The Oklahoma City Thunder may soon shift their attention to a contract extension for guard Cason Wallace, according to ESPN cap analyst Bobby Marks.
Wallace’s breakout defensive season
The 22-year-old earned his first All-Defensive selection after leading the NBA in steals and limiting opponents to 41.6 percent shooting when he was the primary defender. With most of the Thunder’s core already signed to long-term deals, securing Wallace is expected to become a front-office priority.
Nikola Topic eager for fresh start
Former first-round pick Nikola Topic told Eurohoops he is ready to return after two difficult seasons that included a partially torn ACL and a battle with testicular cancer. The 20-year-old said the setbacks revealed “how tough I was” and helped him mature on and off the court. Oklahoma City continues to view Topic as a long-term piece and hopes he can finally showcase his potential next season.
Chet Holmgren remains a hot topic
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor recently questioned whether Oklahoma City should explore trading Chet Holmgren, citing durability concerns, past postseason struggles and the looming cost of a rookie-scale extension. While many around the league still regard the 22-year-old All-Star center as foundational, the discussion is unlikely to fade. Head coach Mark Daigneault and MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have publicly backed Holmgren, and team officials continue to view him as central to their future plans.
The Thunder enter the offseason balancing extension talks for Wallace, the rehabilitation of Topic and ongoing debate over Holmgren’s long-term role—all while aiming to build on this year’s deep playoff run.
Source: Hoops Wire
