The Oklahoma City Thunder have fortified their championship core this week by finalizing massive extensions for both Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

This ensures their “Big Three” remains intact alongside MVP Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander after winning the 2025 NBA title.

• Chet Holmgren, 23, has agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year deal worth up to $250 million, rewarding his dominant playoff presence – including a Finals Game 7 record of five blocks and averaging 15.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 1.9 BPG in 23 postseason games.
• Jalen Williams, 24, is finalizing a five-year, rookie-scale supermax extension up to $287 million, following a breakout All-Star campaign in which he averaged 21.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.8 APG in the playoffs (despite a torn wrist tendon) and posted 23.6 PPG in the Finals.

Combined with SGA’s supermax deal (four years, $285M), the total commitment to the trio reaches an unprecedented $822 million – a historic investment signaling OKC’s intention to ride this championship window through the decade. 

ANALYSIS: This wave of extensions locks the Thunder's foundational players in place, ensuring that their core trio remains under contract through 2030-31. It underscores GM Sam Presti’s strategy of sustaining championship contention by investing heavily in homegrown talent.

However, the financial implications are significant. Projected to exceed the second salary-cap apron, OKC may face luxury tax penalties and might have to part with role players in the coming years.

However, with Gilgeous‑Alexander, Holmgren, and Williams signed long-term, the Thunder now boast one of the most stable young cores in pro basketball. Despite looming cap constraints, their roster remains flush with draft assets and non-guaranteed deals – tools key to maintaining depth and flexibility moving forward. 

Oklahoma City has gone all-in, financially and strategically. These extensions mark a bold push to build a sustained dynasty – a gamble requiring careful balance between elite talent retention and navigating future cap pressures.