Sam Presti’s draft track record keeps paying off in ways that are hard to miss.
Over his 19 years running the Thunder, the Oklahoma City executive has built a reputation for finding major talent through the draft, and that legacy just showed up in a very exclusive financial club. James Harden, taken third overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft, has agreed to a new three-year, $97 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. That pushes his career earnings to an estimated $511 million.
That total makes Harden only the fourth player in NBA history to sign contracts that add up to at least half a billion dollars. Kevin Durant is already in that group, with estimated career earnings of $598.2 million after being selected second overall by the Thunder franchise - then the Seattle SuperSonics - in the 2007 NBA Draft. LeBron James and Stephen Curry are the other two names in the club.
And there’s a very real chance another former Thunder star joins them soon.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already well past the $100 million mark in career earnings, and his current $285 million supermax is projected to carry him to more than $481 million by the time it ends in 2031. That still wouldn’t put him over the half-billion line, but it leaves him close enough that one more major contract could get him there.
By then, he’ll still be in his early 30s, which means another payday could be waiting if the Thunder lock him in again when he becomes eligible for an extension. The article notes that by 2030, supermax extensions could be paying more than $80 million per year by the end of those deals.
So while Harden and Durant are already sitting inside that elite financial tier, Gilgeous-Alexander looks like the next Thunder-made name headed there.
And if basketball money keeps climbing the way it has, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren could eventually be in the mix too. Both are just starting the first years of their new extensions, and each is projected to finish with well over $200 million.
In Other News...
Thunder Face A Painful Choice As The West Gets Tougher
The Thunder have spent the past three regular seasons setting the pace in the Western Conference, but this one may ask something different of them. With roster changes and injury concerns now part of the conversation, Oklahoma City is staring at a familiar dilemma with a less familiar twist: whether to keep chasing the top seed or start thinking more carefully about the long game, especially with the 2026-27 playoffs in mind.
San Antonio has emerged as one of the teams capable of pushing that race, and the West is no longer a place where the Thunder can assume the path will stay clear. For Oklahoma City, the bigger issue may not be who finishes first in the standings, but how much wear the roster absorbs along the way, with availability and minutes management likely to become central as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah Hartenstein Gets Real About Thunder Losing Lu Dort
The Thunders offseason cost-saving moves have already changed the feel of a championship roster that had just settled into place, and Isaiah Hartenstein is among the players left to process it. Oklahoma City moved on from three rotational pieces from its 2025 title team as it worked to keep its books in order for the 2026-27 season, even as Hartenstein agreed to a long-term deal and took less money to help the club stay under the salary cap.
Among the departures, Lu Dorts exit hit especially hard. Hartenstein said he was sad to see Dort go, even while acknowledging how quickly the NBA can turn into a numbers game, and he now heads to the Atlanta Hawks as the Thunder try to keep their core intact around the pieces still in place. [Read more 🡒]
Buddy Boeheims Thunder Role Says A Lot About OKCs System
Buddy Boeheims first season tied to Oklahoma City showed exactly how the Thunder like to use the fringes of their roster. After signing a two-way deal, he spent most of his time in the G League, where his value came from floor spacing and being a steady, veteran presence around younger players. In a system built on development and flexibility, that kind of role matters even when the minutes at the NBA level are scarce.
For Boeheim, the bigger question is what comes next, and it sounds like the door remains open with Oklahoma Citys G League affiliate. The Thunder have made a habit of squeezing value from players who can fill a very specific lane, and Boeheims season fits that model neatly. His year ended with a final grade that reflected modest on-court production, but also a clear understanding of where he fits in the organizations broader pipeline. [Read more 🡒]