At this point, there should be no question about how much the OKC Thunder value Cason Wallace as a staple within their core rotation.
If this wasn't already widely understood, perhaps Sam Presti's recent words of praise may drive the point home.
During his annual preseason media availability presser, the storied executive was asked about the extension talks that remain ongoing between the Thunder front office and Wallace's team.
While he made sure to note that he feels it's not "appropriate" for him to unveil any behind-the-scenes intel at this point, he and the rest of the team think "very highly" of Wallace and suggested that they have already shown him the "greatest sign of respect" with their decision to trade beloved veteran Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks this summer.
"It's a bit of a gesture to him to say we think you can have a great riole on this team, we believe in you as a player, and we're hopeful that all that can work out," Presti said.
Sam Presti subliminally confirms Cason Wallace will start for Thunder
Though nothing has officially been confirmed, this take by Presti certainly reinforces the widely held belief that Wallace will serve as the heir apparent to the departed Dort as the starting shooting guard for the Thunder this coming season.
Throughout his three years in OKC, Wallace has served as the primary understudy for Dort, regularly stepping into the first five unit in his place when he was forced out.
Last season, in particular, he was thrust into the starting lineup 58 times and averaged 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and a ridiculous 2.1 steals while shooting 36.4 percent from deep along the way.
With this kind of replacement frequency coupled with his impressive production, it was only logical to think that he'd be looked to as the clear choice to take the reins over for the veteran as the usual starting two now that he's down in Atlanta.
Now, Presti all but confirmed this to be their plan.
Thunder have less than a month to extend Cason Wallace
These words of admiration for Wallace not only suggest that the Thunder are looking at him as the replacement for Dort in the starting lineup, but also as someone they plan on holding onto for the long haul.
Considering he's an established All-Defensive talent and a highly efficient long-range shooter still under the age of 23, this shouldn't come as a shock.
However, the Thunder are running out of time to secure him to an extension.
With the fact that he's entering the fourth and final year of his rookie-scale contract, Wallace is eligible to ink a new multi-year deal with OKC before the start of the season. Right now, he's one of only a handful of his top-producing 2023 NBA Draft lottery classmates who do not have a new deal in place.
While the Kentucky product is viewed as someone to "keep an eye on" when it comes to being next in line to put pen to paper on a rookie extension, with every passing day, the odds of him signing the dotted line seem to grow worse and worse, as the deadline for him and the Thunder to do so is October 19.
If Oklahoma City wishes to avoid a bidding war for his services on the free agency market next summer, they have less than a month to lock him down.
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