight years in Oklahoma City establishing themselves as a model small market operation and building a consistent winner that has competed for championships for the past half-decade. Then everything blew up on July 4, and that left the Thunder to face a future without their biggest star.
What's good
No, your eyes don't deceive you: The Thunder's roster still ranks 19th in sports, even after Kevin Durant announced he was leaving the team (they were fifth with Durant last year). Many assumed his departure would force the Thunder to sell off talent, tank, grab assets and start over -- that, of course, has been the outlook for other franchises that have watched stars walk. For the Thunder, though, that overhaul wasn't necessary. Russell Westbrook stabilized the organization by renegotiating an extension, and in addition to that, the Thunder have a core of four under-25 former lottery picks, which is what a team in rebuild mode would be looking to acquire, anyway.
What's bad
The Thunder were a team on the cusp of a championship the past five years. With Durant gone, this team's title track (down 31 spots from last year to 69th -- their lowest showing this year) was derailed. More importantly, the foundation of the franchise was shaken. Durant spent the past nine seasons (eight in OKC) leading the Thunder, defining their culture and setting the standard on and off the court. His decision to leave in many ways confirmed fans' greatest fears and served as evidence for many of the franchise's greatest critics. Fans clearly haven't forgiven Thunder owners for letting Durant leave, either: The ownership group ranks 64th, down 48 spots.
What's new
Fans were happy with Billy Donovan's first year as head coach. After he brought the team within a game of the Finals, the Thunder's coaching ranking jumped 29 spots, to 47th overall. It's the team's relative consistency, in these rankings and the NBA standings, that has helped the Thunder become one of pro sports' elite franchises. Front-office personnel from other sports routinely visit Oklahoma City to observe how the Thunder operate and how they established such a connection with the city and built a tangible culture. Now, the Thunder will truly be measured by how they acquit themselves in a post-Durant world. They lean on two words: "sustainable success." If they can achieve that in the wake of Durant's departure, then they really do have something special.
Next: Charlotte Hornets | Full rankings