The second tax apron is unlikely to break up the Thunder anytime soon, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac, who evaluates the defending champions’ salary cap situation going forward.
As Smith writes, while the Thunder will have three maximum-salary players on their roster starting next season, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren will be on the smallest of the max deals (starting at25% of the cap instead of 30% or 35%), while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s new super-max extension won’t go into effect until 2027/28.
Oklahoma City has also done a good job maintaining flexibility around its stars, Smith notes. Several role players are on contracts with declining structures, while Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort are likely to have their 2026/27 team options turned down in favor of more team-friendly deals.
If the Thunder had to part ways with Hartenstein or Dort for financial reasons, it would be a tough loss, but the front office has consistently brought in young players like Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic, and Thomas Sorber, who could take on larger roles down the road if needed, Smith observes. Oklahoma City is also in position to continuing adding premium talent to its roster going forward — the club could have as many as four first-round picks in the 2026 draft.
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman takes a closer look at the Thunder’s potential 2026 first-round picks, considering which ones will change hands and which will be the most valuable. We covered similar ground in our latest Front Office article, noting that the Jazz front office will probably do all they can to try to hang onto their top-eight protected pick, but the Thunder could still have two valuable first-rounders from the Clippers and Sixers. Oklahoma City will also likely end up with Houston’s first-rounder.
- Thunder big man Jaylin Williams, who is in the first season of a three-year, $24MM extension, is struggling to score efficiently this fall, shooting just 34.5% from the floor and 30.7% on three-pointers. However, head coach Mark Daigneault raved after Sunday’s win over Portland about all the other ways in which Williams contributes. “He’s just a total team guy,” Daigneault said, per Martinez. “He does all of the things that are investments in the team. He’s a great ball mover. He’s a great screen setter. He’s a great communicator. He’s a great block-out rebounder who takes charges. He does all of the dirty work that teams need, and he embraces that. I think that’s one of the reasons he has such respect in the locker room. It’s because of his commitment to those things. Guys don’t take that for granted when it comes to him.”
- In another story for The Oklahoman, Martinez explores how Sorber, this year’s No. 15 overall pick, is building chemistry with his Thunder teammates despite being ruled out for the season due to knee surgery. “He fits the energy of the team,” Isaiah Joe told Martinez. “He always has a positive attitude. It’s just all love. He talks to everybody. He greets everybody. He’s got a great spirit. And he’s really hungry to not only be around us in the locker room but out there on the floor with us. It shows great signs.”
- In case you missed it, Jalen Williams is no longer eligible to make an All-NBA team or win any other postseason awards in 2025/26, locking in his rookie scale extension at 25% of the 2026/27 salary cap.
Considering Clippers are going to suck this year and the next. OKC will be quite fine adding rookies and letting them contribute. If they have to move off Dort and Ihart they will be getting picks back for them. They won’t just let them walk if they can’t figure out new contract, I think Lu would be a lifer though. He came up in that org from Gleague.
I like Soner a lot. He’s a true big man with game. Good to see he is fitting right in. Thunder are so freakin deep man.
Who is this Soner dude you speak of?
Thomas Sorber, maybe?
Repeat after me.
2026: 2 best of own, LAC, HOU 5-30, plus PHI 1-4 1sts (forget the UTAH one since they have an easy path to keeping it); best of own, DAL, PHI 2nds (plus HOU if HOU 1st 1-4)
2027: 2 best of own, LAC, DEN 6-30, plus SAS 17-30 1sts; best of own, HOU, IND, or MIA 2nd plus 3 others if respective 1sts do not convey
2028: best of own, DAL 1st; own, MIL, UTAH 2nds
2029: own, DEN 6-30 if DEN conveys a 1st in 2027; own, ATL, BOS, MIA 2nds (plus DEN if DEN still hasn’t conveyed a 1st)
2030: own, DEN 6-30 if eligible and not already conveyed; own, DEN, HOU, MIA 2nds
2031: own 1st; own, worst of NOP, ORL 2nds
2032: own 1st; own 2nd
I guess the Thunder really have no need to trade for Giannis. Or would they ??
They will not trade for Giannis or somebody like that. But they could use another player for their frontcourt, since Sorber is injured and next year will be his first year playing.
This is the next dynasty in the making. Anyone who truly believes Presti won’t make this all work clearly is a homer or is a casual. They are going to be a factory, just replace and reload.
Whatever picks they end up getting next June, they need another ball handler with Topic being out for quite an extensive period due to his cancer diagnosis. I think they’ll reup Lu Dort but will let Isaiah Harkenstein and Kenrich Williams leave. That would save them $35,663,000 next year, which they will gladly swap out for two rookie deals (Jayden Quaintance is someone I think they will likely look to draft, he’s 6’10), another guy I think they could let go is Ousmane Dieng who will be making $9,132,438 in Q/O). It’s a great problem to have for Presti.
Only thing that might breakup with dynasty is either ego’s or injuries.
The bandwagon left like a season and a half ago man… we know.
What might also become challenging is the amount of roster spots?
Even if they only add two draft picks next off-season, who do they cut or trade?
Hartenstein and Dort seem very unlikely for next season (maybe the one after).
That leaves Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins. Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Ousmane Dieng or some of the two-way players.
Jaylin Williams will have to compete with Sorber,so could get traded. Kenrich Williams is older, has not played yet this season and under team option. Dieng is RFA for 20 million QO, has the least minutes per game of those that played, and might ask too much money.
So I would think all of those three could leave. And then they should really draft a big guy…
Presti takes the long view.
I think he will keep the starters together for the next three years. They can easily find takers for Caruso and Joe at the deadline, hopefully for expiring contracts, maybe draft assets as well. Decline option on K. Williams. Let Dieng walk as RFA.
That gets them below the tax line for next season. Decline options on Dort/iHart and negotiate new 3 year deals with low amounts for next season to make up later. That leaves room under the tax line to fill the 4 open spots with draftees and/or promotions from 2-ways.
They could conceivably log 4 championships before the 2028 tax bill is due.