OKC Thunder: Jaylin Williams Extension Tabbed One of NBA's Most Underrated Deals

Oklahoma City made some moves this offseason, and one of its best has flown under the radar.

Last season, the Thunder had easily the best season in franchise history, winning 68 games and eventually capturing their first NBA title. As one of the youngest champions in league history, the Thunder also had the luxury of bringing back every rotational piece from their title team.

While the Thunder made headlines by extending their star players, they also ensured that one of their top role players wouldn’t be heading anywhere over the summer. Entering the offseason, there weren’t many question marks about what the 2025-26 roster might look like, but Jaylin Williams’ status in Oklahoma City was a bit in question.

Of course, that’s not because he’s not good enough to stick around. In fact, it was the opposite: there was some fear that the Thunder wouldn’t be able to keep him around if his market was robust.

However, Williams and the Thunder didn’t waste much time inking the fan favorite big man to a three-year, $24 million deal. Seen as a solid deal for both sides after the championship campaign, it has been a bit forgotten as the offseason has progressed. However, The Athletic’s John Hollinger isn’t ready to let it be lost to history, tabbing it as one of the most underrated deals of the NBA offseason in a recent article.

“By locking up a third rotation-caliber center — as well as a locker room leader — Oklahoma City limits its vulnerability to an injury to Chet Holmgren or the potential free agency of Isaiah Hartenstein,” Hollinger wrote. “The contract looks especially valuable now that rookie first-round pick Thomas Sorber will miss the entire season after recently tearing his ACL.”

It’s not hard to understand why the Thunder made the deal, considering everyone saw the impact Williams had in the second round, sporadically matching up against Nikola Jokic. Without Williams, the Thunder might not have even made it past the Denver Nuggets, much less secure an NBA title.

Of course, Williams could be in for a big season in 2025-26, too. With a new contract and a well-defined role next season, especially now with Thomas Sorber’s injury, Williams could easily be in for a bit of a breakout year. 

With Williams potentially having a bigger role beyond next season with Isaiah Hartenstein’s future in question, this could end up being a seismic deal for the Thunder’s hopes of winning more championships.