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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 06: Sam Presti speaks onstage during the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Ceremony on January 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)

The Oklahoma City Thunder have built one of the best rosters over the last few years. All of that work was done by GM Sam Presti. Presti used a mix of trades and tanking to get the roster to win the title last year. They are the favorites to win it this year, as well.

Presti is widely seen as one of the best GMs in the sport. The Thunder have an embarrassment of riches on the roster. Their second-best player, Jalen Williams, has hardly played this season due to injuries. Yet, they are still at the top of the Western Conference standings.

Almost every other team would love to have Presti running their franchises. Now, the Dallas Mavericks are reportedly thinking about making a run at Presti.

The Mavericks Might Try to Poach Sam Presti From the Thunder

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks could be trying to make a move at a top GM. Presti, Brad Stevens, and Tim Connelly are three of the best GMs in the sport, and all of them are on Dallas’ list. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, at least one of them would entertain an offer.

Dallas would have to make the offer too good to refuse monetarily. All of those GMs have a good setup, although Connelly has the worst of the three. Dallas does have a franchise player in Cooper Flagg to build around, which is an attractive thing.

It would be highly unlikely that Presti would want to leave something he has been building for almost two decades. He has spent all of this time building the Thunder to the point that they could be the first team in a decade to win back-to-back championships.

What makes things even scarier for other teams in the league is the fact that the Thunder could get even better in the offseason. Because of the number of draft picks they have, and with how deep the roster is, they have the assets to make a big trade.

Oklahoma City is Going to do Everything They Can to Keep Sam Presti

Presti has done a great job of building an identity in Oklahoma City around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There are two other All-Stars in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, as well. It would seem that Presti has a job in OKC for as long as he wants.

For Dallas to possibly pry him away from the Thunder, they would have to offer him the world. Dallas has already shown that it will let the GM do whatever they wants, as evidenced by the Luka Doncic trade. That trade is also why they are looking for someone new in the first place.

OKC has the best defense in the NBA. They are also a very good offensive team. What Presti has build is astounding, and it would be very surprising to see him walk away from a perennial title contender, which is exactly what he has built. Presti likely will stay in Oklahoma City.