OKC Thunder Should Target Short Term Deals in 2024 Free Agency

With extensions coming up in recent years for its young core, the Oklahoma City Thunder should probably avoid taking on too much long-term money this offseason.

Apr 21, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder mascot Rumble the Bison waves a giant flag before the start of game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Now that the Oklahoma City Thunder is contending for NBA championships once again, the free agency period all of a sudden means a lot more for the organization.

Its No. 1-seeded, 57-win campaign last season should only be the start of an era consisting of increased success, and adding talented free agents is one of the best ways to continue building that. It can be a fruitful period of the offseason for many times, but it can also devastate teams if it doesn't go their way. Just look at the Thunder's 2016.

Oklahoma City is in a position to fill some of its weaknesses with a free agent, specifically in regards to rebounding. The name being thrown around the most is New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein, who would solve that issue in strides with his 8.3 rebounds per game. Crazier names have been through around, such as Paul George and Klay Thompson for varying reasons, but those seem to be unlikely of coming to fruition.

No matter who the Thunder acquires this offseason, it should try to make the contract as short as possible, even if it requires more of a cap hit during it.

In the next few years, the entirety of Oklahoma City's core is going to need to be extended. In 2025 Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ousmane Dieng and Jaylin Williams will be seeking their next contract, while in 2026 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams will be seeking theirs. That is a lot of potential money that will increase on the salary sheet, and it needs to be prepared for when the time comes.

The Thunder's priority is the core it already has. Of course, adding some free agents and selecting players in the draft will be necessary to keep the team on the right path, but what it has now should be the key to whatever success it may have in the future. Hampering that with a large, long-term contract on the books could be risky, especially with it being a small market team.

Giving Hartenstein a two-year deal worth roughly $50 million seems like it could be a little bit of an overpay given his skillset, but taking on the money for two seasons allows it needed flexibility in the future. Sometimes it makes it easier to convince a free agent, too.

Nobody can be certain what Oklahoma City's free agency results will look like, but with its future taken into account, a short-term deal should be the expectation no matter what.

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