OKC Thunder Proving It’s All In on Big 3 with Long Term Commitment

In the midst of Oklahoma City’s dominance this season, everyone know that the future would bring uncertainty. Just like the Celtics found out, an ultra-talented, young team can get expensive quick. The Thunder might have to get creative in the future, but the longterm outlook has never been more clear. Oklahoma City’s commitment to its big three moving forward is the most important thing to the franchise — and rightfully so.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams have been penciled in as Oklahoma City's pillars for a few seasons now, but this summer's contract extensions obviously confirm that belief. The Thunder's big three is arguably the NBA's very best trio, and now, they'll be able to play out the prime of their careers together.

Those three have terrific chemistry and compliment each other well. It's a great foundational piece for the Thunder to have, as the roster could experience some serious turnover over the next five years. The constants will be the team's best three players.

Roster construction is more important now than it has ever been before. But Oklahoma City's big three could be so good that it doesn't quite matter as much who is surrounding them. Gilgeous-Alexander is already known as one of the world's best players, but he's still squarely entering his prime. The scary part is when you start to think about the progression of Williams and Holmgren.

The young duo from the 2022 NBA Draft can propel Oklahoma City forward no matter the roster uncertainty. The Thunder had one of the most dominant seasons of all time, and each one played a massive role in that. But both Williams and Holmgren are still so young, that the real mystery that is Oklahoma City's future is based on their progression.

Extending all three of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren was an expected no brainer. The Thunder struck gold three times in the span of five years. But the longterm commitment shows that this Thunder team is committed to its big three above all else. And if each one continues on an upwards trajectory, the rest of the story might not matter much.