Cason Wallace doesn’t sound rattled by extension talk, but one recent compliment might have revealed exactly where his head is at.
On Monday’s media day, the Thunder guard brushed off questions about a rookie-scale deal, saying the matter is "between my agent and Sam [Presti]," and adding that, at this point, "I'm not even thinking about it."
That calm front came after Wallace had already given a very specific nod to another member of the 2023 draft class. When talking about Jazz guard Keyonte George’s new five-year, $157.5 million extension, Wallace called it "a big contract" and said he was "excited" for his longtime friend to get that kind of payday.
That number stands out because it sits right in the neighborhood of the range that has been attached to the top names from that draft class. Ausar Thompson landed at $155 million with Detroit, while Victor Wembanyama signed for $252 million with San Antonio. Wallace’s reaction to George’s deal may not mean he’s fixated on negotiations, but it does at least hint at the kind of figure he could have in mind.
The Thunder, meanwhile, are still not publicly locking him in as the full-time starter at shooting guard.
Even with Sam Presti making it clear recently that trading someone like Lu Dort would be "the greatest sign of respect" they could possibly have given him, coach Mark Daigneault was noncommittal Monday when asked whether Wallace is the natural successor in the starting five.
That hesitation doesn’t erase the case Wallace has already built. He started 58 regular season games last season and averaged 9.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 36.4 percent from three. He also already has experience starting in the NBA Finals, something Daigneault pointed to.
Wallace has been in Dort’s shadow since arriving in Oklahoma City four years ago, and the path to taking over that spot looks obvious enough. Still, with so much talent in the backcourt, OKC seems comfortable letting camp sort out the final answer before making anything official.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander offered a useful example of that mindset when he said his offseason focus was on improving his off-ball offensive play, a detail Team Canada coach Gordie Herbert also noticed. For a roster built around upside and internal improvement, those are the kinds of next steps that matter. The Thunder do not just want their young players to look promising now. They want to know what happens when the games slow down, the film stacks up and the expectations keep rising. [Read more 🡒]