RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesAs the calendar is about to flip to August, we're amid the brutal part of the NBA's year-round schedule. August and September are when teams across the league go into vacation mode. Most of the offseason homework is done. We're just waiting around for the 2026-27 season to start.
Because of how jam-packed the NBA's regular-season marathon is, these next couple of months are when players develop the most. Not needing to play a game or travel every other day, the mundaneness of summer vacation gives guys ample chances to get real developmental reps.
You're seeing that right now with the Oklahoma City Thunder . They finished five wins shy of their back-to-back ambitions. But there's no reason to harshly judge how their playoff exit came about. After going through some complementary roster changes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams must return to being All-NBA teammates.
The first step towards that? Syncing up in the offseason. Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams have spent time together this summer. Various social media posts have revealed so. They're collabing with the two-time MVP's longtime trainer Nem Ilic. They took to Instagram to recently reveal that.
Cool to see Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams be on the same page. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it's about remaining one of the NBA's best players. The 28-year-old has had two straight MVP seasons and four straight 30-plus point campaigns. He must roll along with that type of production if OKC wants a chance to bring home another Larry O'Brien trophy.
And for Williams, it's about bouncing back from a lost year. He sacrificed one of his prime seasons for a ring. Two wrist surgeries and four hamstring strains absolutely sunk his spot as one of the league's top players. But the Thunder are banking that it was a one-year anomaly.
The Thunder remain one of the title favorites. Alongside the San Antonio Spurs . OKC's dreams rest on the shoulders of Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams.
Shai and Dub working out with Shai’s longtime trainer Nem Ilic, per his Instagram: pic.twitter.com/1Ave1BQjKp
— THE UNCONTESTED PODCAST (@The_Uncontested) July 30, 2026 This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams conduct offseason workouts together
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