The extension of Jalen Williams: Thunder’s model will continue to work … if the property remains committed

Here is a number that will make you turn your head: $ 822 million.

This is what Oklahoma City’s Thunder has committed extensions for their stellar trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.

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It makes sense. They are the best players of the team and the organization is leaving his championship in which he was led by, well, two of them.

(We will get there.)

For an organization that was cheap from the maintenance of James Harden after its appearance of the 2012 NBA finals, the Thunders transformed the page and sent a strong message to the rest of the League: we are willing to pay to potentially become a dynasty.

This is, without a doubt, a great sign to send to players, agents and fans. The potential of becoming a perennial power and being the heir of the Golden State Warriors domain in mid -2010 could lead to an extreme increase in popularity all over the world and transform thunder into a basketball brand.

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This, in turn, will allow them to substantially print money for decades, probably recovering their important investments. (Just ask the Chicago Bulls, who are still shamelessly shaking the years of Michael Jordan for each last cent, 27 years after their last title.)

Of course, it’s not all sun and rainbows. Because as the uncle Ben said, with great paychecks, come a great responsibility.

So we enter everything.

Holmgren’s enigma – is there one?

While the Thunder did nothing wrong with Holmgren’s extension to a maximum of five years that could be worth $ 250 million because it would inevitably have obtained a similar offer in the next offseason if they let him test the limited free agency, they are a lot of money for a boy who appeared in just 114 games of the regular season during the course of his three -year career.

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In addition, Holmgren did not perform exactly at a maximum level in the playoffs, with its shooting percentages that fell and its rebound became pedestrian enough. In the 23 games of the OKC title race, Holmgren scored on average 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 46.2% from the floor and 29.7% from 3 points.

But this is not exactly the main problem. After all, the boy will defend himself at a high level, blocks a ton of shots and his potential is heaven up.

The real problem is how the Thunder expects to get the buff for her agreement when it is likely to be the third boy of the team forever.

As we have seen, historically, in any Big 3 Formation, someone will find themselves outside looking inside. Chris Bosh was clearly the third wheel in Miami, Harden sacrificed blows and touches next to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in Okc and Ray Allen became an occasional rethinking when he joined the Celtics.

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The chances are good that Holmgren will become that player for the thunder, despite the fact that his talents probably value the best billing in another 15 teams.

So what are the thunder pay here?

Are they delivering a maximum extension to not miss that third gear in the car, knowing very well that they will never get the traditional production of max coins in return?

Or, do they hope that Holmgren will somehow find a way to break the third party barrier and start producing on all-nba level?

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Frankly, both options are fine. There is no wrong answer. But the organization must prepare for the probability that Holmgren’s agreement could be seen as a negative in a few years – if more or less the same player remains.

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Fortunately for him – and congratulations to Thunder fans for having carefully slammed this drum all year round – the hip injury that made him lose a large slice of the regular season was a strange accident and did not seem 100% during the playoffs.

This led to optimism about his future health, with his struggles in the playoffs simply being a product that is still about to breastfeed health.

Although it is a perfectly reasonable refutation for any skepticism of the Holmgren contract, it does not remove the idea that most of the third option Max players have practically not offered a production of their compensation level, and therefore it could eventually become a topic of conversation.

The depth could suffer, if the property gets cold feet

So let’s do something absolutely straight in all this:

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Since thunder already has a significant depth on their hands, as well as the shooting choices coming, there is little risk in overcoming the second apron. The second apron makes the handcuffed teams largely, but if you have stars and you can go deep 10-12 players, you are mostly well. Oklahoma City can keep everything intact if you choose it. He will have to pay the nose for this, but he can.

The challenge does not lie in not having updating options, but rather the pockets of the property.

Listen carefully, Thunder fans.

Given the way in which the team is currently built, with several key role players blocked for long -term money and the fact that you can still extend them on future affairs, the property can never go out and publicly discuss for unloading salaries to obtain greater flexibility in the construction of the roster.

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For thunder in particular, this is not a problem.

You can, as an organization, denigrate the limits of the second apron if you are too heavy and you cannot afford to strengthen the bench, for example.

You can denigrate the difficulty of doing operations by unable to aggregate contracts.

But thunder? Does the team with tons of arriving coming choices and a nucleus that works essentially 12?

It is not an excuse that they can do and shouldn’t even try.

In equity towards the direction and property, we have not yet seen anything that indicates a concern for this to go on. If anything, the organization has spent money as if it were not tomorrow, also to deliver to Jaylin Williams $ 24 million in three years this summer.

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But the organization must remain engaged in this team in three years as it is today. Any topic for the opposite is absolutely ridiculous.

The general picture

It is expensive to win in the NBA and it is particularly expensive to continue winning. But so far the thunder have done everything well.

They got rid of boys, like Josh Giddey, who could not play real minutes in the playoffs, and collected pieces that work in unison.

Even more important, they seem willing to pay for those pieces, even in the long term. They gave Alex Caruso an extension of $ 81 million in four years and are paying Lu Dort over $ 18 million a year.

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Role players such as Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe also earn both $ 10 million a year, and should not surprise if Cason Wallace extends when it is suitable next summer.

So, their dedication is admirable. But it must remain. They are on the highway and cannot challenge their current trajectory. At least no if they are serious.