Thunder and Jalen Williams Poised to Seal Rookie Max Extension—What This Means for the Franchise’s Future Revealed!

Williams would record similar averages during Oklahoma City’s march to the NBA title, and his 40-point effort in a Game 5 victory over the Indiana Pacers during the NBA Finals won’t be forgotten anytime soon. It’s worth noting that Williams did his damage during the latter stages of the season while playing through a right wrist injury that required surgery shortly after the NBA Finals.

Fresh off of their first NBA title, the Oklahoma City Thunder have wasted no time this offseason solidifying the future of many of their key players. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday afternoon that the team has agreed to a rookie max extension with forward Jalen Williams. The deal, which goes into effect starting with the 2026-27 season, could be worth up to 7 million over five years. Add in the new deals that Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell agreed to, and lead executive Sam Presti and the franchise have not wasted any time securing the team’s core for the foreseeable future. Just when you thought the Oklahoma City Thunder might catch their breath after snatching their first NBA championship, bam—they’re already locking down the future of their brightest stars with some hefty contract extensions. Talk about momentum! Jalen Williams, fresh off a breakout season that saw him shine in every facet of the game—dropping points, grabbing rebounds, locking down defenders, and hitting threes like a pro—has inked a rookie max extension that could net him up to 7 million starting in ’26-27. That’s no small potatoes. And it’s not just Jalen; the Thunder have proactively secured the core trio of Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Chet Holmgren, collectively sealing deals that might soar past 0 million. It’s clear Sam Presti and company aren’t messing around—this core is here to stay, promising thrilling seasons ahead. Intrigued? Dive deeper right here: LEARN MOREThe 2024-25 season was the most productive of J-Dub’s NBA career, as he earned his first All-Star Game appearance, third-team All-NBA and second-team All-Defensive team honors. Used at every position other than point guard at various stages, Williams averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.8 three-pointers per game in 69 regular-season appearances.

With Thursday’s news, the Thunder have secured the futures of Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren this offseason with extensions that could ultimately total 2 million.