Oklahoma City Thunder are locking down their championship core with massive deals after their 2025 NBA Finals victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kicked things off in early July with a record-breaking 4-year, $285 million extension.
Now Chet Holmgren has joined the money parade. The young center just signed a five-year maximum rookie extension that could reach $250 million, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday. The deal is fully guaranteed.
That’s a whopping $535 million committed to just two players this offseason.
Jalen Williams appears to be next in line for a big payday.
The Thunder drafted Holmgren second overall out of Gonzaga in 2022, but his NBA journey started with heartbreak. A Lisfranc foot injury in preseason required surgery and wiped out his entire rookie year.
He bounced back impressively in 2023-24, starting all 82 games and averaging 16.5 points per game. His performance earned him second place in Rookie of the Year voting behind Victor Wembanyama.
The injury bug bit again early in the 2024-25 season. Holmgren suffered a pelvic fracture on November 10 that sidelined him for 39 straight games. He ended up starting just 32 of 82 regular season games.
But when it mattered most, he was ready.
Holmgren started all 23 playoff games during OKC’s championship run, averaging 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
His agent, Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, confirmed that $239 million of the deal is fully guaranteed.
What makes Holmgren special is his rare combination of skills. He’s an elite shot-blocker who can also stretch the floor with his shooting. In the NBA Finals, he recorded 11 blocks, including five in the championship-clinching Game 7.
He’s in extremely rare company statistically. Holmgren is just the third player ever to record 150+ made three-pointers and 250+ blocks through his first two NBA seasons, joining Kristaps Porzingis and Victor Wembanyama.
With two of their young stars now locked up long-term, the Thunder’s focus shifts to securing small forward Jalen Williams with an extension of his own.
