Jalen Williams, Thunder Agree To Five-Year Max Contract Worth Up To $287M

[RealGM Wiretap]

Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to a five-year maximum rookie contract extension worth as much as $287 million. The deal contains no player or team options for either side.

The Thunder now have Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren under contract long-term for contracts collective worth up to $822 million.

Via Shams Charania/ESPN

[CaHgO]

This and Chet's contract were the end of the OKC Thunder.

[stlboy]

This and Chet's contract were the end of the OKC Thunder.

He’s an All NBA player, and still hasn’t hit is prime. In my opinion it’s a great value.

[RipCityKJ]

Damn almost a billion dollars for 3 players is nuts but they got to do it.

[EmpireFW]

Absolutely. Lock them in, build around them and it's not like they don't have a bunch of picks STILL coming to them. Plus, they have a new arena in the near future plus more TV revenue, they're fine. As long as none of the guys end up as the next Bradley Beal...

[TimeisIllmatic]

I think Presti has learned a lot from having KD, Russ and Harden and not winning a championship with them. Plenty of draft picks to build around JDub, SGA, and Chet.

[DoctorDunc]

This is the league, no chance they all pan out but the numbers dont hit right away so they have a nice window.

[Luv those Knicks]

It's a lot of money, and looks like 2nd Apron is on the horizon unless they're really thrifty in the other roster spots. But on the plus side, they already have 1 title, and all 3 players are young and all 3 expire around the same time, so if it does blow up, they can rebuild in 4 years . . . give or take.

I don't think this was the time to start being saving money, so I think they did the right thing.

When a team is this good, it's a respectable move. It's when teams are more in the middle of the pack and they sign a player or two to max contracts that they get in trouble . . . IMHO.

[StlHawksFan]

This and Chet's contract were the end of the OKC Thunder.

Sadly, yes. They now cannot pay anyone else without going way over the 2nd apron. And there is no way OKC wants any part of the repeater tax.

My guess is Chet gets dealt after next season.

[ReddOktober]

This is the league, no chance they all pan out but the numbers dont hit right away so they have a nice window.

They already panned out. they won a chip already!

[puja21]

This and Chet's contract were the end of the OKC Thunder.

curious -- what would you do differently?

not extend and go to RFA? Trade and retool?

If we've learned anything in the last 5-10 years it's that every contract is tradeable.

Jrue Holiday just got moved in a player for player deal... even with the previously attached 2nd round picks removed, this deal still startled a huge portion of this site who were convinced Boston would have to send out a FRP to move Jrue.

Big contracts of good players have always been moveable -- recently Dame and KD

Flawed players with big contracts (like Jrue) also shown to be moveable: Wall, CP3, Westbrook, Beal all traded multiple times with massive cap numbers.


I"m trying to understand what you think is a better path than "reup and deal w/ the money later"

[jstudabaka]

I think Presti has learned a lot from having KD, Russ and Harden and not winning a championship with them. Plenty of draft picks to build around JDub, SGA, and Chet.

Good point

[dubbmotta]

This and Chet's contract were the end of the OKC Thunder.

They still have a ton of really good draft picks in the future, Guys like Dort, Hartenstian, Wallace, etc. will walk and be replaced. Sam is good at drafting.