Back in the spring of 2012, the Thunder were playing in the NBA Finals and featuring a core of Kevin Durant (23), Russell Westbrook (23) and James Harden (22). All three would go on to win MVP awards, but they would never win a title, or make another NBA Finals, together.
Here’s the timeline of how it all unraveled.
The Thunder went 47-19 during the 2011-12 strike-shortened season, then swept the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in the first round. After dispensing with the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the conference semifinals, they knocked off the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the Western Conference Finals.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat awaited in the NBA Finals and took the series in five games, giving James his first Larry O’Brien trophy. Harden will be traded before the start of the next season, and while the Thunder will reach two more Western Conference Finals, by the summer of 2019, not a single player will remain from seven years prior.
The Thunder’s 2012 season-ending roster, listed by minutes played:
Kevin Durant
Russell Westbrook
James Harden
Serge Ibaka
Kendrick Perkins
Thabo Sefolosha
Nick Collison
Derek Fisher
Daequan Cook
Eric Maynor
Reggie Jackson
Nazr Mohammed
Royal Ivey
Cole Aldrich
Lazar Hayward
July 27, 2012 — Nazr Mohammed signs as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls; Royal Ivey signs as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers
Oct. 27, 2012 — Trade James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to the Rockets for Jeremy Lamb, Kevin Martin, two first-round picks (Steven Adams and Mitch McGary were selected) and a second-round pick (Alex Abrines)
Feb. 21, 2013 — Trade Eric Maynor to Portland for Giorgos Printezis
At the end of the 2012-13 season, the Thunder still have seven of their top eight minutes-earners from the 2012 Finals team, the big loss being Harden. The Thunder win 60 games but fall 4-1 in the conference semifinals to the Memphis Grizzlies.
At the end of the 2013-14 season, the Thunder still have seven of their top eight minutes-earners from the NBA Finals team. OKC wins 59 games, but falls 4-2 to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
June 23, 2014 — Derek Fisher retires
July 15, 2014 — Thabo Sefolosha is traded, along with Giorgos Printezis, for Sofoklis Schortsanitis
Feb. 19, 2015 — Kendrick Perkins and Reggie Jackson are traded, along with Grant Jerrett, Tibor Pleiss and a 2018 first-round pick (which becomes Josh Okogie) for Enes Kanter, D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler and a 2019 second-round pick
April 22, 2015 — OKC fires Scott Brooks as head coach after team goes 45-37 and misses the playoffs. Three years hence, the only players remaining from the 2012 NBA Finals team are Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and Collison
June 24, 2016 — Ibaka is traded for Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and Domantas Sabonis
July 4, 2016 — Kevin Durant announces he will sign with the Golden State Warriors in free agency after the team wins 55 games and loses in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Four years after the Thunder were in the finals, just Westbrook and Collison remain. Beating the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals is the franchise’s last playoff series victory.
May 10, 2018 — Collison announces his retirement after 14 seasons with the franchise.
July 11, 2019 — Westbrook is dealt to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, two first-round draft picks and two pick swaps, bringing an official close to the 2011-12 Thunder.
