The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA championship in June. Now, the team will focus on running it back.
The Thunder took a massive step toward that goal Wednesday, when they reportedly signed standout center Chet Holmgren to a five-year max contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The deal could reach up to $250 million.
Holmgren, 23, averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds in 32 games with the team during the regular season. He improved on those numbers during the team’s playoff run, averaging 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in 23 postseason games. He notched seven double-doubles over that period.
When healthy, Holmgren has lived up to the promise he displayed at Gonzaga before the Thunder selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Over his NBA career, Holmgren has averaged 16.1 points and 7.9 rebounds.
Injuries have been a problem for the young star. He missed his entire rookie season after battling a Lisfranc injury in his foot. Holmgren returned the following season and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after playing in 82 games. He finished behind San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama in the voting.
While Holmgren was off to another strong start during the 2024-25 season, a hip injury forced him to miss significant time during the regular season. He played just 32 games for the Thunder. The team went 26-6 in those contests.
After returning, Holmgren was eased into action slowly. While he didn’t seem to miss a beat statistically, the team limited Holmgren’s workload down the stretch. That changed in the playoffs, as Holmgren saw significant minutes in each of the Thunder’s 23 playoff games.
Following a championship, the Thunder entered the offseason with some big decisions to make. Holmgren’s extension was arguably the most important of those moves, though Jalen Williams — who the team selected No. 12 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft — also came into the offseason eligible for a max deal. With Holmgren’s situation resolved, the team can now turn its attention to Williams.
Inking Holmgren to a long-term deal should ensure the Thunder remain strong contenders for another NBA title next year and beyond. While the team’s young core is starting to get expensive, keeping those players together as long as possible is the best way for the Thunder to repeat as champions.
The team undoubtedly had that in mind when it agreed on a new contract with Holmgren.
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