The Thunder All-Defensive guard Cason Wallace has agreed to a five-year, $139 million rookie-scale extension, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The 22-year-old was the No. 10 pick in the 2023 draft and earned second-team All-Defensive honors last season. He averaged career highs of 8.6 points, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and he led the NBA in total steals with 150.
The Thunder saw it coming. Wallace’s development and potential helped shape their decision to part with longtime starting wing Luguentz Dort, an elite perimeter defender, who was sent to the Atlanta Hawks in a cost-cutting trade this summer.
General manager Sam Presti spelled out the thinking before training camp. “I would just say Cason is someone we think very highly of and has done a great job for us,” Presti said. “I think the greatest sign of respect we could have shown Cason is moving Lu in that trade. We potentially could have looked at a series of other options, but it’s a bit of a gesture to him to say, ‘We think you can have a great role on this team. We believe in you as a player.'”
The deal also has a cost. With Wallace signed, 13 of the Thunder’s 14 rostered players are under contract for 2027-28. ESPN’s Bobby Marks projects them to be around $26 million over the second apron that season, with a tax bill that could top $200 million.
Over his career, Wallace has averaged 7.9 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 227 games, 114 of them starts. He has also played in all 48 of the Thunder’s playoff games during his time there.
