Thunder Rumor: Sam Presti may end his term with NBA championship

If the Thunder defeated the Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals to win the championship, will Thunder general manager Sam Presti end his term?

As the Oklahoma City Thunder enters the 2025 NBA Finals with the advantage over the Indiana Pacers, is Thunder general manager Sam Presti about to end his 18-year career with the NBA championship? As Manager of the Year, it may not be a bad end to this chapter of his career in this way. Just four wins away from the team's first championship, head coach Mark Dignot admitted his relationship with Presti was a catalyst for his success.

No doubt Presti will hand over the team to Degenot as he will lead a core squad with unlimited potential and hopeful competition for the championship, and a management team with strong assets including 10 first-round picks in five years. According to The Athletic's John Hollinger, the NBA championship may be Presti's farewell show.

"You might wonder whether winning the championship will eventually prompt Presty to decline like Bob Myers," Hollinger said. "No one of the people I have interviewed can imagine that this will happen. Behind the designer glasses is a ruthless contender who beats you four times in a row and beats you even worse for the fifth time."

Presti has been in charge of the Thunder for nearly two decades, leading the team to quickly rebuild, leading a championship team from one strong team to another, which is impressive. He not only created MVP Shay Gilgers-Alexander, but also created the All-Series forward Jaylen Williams, as well as a seven-foot superstar Chet Homegren with unlimited potential. Today's Thunder can be regarded as the "big three" that a team dreams of in today's CBA league. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time, and their opponent is the Indiana Pacers.

However, given the CBA's No. 2 player and the challenges that come with it, Thunder management will face a tough choice after the end of next season, and it would be shocking if Presti left a team in the budding stage of the dynasty.

Mark Degno talks about his relationship with Thunder general manager Sam Presti

Thunder head coach Mark Degno revealed how his relationship with Thunder general manager Sam Presti affected his team's NBA Finals. Dagnott noted that they had a long-term partnership, and Mark's young coaching career flourished under the protection of the team, from the head coach of the Development League to the assistant coach to the head coach.

"When I started as head coach, I had been with the team for six years. So, we've been in a relationship for over six years," said Dagnott. "He knows me very well, and I know him very well. We have met in many different situations before, so there was no tacit understanding at that time."

Degnott will make his NBA Finals debut in Thursday's first game against the Pacers.