Oklahoma City’s Championship Core Is Set: How the Thunder Can Keep Winning Without Breaking the Cap

Coming off the franchise’s first NBA title, the Oklahoma City Thunder are entering one of the most unique and promising eras in league history. With three max-level stars all age 26 or younger, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams, locked up through the 2030-31 season, OKC isn’t just built to defend its title. It’s built to try and dominate for years. Sam Presti is running laps around the league right now. Even having conversations about the tax apron with the core players signed...is a good problem for OKC and the fans.

Here’s what separates Oklahoma City from most contenders, via Bobby Marks at ESPN

1. 14 first-round picks over the next 7 years (including potentially 4 in 2026)
2. 5th-lowest payroll in the NBA since 2020-21
3. A new arena coming in 2028, a massive national TV deal looming, and potential league expansion boosting revenue league-wide
4. Staggered contracts: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s new extension doesn’t even begin until 2027-28
5. $77 million in non-guaranteed contracts by 2026-27
6. Zero albatross contracts on the books

Presti Learned from the Past and Planned for the Future

Good leaders tend not to repeat problems of the past or let. They use the experience to educate themselves But it also became Presti’s turning point. He’s made sure that situation won’t repeat itself once they knew how good this core could be. 2012 wasn't entirely about money either, it had as much to do with style, fit, and desire to be the leader as much as anything.

OKC has locked in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (4 years, $285M), Chet Holmgren (5 years, up to $250M), and Jalen Williams (5 years, up to $287M), a trio with championship chemistry and youth on their side. All three deals extend through at least 2031, totaling up to $822 million.

And here’s the kicker: those massive extensions are backloaded and strategically timed, allowing the Thunder to compete now without any immediate cap constraints.

The Role Players on Team-Friendly Deals

While some teams pay premiums for mid-tier players, the Thunder’s depth is made up of value contracts and calculated team options:

1. Isaiah Hartenstein: 3 years, $87M (with a $28.5M team option in year 3)
2. Lu Dort: 5 years, $82M (team option in 2026-27)
3. Alex Caruso: 4 years, $81M
4. Aaron Wiggins: 5 years, $45M (frontloaded, decreasing annually with a team option in 2028-29)
5. Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams: all on affordable deals with future flexibility

This gives Presti the option to decline, trade, or restructure contracts to stay below the second apron, even after the big three extensions kick in.

Depth Built Through the Draft

Oklahoma City’s championship wasn’t just about stars. Their bench and role players played pivotal roles.

Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Jaylin Williams were all key contributors. Now, Presti has added 2025 first-round pick Thomas Sorber, a promising two-way center, to prepare for a potential Hartenstein exit after 2026.

The Thunder still hold a war chest of picks, giving them the means to replace depth or even acquire a superstar if needed, all without overpaying in free agency.

Future Payroll Outlook: Flexibility Remains

1. 2025-26: Thunder are an above-the-cap team but sit ~$8.5M below the first apron. All 15 roster spots are filled.
2. 2026-27: Projected payroll of ~$246M pushes them above the second apron on paper. But Presti has $77M in non-guaranteed or team-option money (Hartenstein, Dort, Kenrich Williams) to trim salary and stay below the limit.
3. 2027-28: Shai’s supermax ($60M+) kicks in, but Presti can offset that with options on Isaiah Joe ($11.3M) and Jaylin Williams ($7.7M).

Even with a projected $150M tied up in SGA, Holmgren, and Jalen Williams in 2027-28, the Thunder still won’t be handcuffed like other top-heavy teams.

No Immediate Repeater Tax Concerns

While most franchises worry about triggering repeater penalties, the Thunder aren’t in that zone yet.

“We’re in the very early stages of this CBA,” Presti said after the Finals. “The way teams react now isn’t how they’ll operate later. We’ve planned for this.”

The Thunder Window

Most NBA contenders are operating on a 2 to 3-year timeline. The Thunder? They’re looking at a minimum of 5 years of contending with one of the youngest and most efficient rosters in the league.

They will lose players eventually, that's a part of sports. But with smart cap management, draft capital, and a clear organizational identity, the core is built to last with new pieces added along the journey.

The Presti Plan

OKC has flipped the script in the early stages of the new CBS. Through years of patience, precision, and planning, Sam Presti has built a contender that isn’t beholden to the apron or the tax.

Thunder offseason moves/news in Summer 2025:

1. June 24 - Thunder celebrates NBA Championship with parade
2. June 28 - Thunder trades forward Dillon Jones and a second-round pick to the Wizards for Colby Jones, who was released.
3. June 29 - Re-signs forward Jaylin Williams to a veteran extension
4. July 1 - Signs MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a four-year, $285 million supermax contract extension through the 2030-31 season.
5. July 3 - Signed rookie guard Brooks Barnhizer to a two-way contract, Signed center Thomas Sorber to a rookie scale contract
6. July 6 - Re-signed guard Ajay Mitchell to a contract extension
7. July 8 - Re-signed forward Branden Carlson to a new two-way NBA contract
8. July 9 - Signs forward/center Chet Holmgren to fully guaranteed five-year rookie maximum contract extension worth upwards of $250 million | Thunder's SGA is revealed as the cover athlete for NBA2K26
9. July 10 - Signs forward Jalen Williams to five-year maximum rookie contract extension