The Daily Thunder Podcast

Ryan and Cray vent session about Sam Presti's vent session about the Lu Dort trade. Or was this all a big misunderstanding? Presti's pulpit: The OklahomanBlaming owners: What's the end game?Why Dort critics think we're overreactingShow links:Our reaction post to the Dort tradeRound-up Bolts after the dealDynasties Ain't Cheap: OKC's Cap CrunchThe Second Apron StormSubscribe to the Daily Thunder newsletter

Host John Napier is joined by Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar for a summer offseason check-in as they ask the big question: after a busy NBA offseason, did the Thunder stay ahead of the competition—or did the rest of the Western Conference close the gap?The two break down Oklahoma City's roster moves, including the departures of Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Hartenstein's new contract, the returns of Kenrich Williams and Lu Dort, and why Cason Wallace remains one of the franchise's most important long-term pieces.They also examine which Western Conference contenders improved the most, how major moves around the league affect Oklahoma City's championship outlook, and whether San Antonio has solidified itself as the Thunder's biggest challenger.The episode wraps up with Summer League takeaways, including early impressions of Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz, and Otega Oweh, why the Thunder's size and defensive versatility are so intriguing, and why patience is warranted when evaluating young players in July.

Ryan, Brandon, and Cray discuss the Thunder wheeling and dealing that has happened so far, and all the business yet to come.The Isaiah Hartenstein dealUpdated impressions of OKC's draft picksWiggins and Joe memoriesCason Wallace's extension talksThe Dort questionTaxes, aprons, and the cap crunch - what really matters?And much more on all things Thunder offseason.

Ryan and Cray take a deep breath...then let out all their frustrations.OKC's underwhelming return from the mega-hyped 2026 first round of the draftBrandon jumps in between radio duties to give us a splash of sunshine on Aday Mara's value at #12 and Bennett Stirtz's ability at #16Stuck at 12? Why the rumored Mavs trade seems farfetched in retrospectNot overreacting to what this means for OKC's other roster and cap decisionsBut WHAT DOES THIS MEAN for OKC's other roster and cap decisions?Cray's mispronunciations of several drafteesReading the Presti leaves moving into free agencyThe posture of Thunder ownership compared to other contending franchisesAnd much more. Listen and let it out with us.

Ryan and Cray are joined by first time guest Wes Hill to air out their reactions and predictions for the Playoffs, the Presti presser, and plans for the Thunder future.Ranking offseason priorities:How will Cason Wallace’s long-term spot determinethe Thunder’s priorities for Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort?Can OKC work with Dort and iHart to find therole, salary, and/or Eastern Conference destination they want?Why paying everyone (and the tax) is the bestshort- and long-term asset play.The draft and the youths: Should OKC target older *cough* Yaxel *cough* plug-and-play talent at #12 or #17?The juicy opportunities to move up in the firstround.Who will be on the 15-man roster between Nikola Topic,Jared McCain, Thomas Sorber, Pick #12, and Pick #17 (and Isaiah Joe, AaronWiggins, and Kenrich Williams)?The Dialogue & The Machine:    Was Presti trying to work the refs, absorb some of the Shai hate, or do PR for a superstar?The tension between national and local mediaThe impossible task of tuning out the dumbest,loudest diss-course online

Well, the Thunder suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, and it didn't take long for the hot takes and overreactions to start flooding the internet. On this week's pod, host John Napier gets Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar to blindly rank some of the worst overreactions. In addition, the pair break down Game 7, Brandon grades OKC's season, and predictions for The Finals are made.

We're joined by Austin from All Things Thunder to recap another disappointing road Game 6 for Shai and OKC.Shai's poor shooting and muted impactJDub's returnSpurs outmuscling the ThunderThe third quarter from hellChet Rorschach testWho will start Game 7?And all the rest from the Western Conference Finals.

In this episode, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar and host John Napier break down what went wrong in the Thunder’s Game 4 blowout loss, how OKC responded with a huge Game 5 win to retake control of the series, and the growing impact of Jared McCain and the Thunder role players. They also preview a pivotal Game 6 in San Antonio and make a few predictions that definitely won’t come back to haunt them.

Special guest Ezra joins Ryan and Cray to exult in everything about the Thunder's huge win against the Spurs to go up 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals.

Brandon and Cray break down OKC’s Game 2 win, JDub injury anxiety, and the playoff coping mechanisms needed when the free throw take wars get stupid.Ranking the biggest series factors so far: coaching adjustments, player performance, and injuriesWhat Jalen Williams' injury means for his playoffs and for the Thunder futureGames 3 & 4 picksAnd all the rest before the Western Conference Finals pick back up in San Antonio.

We recap the thrilling, heartbreaking classic that was Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The rotation, the pitiful shotmaking from Shai and company, the wasted Caruso performance, the uncomfortable Wemby/Chet reality, and much more from the Thunder's first loss of the playoffs.

Host John Napier and Brandon Rahbar recap the Thunder’s second straight playoff sweep and all the good vibes that came with it. The pair discuss Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s brilliant Game 4 performance, Chet Holmgren’s strong play, Ajay Mitchell’s statement showing, and much more as Oklahoma City advances to the Western Conference Finals.

Game 1 is in the books, and the Thunder made a pretty clear opening statement.Host John Napier is joined by Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar and EIC Cray Allred to break down OKC’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers. They get into the real takeaway from a sloppy-but-comfortable Thunder performance, Chet Holmgren’s impact, whether LA actually has a path in this series, and, of course, free throws.They also hit Wolves-Spurs and check in on the Eastern Conference matchups to round things out.

The Oklahoma City Thunder capped a sweep of the overmatched Phoenix Suns, and on this week's podcast, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar give their takeaways on the first round, offer an early preview of a potential second round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, and dig into Scott Van Pelt's comments on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Thunder got the dub, but another hamstring injury got JDub. We break down the team and player performances from a C+ win that put OKC up 2-0, and brace for an extended postseason stretch without Jalen Williams.

The playoffs are here, and host John Napier, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar, and Daily Thunder contributor Ryan Woods chop it up to get you ready for the first round. On this week's show, the crew dive into:Who is more important to a repeat, JDub or Chet?Who wins in a 7-game series, this year's team or last year's team?Previewing Thunder-SunsOther first round matchups we're watchingAnd much more!

Cray and Ryan brace for the good, bad, and ugly of playoff basketball soon to return for Thunder fans.Which Thunder players are still getting better?How this OKC teams compares with former magical playoff squads.Who do we want to see win the 8th seed and face OKC in Round 1? Who does Shai want to see?Plus a discussion on Ryan's other favorite sport. How does golfing under pressure and observing rules violations as fans compare to pro basketball?

The pod boys put a bow on another historic season for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, before running through the possible playoff matchups and lottery picks that are yet to be determined for OKC. Plus, an update on Brandon's free agency pitch to the league's most aggressive tanker.

It's the narrative that won't die--OKC and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander benefiting from the whistle. On this week's episode, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar throw water on this tired trope, analyze the SGA vs Wemby MVP race, discuss whether it's actually okay if the Thunder get the #2 seed, and break down the proposed anti-tanking proposals.

After reviewing OKC's recent play, the challenging final stretch of the season, and who could challenge the Thunder in the playoffs, Brandon and Cray celebrate Shai while trying not to gripe about those who refuse to appreciate his greatness.

Ryan and Cray break down a rambunctious game in Washington.

On this week's episode of pod, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar dish on SGA's excellence and the Thunder's 10-game win streak, as well as:Why do people love to hate SGA and OKC?Did the refs get the call right when Alex Caruso used his shoe?Is Jared McCain a playoff rotation player?Is Chet Holmgren playing his best basketball of the season?Who would Brandon protect if the expansion draft was today?

Ryan and Cray break down Oklahoma City's relaxing 121-92 win in Brooklyn.

On this week's show, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer state the obvious: SGA is the best player in the league and is barreling toward a repeat as the NBA's Most Valuable Player. Plus, the duo discuss:Jaylin Williams's breakout seasonIs Ajay Mitchell one of OKC's 5 best players?Is Denver still a threat in the west?East contenders and a measuring stick game against Boston

Ryan and Brandon break down the Thunder winning a nail biter in Madison Square Garden, injury updates, roster developments, and buzz out of Oklahoma City. New York's failure to bottle up SGA Mike Brown's misplaced complaints over Shai's free throwsChet's scoring explosionJ-Will's growthAjay's return? And more!

After some very encouraging play from the Thunder of late, Brandon Rahbar and Ryan Woods join Cray Allred to compare vibes before a tough road trip ahead. Should Oklahoma City worry more about health or home court advantage as the postseason draws near?Shai's looming returnThe big bad SpursJared McCain nirvanaWith all this depth, who gets playoff minutes?And more!

JDub is back. Shai is still out. The NBA is investigating. And the bad takes are flying.On this week’s Podcast, host John Napier, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar, and reporter Michael Martin dive into:The impact of JDub’s returnLife without SGAJared McCain early reviewsThe NBA investigating OKC’s injury report vs. the SpursBlind ranking five terrible Thunder takes

It's trade deadline time, and host John Napier, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar, and Daily Thunder contributor Ryan Woods react on the fly to the latest deadline deals, including the Thunder's acquisition of Jared McCain. How did Presti pull this off? What is McCain's role in the short and long-term? And is the Thunder the big winners of the trade deadline? Plus, the panel discuss all the Thunder injuries, including SGA's injury that will keep him out until after the All-Star Game.You don't want to miss this show!

Cray and Brandon review the Thunder's injury-riddled last week, and ask whether the team is better heading into the home stretch of the season.Isaiah Hartenstein's return: has he been the Thunder's third-best player this season?Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's historic rise: where does he rank among the best scorers, ever?Should OKC fear Giannis Antetokounmpo coming to the West?And more!

This week, Cray Allred joins Brandon Rahbar to recap theThunder's 3-1 road trip, preview the upcoming home stretch, and try to make the Thunder's trade season sound exciting.Appreciating Shai's greatnessPeak Lu DortWho would you trade Ajay Mitchell for?And more!

Ryan Woods and Brandon Rahbar dive deep on the Spurs victory. What changed to lead to a Thunder win?Is San Antonio still a postseason matchup concern? Can the Thunder be this good if Jalen Williams' wrist isn't right?And more!

On this week's episode, host John Napier, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar, and Daily Thunder contributor Ryan Woods dive deep into what's behind the Thunder's slump--is it shooting variance, working Jalen Williams back into form, the defense, or something else? Listen in to find out.

On this New Year's Eve edition, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar start by breaking down the Thunder's losses to the Spurs and examine whether San Antonio just has OKC's number. Then, after breaking down wins against the 76ers and Hawks, Brandon and John give their top 10 Thunder moments of 2025 (and boy, there were some great ones).

In a very special holiday episode, we have a full panel with Brandon Rahbar, Cray Allred, Ryan Woods and host John Napier. The group dissects the Thunder's loss to the Wolves and the win against the Grizzlies. More importantly, the group gets in the Christmas spirit by giving some Thunder player some gifts this year. Then in even more fun, the panel recasts your favorite Thunder players in your favorite Christmas movies. Lastly, they preview the next two games against the Spurs.

Ryan Woods and Brandon Rahbar discuss the recent play from SGA and the Thunder. The Clippers are what the French call les incompétents. Will the Wolves put up a fight? Is the MVP's Shai's to lose? That and more on an exciting week of OKC basketball.

It's been a season full of sunshine. Ryan Woods and Brandon Rahbar dissect the team's recent electrifying performances, in an episode that AI suggested called for "Unstoppable Momentum: The Thunder's Journey to NBA Glory" as the title.Defense, depth, and dominanceWill the Thunder win the NBA Cup in Vegas?Measuring up to the 2015-26 WarriorsOusmane Dieng AlertAnd more!

On this week's show, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar recap yet another unbeaten week of basketball for the defending champs and also discuss:Is Shai under the radar?The rotation with so much depthThat Rich Paul quote about OKCA look at the week aheadAnd more!

On this week's show, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer recap the dominant last week of Thunder basketball, preview the games ahead, and also cover:It's time to put the free throw narrative to bed, for goodIs the story about OKC being a market with "nothing to do" a media fabrication?Reason for Thunder fans to be thankful

On this week's pod, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar are joined by beat reporter Michael Martin. It was another winning week of Thunder basketball, and the trio get into:OKC's demolishment of the LakersWins over the Hornets and PelsChet Holmgren's stellar playThe Thunder draft capitalA look at the week ahead

On this week's show, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer run through the highlights of the last 3 Thunder games, discuss how OKC could approach Isaiah Hartenstein's contract next season, previewing tonight's Thunder-Lakers game, and a larger lookahead.

Ryan Woods is back on the mic hosting the pod, alongside Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar. On the show this week, Ryan and Brandon gush about Isaiah Joe's immediate impact now that he's back healthy, discuss how good this team is so far despite the injuries, and take a closer look the results from this last week.

On this week's show, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar look back at the first 5 games to start the season, give it up to Ajay Mitchell and Aaron Wiggins for their hot starts, examine what's going on with Shai's free throw attempts, and talk when the Thunder might be back to full health.

After the shortest Thunder offseason in history, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar are back to preview OKC's title defending season. Listen in as the pair discuss:Is Shai still underrated?Who else from the Thunder could win some awards?Brandon's playoff picks and championship picksPredicting the Thunder's recordStarting 5 and Loud City docuseriesAnd more...

On this week's show, along with host John Napier, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar runs through his list of the Thunder's top 10 best free agent acquisitions. Plus, the duo discuss whether Russ comes back to the Thunder, Josh Giddey's big pay day, the Kawhi Leonard scandal, and the Thomas Sorber injury.

On this week's show, Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar walks host John Napier through his top 10 draft picks in Thunder history, and boy were there some surprises. You won't believe who's number 2 on the list, and who wasn't on the list at all. Plus, the pair discuss the biggest offseason acquisitions in the NBA.

On this week's show, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar break down the Thunder's long-term salary cap situation after the three big extensions to SGA, JDub, and Chet, and whether the team can stay a contender for future years. The pair also discuss:The National TV games announced so farKD's tweetsAlex Caruso's weddingBrandon's NBA power rankings

In this episode, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar talk extensions for JDub and Chet, the unveiling of the renderings for the new OKC arena, noteworthy performances in summer league. To close out the show, Brandon and John walk through each of Brandon's 25 Statements Made with Extreme Confidence made before the 2024-25 season.

On the first pod of the offseason, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar get into a busy first week of the offseason and discuss:Presti's Post-Season PresserJ-Dub's wrist injurySGA's massive contract extensionDraft thoughtsExtensions for Dub, Chet, and othersHow the West keeps getting stronger

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EPISODE!In the final episode of the 2024-25 NBA season, host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer recount the Thunder's Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers to take the NBA Championship. In addition, with the draft on June 25, Brandon gives his thoughts on just who the Thunder may be targeting with its two first round picks.

It all comes down to this. Host John Napier and Daily Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar recap the disappointing Game 6 blowout before turning their attention to preview an epic Game 7 clash. Brandon gives his thoughts on the potential rotations, x-factors, and how the home court edge is so critical. To close, John and Brandon discuss what a championship would mean to Oklahoma City.