OKC Thunder's Cason Wallace Has Increased Value of Upcoming Contract

Despite being the NBA’s reigning champions, Oklahoma City has been one of the league’s surprise teams coming out of the All-Star break.

The Thunder went 3-0 in its first games back, taking down the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors despite being without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Each of the aforementioned players has been vital to OKC this season but is currently sidelined with injury.

Despite missing those players, however, Oklahoma City’s other role players have helped keep the team atop the Western Conference in a tight race for the No. 1 seed as San Antonio sits just three games back of Mark Daigneault’s team with a 41-16 record.

Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace have been the two biggest catalysts for the Thunder’s recent success. Both players have reached 20 points in each of OKC’s last two contests, averaging 18.3 points apiece since the All-Star break.

Against the Raptors, Wallace scored 27 points, shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, adding 8 rebounds, 7 assists and a steal to lead the short-handed Thunder past the Eastern Conference’s No. 5 seed. This tied the third-year guard’s career high in points, which Wallace set on Feb. 1 in Oklahoma City’s win against the Denver Nuggets.

The 22-year-old’s performance this season has likely helped him garner a significant contract, as Wallace will be eligible for an extension over the offseason.

While it’s difficult to know exactly what the cost of a deal for the former lottery pick would ultimately come out to, the former Kentucky standout’s defense, combined with his recent displays on offense, should be enough to land Wallace a substantial deal.

Prior to his current stretch, the NBA Defensive Player of the Month from October/November 2025 would have still commanded a solid extension number, but after showcasing increased upside on offense, Wallace’s price his likely jumped even higher.

If the Thunder don’t reach an agreement with the potential All-Defense honoree, he will become a restricted free agent following the 2026-27 campaign. As a result, Sam Presti and company will have some tough decisions to make in the coming years, as the team will also have to make choices regarding Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein’s contracts soon.

For now, though, the team looks as though it has the potential to make another deep playoff run if key players can return to full health ahead of the postseason.

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