As much as the Lu Dort spectacle may be over after the Thunder picked up his option, Cason Wallace‘s contract situation still looms large over OKC as they seek to lock up all of their notable players in the years to come. It is no secret that Oklahoma City is still cutting costs wherever it can.
From Isaiah Hartenstein restructuring his contract so the OKC center could sign an extension, to letting go of both Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe as the Thunder traded for picks. But can OKC actually hand Wallace a well-deserved extension? It doesn’t come easy for them at this point, especially with the second apron knocking on the door.
Can OKC Extend Cason Wallace for Years to Come?
For what it’s worth, Wallace is one of the best two-way players that the OKC roster has to offer. We all know just how well he’s improved this season and how he’s shown he’s worth every penny the Thunder has to offer. However, given how tight the budget is for the 2025 champions, something has to give.
Wallace Deserves the Big Payday
Wallace finished the 2025-26 season as the league leader in steals and has been one of the league’s top defenders. While he averaged 8.6 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per night, the OKC guard has been a reliable force on both ends of the floor. He’s one of those guys who has become a key bench player and has provided the punch they need whenever the offense runs dry.
With that, many have expected him to be rewarded with a well-deserved extension, with his rookie contract coming to a close. Of course, the Thunder picking up the Dort option created a bit of a problem with how this could be feasible, as the team may have saved around $130 million now but is still heading for the second apron.
Did yall forget that we are “in good hands” with Cason Wallace? pic.twitter.com/OFDgvoyc0s
— Hayden Wheatley 🏆 (@WheatleyHayden) June 30, 2026
To be fair, Wallace is still under contract with Oklahoma City for one more year, and is slated to become a restricted free agent in the 2027 offseason. There’s still hope that OKC can make a good offer for him moving forward, and he’ll definitely be a key piece if they’re going to win a championship again.
OKC Needs to Start Wallace
For 12 games in February, Wallace started and received significant duties on the offensive end. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taking a hit with injuries, the Kentucky product proved to be a great option for head coach Mark Daigneault’s rotation. The All-Defensive member notched up his stats, clocking nearly 15 points and five assists per night.
In that span, Oklahoma City went 8-4, despite suffering some injuries. While this was just a small sample size, Wallace earned bigger minutes in the playoffs, making second-team threes for the squad. He also nailed his shots from deep at 48.4% shooting, which was the best they’ve had so far in that run.
Highest defensive rating this season@statmuse
Cason Wallace – 106.6
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 108.7
Karl Anthony-Towns – 109.6
Cade Cunningham – 110.1
Rudy Gobert – 110.1Only one had under 30 minutes per game pic.twitter.com/z91urlhazL
— CasoMuse (@CasoMuse) June 30, 2026
If anything, Wallace proved he was the perfect combo for Alex Caruso on defense and a reliable scoring machine on the other end. This says a lot about how Caso may well be a great option for the team to start with. After all, he’s proven his worth, and he’s also ready to take on the challenge.
Trading Dort May Be a Solution
While many Thunder fans are worried about Wallace’s future with the team, it seems the team’s decision to opt in on Dort’s option isn’t something to worry about. For instance, the extension for Wallace — if they choose to do so — would kick in next season, and not this current one. This means OKC would have the liberty to still offer Wallace a max deal at this very moment.
I don’t think some Thunder fans understand, so let’s make this clear.
OKC made it clear with the Wiggins and Joe trades that they want to get under the 2nd Apron this upcoming season.
After exercising Dort’s option, the only way for OKC to get under the 2nd Apron would be to…
— Sam Humphreys (@SamHumphreys34) June 30, 2026
However, this would mean the team would have to trade Dort at the very least. After all, opting into the option doesn’t mean that the Dorture Chamber would be staying for long in the whole season. There’s a high chance that the Thunder guard would be shipped off by the Trade Deadline for some picks if they really wanted to get rid of his value.
That way, OKC gets to offer Wallace a max deal and prevent him from entering restricted free agency next offseason. Now that’s one way to keep one of their best players in the long run.
Photo Credit: Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
