Now that the Oklahoma City Thunder have tasted success, they’ll have to pay the price for it. If you’re not aware, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and co. became the second youngest team to win the Larry O’Brien trophy last season and have a roster filled with players in their early 20s. You know what that means, right? Yes, huge paydays are over the horizon. But not all the players can get a piece of the cake because the OKC has gifted SGA a significant slice, a whopping $285 million over four years.

We know, giving away that much money to one player isn’t ideal, but hey, you’re getting to keep the MVP of the league until 2031. However, this isn’t the only max deal the Thunder have to offer this summer. For those of you who are not aware, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are the next in line to receive max contracts.

In fact, Holmgren has already agreed to a $250 million five-year maximum deal with the defending champs. That leaves OKC with only one more decision to make, and according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, they’re on the right trajectory, despite the waiting Jalen Williams has had to do.

“Shams: Jalen Williams has ‘momentum’ in his rookie extension talks. Thunder have already extended Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren this offseason,” he reported on X. So, even after dishing out two max deals, the NBA champions aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon. This is great news for OKC, as they seem to have successfully managed to retain their core for the foreseeable future. Moreover, if anyone deserves a max contract, it’s J-Dub.

The 24-year-old was pivotal in the Thunder’s run to the championship last season. We mean, he was the team’s leading scorer and their best defender at the same time. Jalen Williams averaged 21.6 points along with 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season, which is quite impressive. So, it’s no surprise that Sam Presti and the rest of the OKC front office are ready to offer him a massive $246 million five-year deal. However, after handing out a ludicrous $781 million in max deals, the Thunder might’ve put the future of a couple of players at risk.

OKC’s Jalen Williams’ decision has jeopardized the future of two stars

We all knew that the Oklahoma City Thunder would have to make a huge splash this summer to keep their championship-winning core intact, and it’s safe to say they’ve done just that. While it’s good news for the franchise’s supporters, who can sleep well knowing that they’ll have three superstars within their ranks for the foreseeable future, the other players waiting for their deals won’t be that happy. Players like Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein have been key members of the roster and are also due their paydays.

Although retaining them isn’t impossible, given the massive deals they’ve handed SGA, Williams, and Holmgren, OKC will have to work out a miracle to make it happen. We mean, we’ve all seen the wrath of the second apron, to the point that teams have started pulling the plug prematurely. Take the Boston Celtics, for example; they’ve had to cut off several of their key players this season to avoid the luxury tax implications. There’s no doubt how valuable Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein have been to the OKC Thunder, so far.

However, it will be tricky for them to keep them. Right now, Hartenstein is on a three-year $87 million deal, whereas Dort is on a five-year $82.5 million contract. Both of them have two years left on their deals, with the last year being a club option, after which they’ll head to free agency. So, you can assume that both Dort and Hartenstein will be back for another year with Thunder, even if OKC doesn’t extend them in the summer.

However, with the three youngsters set to acquire most of the team’s payroll in the 2026-27 season, it will be difficult for the franchise to extend their stays. Will OKC be able to pull off something spectacular? Well, that doesn’t seem likely at the moment. Nonetheless, the fans should enjoy this championship-winning team while they can before the CBA forces them apart.