After a crushing Western Conference Finals loss to the Spurs, the OKC Thunder face numerous tough decisions regarding player contracts and roster makeup.
Originally, third-year guard Cason Wallace was not believed to be on this list coming into the offseason.
Unfortunately, following his end-of-year interview, he might have just been added.
In the early minutes of his presser, he discussed how his confidence only grew as the season went on. He felt "stronger" down the stretch and even went so far as to call San Antonio "beatable," which was backed up by his stellar play in the Western Conference Finals.
It was everything Thunder fans wanted to hear.
But the interview took a sharp turn when he gave a cryptic response to a question regarding his potential contract extension this offseason.
"Love the Thunder, but I'm more focused on getting better," Wallace said.
In isolation, the comment would've raised eyebrows, but the Kentucky product only muddled things further when he backed it up by saying, "Whether I get paid this summer or not, I'm gonna get better, because that's what I have to do to stay in this league."
Wallace also responded a bit too favorably to a question about his time as the primary offensive weapon in the wake of injuries to OKC's top ball handlers. His eyes lit up as he mentioned how he still watches clips of those games to this day.
Cason Wallace doesn't appear to be subscribing to Thunder culture
Wallace's sentiments don't necessarily scream "loyalty" to the Thunder faithful like the words of his teammates.
Throughout the season, players have echoed the same "team first" mentality established by head coach Mark Daigneault.
For years now, OKC has felt different from other franchises in that respect. Players have felt partial to the city. Steven Adams made an appearance in Game 7 -- not as a commentator, but as a fan. NBA personality Enes Kanter has always expressed his love for Bricktown.
Even Lu Dort, who is seemingly on his way out of town, practically pleaded to Sam Presti that he'll do anything it takes to stay with the franchise.
Unfortunately, Wallace doesn't appear to be vocalizing this same sentimental tone.
Wallace's commitment to excellence is admirable, but it seems he wouldn't be averse to saying it's coming at the expense of a career in Bricktown. It serves as a shock to fans who already view him as a player destined for a long career.
Unfortunately, that career may consist of more than just what OKC has to offer.
If Dort isn't retained, Cason will likely be the one to overtake his starting role. However, if Sam Presti is reading between the lines, he might not want to bank on that being a long-term solution.
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