The Oklahoma City Thunder have locked down another piece of the team's future.
On Sunday, Oct. 18, OKC inked Cason Wallace to a five-year, $139 million extension that will keep the All-Defense guard in the Modern Frontier for the next six seasons.
Wallace joins Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as significant contracts on the Thunder's roster in the coming years, limiting Oklahoma City's flexibility.
Sam Presti and company have already traded Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort, largely due to OKC's financial situation. The team needed financial space to sign Hartenstein and Wallace to the contract each received between the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, in addition to other players who have contract extensions looming.
Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain have both performed well for Oklahoma City, and could command large contracts.
Mitchell has a team option for the 2027-28 season, and would enter unrestricted free agency following that campaign if the Thunder don't extend the former second-round pick. McCain also has a team option for the 2027-28 season, and would be a restricted free agent following that year if the sharpshooter doesn't get a new contract.
Mitchell signed a three-year, $8.7 million contract following his rookie year, but will likely earn significant average annual value on his next deal after a breakout second season. In 2025-26, the former Santa Barbara standout averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.5% from the field and 34.7% from 3-point range.
Mitchell's breakout continued in the playoffs, where the talented guard averaged 22.5 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 56.3% from the field and 25% from 3-point range against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.
Similarly, McCain's playoff performance could help him earn a solid contract when his extension arrives, as well. In 11 games against the Lakers and Spurs, McCain averaged 12.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 41.8% from the field and 38.5% from deep.
A former first-round pick, McCain arrived in Oklahoma City during the 2025-26 season after being traded from Philadelphia.
Both players showed enough skill to be pieces of the Thunder's future, but after Wallace's extension, signing Mitchell and McCain while keeping the other players already under contract could be difficult for OKC's front office.
For the next few seasons, though, it seems that Oklahoma City has locked in the core pieces of its roster.
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