Oklahoma City Thunder
Gary Payton was a force of nature for the then Seattle Supersonics, one of the best backcourt defenders in NBA history. Payton won the 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year Award and made nine All-Defensive teams in his 13 seasons in Seattle. He was a potent offensive player too, averaging 18.2 points and 7.4 assists per game during his time with the team as well. Payton is still the organization’s all-time leader in games, minutes, points, assists, and steals.
Kevin Durant’s departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder may have left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans, but what he accomplished in his nine seasons with the organization is considerable. Durant won both Rookie of the Year and an MVP Award with the franchise, making seven All-Star games and leading the league in scoring four different times. He also led the team to the 2012 NBA Finals, their first Finals appearance since the 1995-96 Sonics team that lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Russell Westbrook spent a good chunk of his career in the shadow of Durant, but he’s stepped out of that in an enormous way. Westbrook is already third in the franchise’s all-time scoring list, second in assists and, incredibly, sixth in rebounds. In addition, his MVP campaign in 2016-17 — averaging a triple-double for the entire season and setting the single-season mark for triple-doubles — stands as one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history.
Jack Sikma played nine impactful seasons for the then Seattle Supersonics and was a key figure on their 1979 title-winning team. Sikma averaged 16.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his time in Seattle. Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson may have been more memorable contributors on those late 1970s Sonics teams, but Sikma played far longer for the franchise — still ranking second all-time in minutes played.