Chet Holmgren's Long Haul: Extrapolating Value

It was announced Tuesday morning that Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren secured a five-year maximum rookie contract extension, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal could reach upward of $250 million.

After a solid sophomore campaign which saw him with a significant hip injury, Holmgren gets paid very well by Oklahoma City directly after being an important piece of their championship-winning team. Holmgren's upside and current value call for this, and the Thunder's willingness to pay him says much of what the organization thinks about him.

He embodies what this Thunder team has been about—fostering camaraderie, unselfish play, constant support for teammates while his skill set and stature provide value in itself on the floor. But yet, critics would say that Holmgren is being overpaid by Oklahoma City, and that this contract could potentially cause issues for the Thunder down the line.

These same critics more than likely called for Holmgren's roster spot during the playoffs throughout games he struggled and did not perform as well; or probably ridiculed Holmgren for his comeback from his right iliac wing fracture during the November of this past season. But this money is deserved, and it's a foresight of what's to come for this team—Holmgren is integral, and keeping him on this team bolsters team morale.

But just from a high level, his on-court presence is deserving of this. In the modern NBA, salaries reach higher and higher—there are players who get more than they deserve. This is not that situation. Holmgren is a paint-protecting, three-point shooting, ball-handling 7-foot-1 hybrid big who offers a great amount of value on both ends of the floor for the Thunder.

A player who averaged 15.0 points on nearly 50% shooting, 8.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game on a down season recouping from a tough injury is telling—next season, pending any unforeseen circumstances, should see Holmgren with a heavy boost on all these fronts, especially considering increased comfortability coming off an NBA championship.

As the Thunder get deeper into the offseason, the team will have secured its big three for the long haul, and it's worth every penny to retain this core for next season's title run.