Cason Wallace and the Oklahoma City Thunder have finalized a five-year, $139 million extension to his rookie contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The two parties met Monday’s cutoff for players from the 2023 NBA Draft class to secure rookie scale extensions. Had an agreement not been made before the deadline, Wallace would have entered the final year of his rookie contract under a team option and subsequently become a restricted free agent in the 2026-27 offseason.
With this agreement, the Thunder solidify a defensive cornerstone of their roster as they aim for a second NBA championship within three years. Wallace, who plays as a shooting guard, has emerged as one of the top perimeter defenders in the league.
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The Thunder chose Wallace with the 10th overall selection in the 2023 draft from Kentucky, and he has progressively expanded his role with the team during his three years in the NBA.
After starting 13 games in his rookie year, Wallace became a starter for 43 games in 2024-25 and played a pivotal role on Oklahoma City’s championship roster. He took to the court as a starter for 58 games last season and is expected to become a full-time starter in the coming season, likely increasing his average of 26.6 minutes per game from the previous season.
In 77 games during the last season, Wallace recorded averages of 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks, shooting 35.1% on 3.7 attempts from beyond the arc per game.
This offseason, the Thunder traded 3-and-D specialist Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks, indicating their anticipation that Wallace would assume a more significant role. The franchise has now guaranteed his services for an additional five years, securing long-term contracts for their entire starting lineup.
As their championship window remains open, the Thunder will proceed with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and now Wallace, whose contract runs through at least the 2028-29 season.
