The Oklahoma City Thunder made some big signings this summer, all of which were extensions, but based on a conversation Keith Smith of Spotrac had with one of their front office people, they are more than happy with their financial situation.
“Fair question. We’re going to be a lot more expensive than we’ve been,” a Thunder front office executive told Smith. “But everything we have done over the last five years or so has been very intentional. From resetting the roster after the bubble, to building back up, to adding from the outside, to re-signing our guys. It’s all been part of a multi-year plan. So far, so good.”
It's a bold statement, but fans should love it, and it's absolutely the right mindset to have.
What extensions did the Thunder hand out?
After winning their first championship, the Thunder made sure to secure the guys who helped them get there, handing out max extensions to Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
Williams’ extension is a five-year, $287 million contract, while Holmgren earned a five-year, $250 million deal. Now, both players will join Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as part of the Thunder core for years to come.
Speaking of Gilgeous-Alexander, his extension was the most important of the bunch. After the title, OKC inked him to a four-year, $285 million contract extension, ensuring his place atop the Thunder’s totem pole.
However, there were some initial concerns when the first reactions to the Thunder’s extensions came out, particularly because of the effects the second apron has on team-building, thanks to the new CBA.
The Boston Celtics made a ton of trades this summer in hopes of ducking the second apron, and people speculated that the Thunder will be the next team forced to do so in just a few years.
But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the Thunder are doing what they can to remain competitive right now. When they have to cut costs in a few years, they can worry about it then.
Right now, all they are thinking about is winning. They want to keep their Top 3 players in town for as long as possible, and signing them to new (although massive) extensions was an easy choice.
For the time being, their roster is perfectly fine, though they will have to pay a lot more in luxury taxes. But the second apron penalties will be something to worry about at a later date.
And they understand that. OKC knows what they got themselves into, and according to them, everything is going according to plan.