Thunder's Draft Capital Key in Keeping Core Together

Two down, one more to go.

The Oklahoma City Thunder officially locked in Chet Holmgren to a long-term extension with a price tag of $239 million over the next five years. However, the contract could reach up to a maximum of $250 million.

Now that Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have inked new deals, all that is left to secure the Thunder's big three is Jalen Williams. Having its core guaranteed through the end of the decade is huge for Oklahoma City and an absolute necessity to keep contending for NBA championships.

With that many big-time contracts, it might be a concern that the Thunder will struggle to keep the rest of the pieces surrounding the trio together. Luckily, it has the advantage of the draft capital it still carries to today — including nine first-round picks across the next four seasons.

The harsh truth is that some sacrifices might have to be made eventually. Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein are two of the more likely candidates, as they might seek higher-paying deals than what Oklahoma City is able to afford. They are two integral pieces, but pieces that can be more easily replaced than others.

The draft capital comes into play when it's time to make replacements. While development has to take place for the production to reach that of a Dort or Hartenstein, the Thunder has plenty of opportunity to get more picks in the top half of the order.

The young pieces Oklahoma City already has — most notably Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber — will actively start that development this season. Topic has already shown strong flashes in Summer League, while Sorber projects as a potential starting center in the next few years.

The Thunder's plethora of draft picks will continue to replenish what is lost through the end of Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren's deals. With that, it's hard to see Oklahoma City not being a championship threat for some time.