The Thunder may already be staring down one of the hardest parts of the new NBA CBA: figuring out how to keep a loaded young backcourt together.
Cason Wallace is the immediate name in the conversation because he’s extension-eligible now, but veteran writer Tim MacMahon said on a recent episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast that the bigger issue may be what comes next with Ajay Mitchell. Mitchell won’t be up for a new deal until next summer, yet his rise is already forcing Oklahoma City to think ahead.
MacMahon called Wallace’s situation with the Thunder “really fascinating” because Mitchell is another guard who looks headed for a major payday. With Oklahoma City already in the second apron under the new CBA, MacMahon said the team may have no realistic path to keeping both.
“They're both really, really, really good young guards and I don't think either of them are going to want to take a team-friendly discount when neither of them have made big-time NBA money yet,”
That’s the bind. The Thunder already have three max-level contracts on the books with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. Add in the financial pressure of the current CBA, and the math gets ugly fast.
And this isn’t about fringe pieces. Wallace and Mitchell have both become meaningful parts of Mark Daigneault’s core.
Wallace has earned praise for his All-Defensive level impact, while Mitchell has brought a scoring burst that MacMahon compared to Jalen Brunson. Together, they’ve emerged as two of the most valuable young guards in the league.
Even with Mitchell’s extension talks still a year away, the Thunder may already be in the uncomfortable position of planning for a future where they can’t keep both.
Wallace’s own comments haven’t exactly shut the door on a possible exit, either. In his exit interview a few weeks ago, the 22-year-old said that while he loves the Thunder, “I'm more focused on getting better.”
That line matters because Wallace may see the next step in his development as becoming a bigger part of a team’s offense and rotation. He was the 10 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, one of only three players from the top 10 of that class not to become a consistent starter, and he’s already established himself as one of the best defensive guards in the NBA.
But Oklahoma City’s pecking order is crowded at the top. With Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren ahead of him, Wallace may not get the kind of featured role that would let him grow into a centerpiece. If that remains the case, it could shape whether he stays in Oklahoma City for the long haul.
In Other News...
Thunder May Be Denying Cason Wallace The Role He Wants
Cason Wallace already looks like one of Oklahoma Citys most important young pieces, and last seasons All-Defensive Second Team nod only reinforced how quickly he has earned trust on that end of the floor. He is also eligible for a rookie extension, which makes his next step more than just a development question for the Thunder. Wallace has made it clear he wants a bigger on-court role, and there is a real case for him to push for more than the steady reserve minutes he has handled so far.
The problem for Wallace is that the roster seems to be tilting in a direction that keeps him in the same lane for now. Oklahoma Citys recent moves point toward continuity in the backcourt, even as the depth chart around him changes, and that could leave him as a key scoring option off the bench rather than a starter. For the Thunder, that arrangement may still make sense, since a larger reserve role could help Wallace sharpen his game, boost his value, and set up a more interesting negotiation down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Williams Offers Thunder Fans A Brutal Warning In Brunson Situation
Jalen Brunsons wrist injury has put a familiar kind of cautionary tale back in the spotlight for Thunder fans, because Jalen Williams went through a similar ordeal and learned how tricky the road back can be. Williams played through a dominant shooting wrist issue during Oklahoma Citys title run, and his experience showed that even when a player is able to stay on the floor, the injury can linger in ways that affect everything from shot-making to overall rhythm.
Williams recovery also served as a reminder that the first games after a return do not always look like a clean reset. The broader point for Oklahoma City is simple enough: wrist injuries can be unpredictable, timelines can stretch, and getting back into the lineup is not the same thing as immediately getting back to peak form. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Face Another Huge Cason Wallace Decision This Offseason
The July moratorium has passed, but there still has not been any public update on a rookie extension for Cason Wallace, leaving one of Oklahoma Citys quieter offseason questions unresolved. The Thunder have shown a willingness to move deliberately after the moratorium before, and with the front office signaling a desire to keep the core together, Wallace remains part of a roster puzzle that is still being sorted out.
Wallace has given the Thunder plenty to think about after a career-best season that included All-Defensive Second Team recognition, and he is now heading into the final year of his rookie deal with bigger responsibilities in mind. He wants a full-time starting role, but the path to that kind of jump is not simple, and the next few decisions around the backcourt could say a lot about how Oklahoma City sees his place in the long term. [Read more 🡒]