Everything is starting to go right for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It began with their ace. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a historic $385 million extension and was also unveiled as the cover athlete for NBA 2K26. Now, the breathtaking young core is beginning to reap the rewards of their incredible championship conquest, starting with Chet Holmgren.

The 7’1” big man was instrumental in the Thunder’s first championship. His five blocks in Game 7 of the Finals were the most by any player in history. Furthermore, his presence transformed OKC’s defense, which also reached unprecedented heights this season. So Sam Presti didn’t want to waste any time.

Sham Charania announced on X, “Oklahoma City Thunder star and NBA champion Chet Holmgren has agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $250 million, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball told ESPN,”.

This deal keeps Holmgren locked in for the Thunder for the next six years. Despite suffering two major injuries in his young career, Chet Holmgren’s impact remains indisputable. He is the Thunder’s ultimate rim protector, averaging 2.2 blocks per game. Compiled with winning attributes and the ability to spread out the offense, he is an indispensable weapon. The lucrative extension validates the trust the Thunder’s front office has one the towering center.

Additionally, Jalen Williams is also slated to be next in line. “Oklahoma City officials will now move toward locking in All-NBA superstar Jalen Williams, who has momentum in his rookie extension talk,” Charania writes. Hence, it seems the young core is going nowhere.

However, NBA fans were still baffled by the max extension awarded to Chet Holmgren. And they have some strong opinions.

Did Chet Holmgren deserve his extension?

Many NBA fans lauded the Oklahoma City Thunder for managing their roster. Presti has expertly maneuvered his decisions. Even Holmgren’s extension doesn’t kick in until the 2026-27 season. But several fans were also left puzzled by the exorbitant money they have committed to the promising center.

“Holy s–t overpay the dynasty ends here,” one fan wrote. Another fan expressed the same feeling, saying, “Dang he played so bad in finals not even worth it,”.

Looking at the numbers, they don’t stand out much. Holmgren averaged 15 points per game as a third option. Several other players might do better. However, when it comes to doing his job, Holmgren is vital to the Thunder. He recorded a +169 in the postseason, better than any other player during the playoffs.

Coming to the second issue with this extension. Fans feel Holmgren inking a deal for the future limits the Thunder’s future. They assume, “Yeah, I’m not sure how much longer the Thunder are going to be able to keep this team together,”. Others feel Jalen Williams is bound to suffer with one comment reading, “jdub getting traded,”.

However, Presti has positioned the Thunder in such a way that even with three lucrative contracts, the team might not surpass the second apron. Bobby Marks, an expert in this area, says, “They are in awesome shape. This is sustainable. The second apron reaper is not coming for them. I’m telling you, it’s not coming here,”.

That’s because OKC still has tradeable assets and a hoard of draft picks to make this model sustainable. They can continue to build around their three pillars – SGA, Holmgren, and Williams for the “foreseeable future,” Marks notes. So, there are no concerns about Williams getting the money he deserves, and they won’t limit the Thunder from keeping them together.

This was a process that began in 2019. And in successfully doing so, Sam Presti has ensured OKC will fight for the championship for many years to come.