The final domino of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason has fallen.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Thunder and soon-to-be starting guard Cason Wallace agreed to a 5-year, $139 million contract extension.
The deal locks up Wallace for the foreseeable future and gives clarity to both sides. For Wallace, this is a sign of faith from the Thunder as he prepares to become a full-time starter for the first time. On the OKC side, the team secures a commitment from a player who fits what they want to do on both sides of the ball and has room to step into a larger offensive role as he rounds out his game at a number below what he would’ve gotten as a restricted free agent.
The move should also provide a huge sigh of relief for OKC fans. Paying Wallace over $27 million takes OKC well into the dreaded second apron as currently constructed. After OKC’s summer moves saw fan favorites Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe traded in what were clearly cost-cutting moves, some had become worried that OKC’s ownership may be trying to avoid a huge tax bill. With the Wallace extension, OKC’s ownership is committing financially to this team, as all five starters, Jaylin Williams and Alex Caruso, are all on multi-year extensions.
Ajay Mitchell is next in line for a payday, but the Thunder securing Wallace is a massive win and a huge weight off the shoulders of a team that can now fully focus on returning to the NBA Finals after falling in the Western Conference Finals a season ago.
