The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, became the second-youngest team to win the NBA championship in 2025.
Though SGA led from the forefront, he got apt support from Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
Jalen Williams’ Contract Extension Garnering Momentum
The Thunder has locked in two of its three biggest stars for the foreseeable future. First, they signed SGA with a supermax deal, worth $285 million for four seasons. They have also reportedly agreed to a five-year, $250 million contract with Holmgren.
The SGA and Holmgren contracts amount to $535 million. According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Thunder is now moving its attention to Williams, who earned All-NBA Third Team and All-NBA Defensive Second Team honors in 2025.
“Oklahoma City officials will move toward locking in All-NBA superstar Jalen Williams, who has momentum in his rookie extension talks,” Charania wrote in his latest piece after Holmgren’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, disclosed the big man’s new deal to ESPN.
Since Williams will become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season, the Thunder must lock him in. He is eligible for a five-year $246 million rookie extension, and according to ESPN insider Bobby Marks, the potential deal could rise to $300 million.
Williams is undoubtedly the second-best player for the Thunder behind SGA. Having shown his durability by playing through injury in the recent playoffs, the 24-year-old’s extension should be a no-brainer, particularly as the Thunder have 10 first-round picks across the next five drafts.
On the other hand, a super-max extension for all three stars would push Thunder’s 2025-2026 salary close to $170 million, preventing players like Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein from making big money.
Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant recently pointed out in the “Mind the Game podcast” that the Thunder’s future depends on SGA, Holmgren, and Williams. Durant, their (then the Seattle Supersonics) second pick in the 2007 draft, believes Holmgren and Williams should step up.
“It really comes down to two guys, well, three, honestly,” Durant said. “The rest of the roster is more interchangeable. Shai’s going to be that guy for the rest of his career. The question is, what are Jalen Williams and Chet going to be? Of course, they’re playing great right now, but those two have to keep improving. That’s just the reality, they have to become more consistent.”
Durant is confident that the young bucks will step up their game. He doesn’t think the Thunder will hold back on extending all three for fear of the salary cap.
“But more than anything, those two guys have to keep stepping up and become perennial All-Stars, no-doubt, every-year All-Stars, even without just benefiting from being on a good team,” Durant added.
Durant didn’t have the resources to compete against the Thunder last season with the Phoenix Suns. Having signed with the Rockets, who were second behind the Thunder in the Western Conference last season, Durant will likely threaten OKC’s hopes of a repeat.
