NBA's Latest Contract Extensions Show OKC Thunder's Roster Won't be Cheap

Several players from the 2021 class got a payday on Monday, which will start to be a trend for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the coming seasons.

Oct 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) gestures after scoring against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

On Monday, a good portion of the 2021 NBA Draft class received their first contracts following their rookie deals. From Jalen Green to Trey Murphy, most got paid big money.

It showed just how serious the pay increases have gotten throughout the NBA, with several of the players receiving contracts worth over $100 million. That used to be reserved for the best of the best, but now, it's common for a player that shows promise throughout their first few seasons.

Of course, it's a product of the NBA salary cap expansion and the CBA, but all of the big contracts that are now being handed out is a little worrisome in keeping talent together on one roster. That will especially be a factor for the Oklahoma City Thunder, which has plenty of extensions to give to its players over the next few years.

After the 2025-26 season, both Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams will be up for their new contracts. Given that both have the potential to be All-Stars by that point, Oklahoma City will have to dish out two large deals alongside an already max contract for MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Obviously that is the trio driving the Thunder's core and it wants to keep all three around, but with how much salary cap space they will take up as a collective, it's going to be more difficult for it to extend players like Cason Wallace, Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein the following year.

The 2024 offseason was officially the most expensive in NBA history — totaling 7.4 billion in money spent on extensions, free agent contracts and rookie deals — but it's likely to only go up from here. Spending and the salary cap has consistently been on an upward trajectory, and that's probably not changing with the NBA's new TV deal with Disney, ABC and Amazon.

That should allow Oklahoma City to retain its key players, but it might have to make some sacrifices along with them. Either way, contracts are only getting larger, and it'll have to accept paying big money to remain a contender in the Western Conference.

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