The Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren extensions, the Thunder and the burden of building the right way

The Oklahoma City Thunder's transformation into NBA champions and a dynamic team stems from their strategic rebuild starting in 2019. This process began when they traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers, acquiring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (now an MVP candidate), and was accelerated later that year by trading Russell Westbrook to Houston for additional draft assets.

The Thunder fully committed to building through the draft, leveraging their substantial draft capital. This approach proved highly successful, as they selected key players Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, both of whom received contract extensions this offseason. These two players now complete Oklahoma City's "Big 3" alongside Gilgeous-Alexander.

During the rebuilding phase, General Manager Sam Presti embraced a philosophy of high-volume drafting, understanding that multiple selections increased their chances of success. The Thunder continued this effective strategy even after establishing their core trio. They traded former sixth overall pick Josh Giddey (recognized as good but not a long-term starter) to the Chicago Bulls for elite role player and defender Alex Caruso, bolstering their star-powered roster.

Further draft successes followed, including a draft-day deal for Cason Wallace—a younger player with similar traits to Caruso and potential offensive upside. Additionally, Aaron Wiggins, selected 55th overall in 2021, developed into a rotation player averaging over 22 minutes per game.