Having just completed his second full season, OKC Thunder point guard Ajay Mitchell has already begun to capture the NBA's attention. From establishing himself as an elite on-ball defender to turning heads in the postseason, Mitchell has put himself on a path to stardom.
If the Thunder aren't careful, the left-handed talent could find a payday elsewhere in a few years.
Regarding how not to handle the situation, they need to look no further than the NBA Finals, where Knicks star Jalen Brunson has his team two wins away from a title. Mitchell has long been compared to the point guard, both in play style and career trajectory. Both were second-round picks who use their herky-jerky left-handedness to get to the rim and create space on the floor.
Now, the Thunder must learn from Brunson's first team, the Dallas Mavericks, how to avoid seeing their budding talent excel in another uniform.
Jalen Brunson bet on himself... and won
In the span of three years, Jalen Brunson went from average to good to great. In a sit-down interview on DraftKings Network, he explained what ensued in great detail.
At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, he expressed his desire to stay in Dallas, along with his willingess to sign an extension, but emphasized the fact that he wanted to get it done early in the year so it wouldn't linger in his mind. The Mavs were in no hurry to make such commitment, and a deal was never done.
Then, former Mavs star Luka Doncic missed a portion of the season, propelling Brunson into a starting role. He took the extended minutes and ran with them, and never looked back. By the time the Mavericks were ready to talk extension, Brunson had a clear message for them.
"No, I think I've outgrown that, now," he said in the interview.
Thunder can wait to talk Mitchell extension... but can they afford it?
Lucky for Oklahoma City, they have Mitchell under contract for another two years, plus an additional year if they elect to pick up his team option. His current contract, a three-year, $8.7 million bargain, is yet another product of general manager Sam Presti's genius.
Another three years of the Santa Barbara product would be great, but if the Thunder see him as a long-term solution, they might not have the luxury of waiting. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren all set to make over $40 million beginning next season, adding another max deal to the mix seems improbable at best.
It took Ajay Mitchell exactly two years to go from second-round afterthought to future star. Who knows how good he could be by the time 2028 rolls around?
After his stellar campaign, the point guard has certainly increased his value, but it is nothing compared to what his next contract might look like in another few years. If the Thunder front office makes the same mistake Dallas did and drags its feet, he could inevitably price himself out of their budget.
It's clear OKC struck gold with Ajay Mitchell, but retaining that value long-term will be something different entirely. Hopefully, they can observe the mistakes of other teams in similar situations and find a way to keep Mitchell around for the long haul.
Add us as a preferred source on Google