There is no shortage of attention being paid to the Oklahoma City Thunder. But that spotlight is more about them winning the championship and signing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a supermax extension. This team’s offseason includes more victories than just the routine Ws.
Sure, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams were always going to sign extensions. But the Thunder locked them up for five years without either getting a player option and with limited escalator language on the latter’s deal. That’s not a given. Just ask the Magic, who included both a player option and full-on 30-percent escalation language in Paolo Banchero’s extension.
Oklahoma City also busted out new contracts for Ajay Mitchell and Jaylin Williams that are going to age absurdly well. The former’s three-year, $8.7 million deal will never be worth even 2 percent of the salary cap. The latter’s own three-year, $24 million deal takes up, on average, under 4.9 percent of the cap.
Zero brownie points are given for getting Thomas Sorber at No. 15 in the draft. He didn’t play during summer league while recovering from left foot surgery. Brooks Barnhizer, the No. 44 selection, did play. And he looked good. Though he’s on a two-way, he plays defense like he idolizes Mitchell, Alex Caruso and Lu Dort.
A few months from now, we might just be muttering, half-exasperatedly, half-incredulously, “The Thunder really did it again.”