Oklahoma City’s offseason shakeup may have felt like the start of something new, but it could also be the beginning of a stretch where the Thunder stay far more intact than they have in the past.
That’s the twist here: after moving on from Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, the Thunder may actually be setting up a future in which the core changes less, not more. Those three will be in the Eastern Conference next season, marking a clear shift for a franchise that has leaned on familiar pieces for much of the past half-decade.
The departures were tied to finances. Oklahoma City had to make those moves to get under the second apron and dodge the penalties that come with it.
But that relief may only be temporary. By 2027-28, those same penalties are expected to be back on the Thunder’s doorstep as the big three’s contracts continue to rise.
That’s where the next wave of decisions comes in. Next summer could bring long-term extension talks or free agency questions for Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain and Cason Wallace, putting Oklahoma City in another position where it has to choose who stays and who goes. The difference this time is that the second apron will no longer be something the team can realistically sidestep.
Sam Presti pointed to that reality after the offseason trades, saying the moves that saved hundreds of millions of dollars should open the door to heavier spending later. And that matters, because while the second apron makes it harder to add outside talent, it doesn’t carry the same kind of punishment when a team is trying to keep its own players.
In other words, the burden shifts to Clay Bennett and the ownership group. When the time comes to pay Oklahoma City’s key young pieces, the question won’t be whether the roster can be built around them. It’ll be whether ownership is willing to write the checks.
That could keep the Thunder’s championship core together and give them a chance to stay near the top for years. There is risk in committing that deeply, especially as the apron system still hangs around for only a couple more years. But continuity has already been a major part of Oklahoma City’s success, and that may be the best argument for keeping this group together.
The Thunder also still have more draft picks coming, which gives them some room to maneuver in other spots. Even so, the priority is clear: keep the most important players in Oklahoma City, whatever it costs.
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Sam Presti Just Avoided The Roster Drama Another Contender Faces
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For Oklahoma City, the contrast is a pretty comfortable one. Sam Presti already has extensions in place for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, the two 2022 draft picks who helped power the Thunder to the 2025 championship, which means one of the league's more important young cores is secured while another contender is still waiting for clarity. [Read more 🡒]
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Thunder May Soon Face A Tough Jared McCain Decision
After making trades designed to stay clear of luxury tax penalties, the Thunder are now staring at a familiar kind of roster problem: too many promising young guards and not enough easy answers. Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain are all expected to matter in Oklahoma Citys next phase, giving the team real depth and long-term upside in the backcourt.
The tricky part is that not every piece can be treated the same when extension season arrives. McCain is still a valuable player, but the Thunder are likely to view Wallace and Mitchell as the bigger financial priorities, which puts the front office in a familiar balancing act between talent and cost. Keeping all three around as they develop may force some tougher planning down the road. [Read more 🡒]