Cason Wallace Details Approach to Contract Negotiations, New Role

The Oklahoma City Thunder's biggest Media Day storyline had to be defensive ace Cason Wallace. Not only on the court, as the team traded Lu Dort away this offseason which opened up a starting spot, more minutes and the top defensive task on the team. Many assume the majority of the void left behind by Dort will be filled by Wallace. On top of that, Wallace is extension eligible this summer as the two sides have a chance to work out a deal now as opposed to letting the 2023 first round pick hit the restricted free agency in the 2027 offseason.

"Not a bit. Everybody has a contract. Everybody makes a different amount of money. Everybody is at a different point in their contract. It's a thing that every player works through. We are focused on their performance and their growth, and that's what we are focused on with him. If a player were to come to us and say, you know, something is a distraction that's away from the floor, we certainly meet them where they are on that, but only as a distraction. But he's the last person I'm worried about with that. He's going to focus on his performance and his growth, and so are we," Mark Daigneault said when asked if Wallace's contract negotiations will impact the season.

The Thunder bench boss has no doubt that the looming contract decision will not have an impact on this current campaign no matter how it is resolved with the Oct. 19 deadline to agree to an extension and avoid hitting restricted free agency right around the corner. Wallace put it plainly when asked about those talks.

"Yeah, I mean, that's between my agent and Sam. Like I said, I'm just here to get better and you know win games," Wallace put it simply. Before adding to it in a follow up question. "I mean, it's going to happen whenever it happens. Right now I'm not even thinking about it. We just got back together as a team. Training camp is tomorrow. So that's really where my mind's been at."

Many assume Wallace will be a player that fits the billing for taking over the fifth starter spot left behind by the depature of Lu Dort. That isn't a topic that the defensive ace is pondering nearly as much as those of us on the outside of the Thunder walls.

"It's not on front of my mind, honestly. First we got to get out there as a team and you know, once we start gelling together, and you know, Mark, he changes the lineups here and there. Whenever he puts me out there, I'm going to put my best foot forward," Wallace said.

Mark Daigneault declined to give a concrete answer to the question about the new role he envisions for Wallace and for good reason. He was interested in what the Kentucky product would say and added he never has expectations for player roles at this time as it can lead to limiting their potential or putting a ceiling on guys. Daigneault did add he was excited to hear Wallace's answer to that question.

"Just knowing that every year is like a mystery, you know. We start 0-0, and we don't really know what the other team is going to do or what we have to -- we know we're going to have to compete at a high level. That's the only thing we know. So just excited to go out there and see what the game gives me this year," Wallace detailed.

All eyes are on Wallace with a season that may feature him being placed as a full time starter, perhaps an expanded on ball role, or just simply refining his 3-and-D archtype and taking a step as a shooter. It is clear that the former first round pick is just focused on helping the 2026-27 Thunder reach its goal of winning a ton of games, and getting back to the mountain top of the 2024-25 campaign.