Nine days after crowning a historic individual season with the ultimate team victory, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has committed to sticking with the Oklahoma City Thunder through a staggering four-year supermax extension valued at about $285 million. This blockbuster deal, confirmed by league sources, is set to be penned on July 6.
Gilgeous-Alexander is currently two years into a contract that has $79.1 million still on the books, so this extension means he’ll be dribbling in Thunder blue until the ripe age of 32. If you’re counting, that’s a six-season commitment to Oklahoma City from the 26-year-old star guard.
This extension is not just lucrative; it’s setting records, being crowned the richest per-year contract in NBA history. Each of the extension’s four seasons offers eye-popping figures: $62.5 million, $68.6 million, escalating to $73.7 million, and culminating at a whopping $78.7 million in the 2030-31 season.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s remarkable year with the Thunder needs no exaggeration. He topped the league in scoring, lighting up scoreboards with an average of 32.7 points per game as the Thunder stormed to 68 wins. In the playoffs, he maintained a scorching pace, scoring 29.9 points per game over 23 glorious matches, and wrapped up the season with a sweep of individual accolades: regular-season MVP, Western Conference finals MVP, and finals MVP.
The Thunder, who are keeping their roster intact for the next season, thus become strong contenders to run it back as NBA champions. Yet, as thrilling as championship aspirations are, they take financial juggling. Gilgeous-Alexander’s price tag is expected to balloon significantly with this new deal, and looming decisions await with young stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who have extensions lined up on their rookie contracts. It looks like Thunder GM Sam Presti has some busy summer days ahead strategizing with the front office to keep this championship puzzle together.
