Thunder extend Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell as NBA champions aim to keep core together

The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder struck deals with two role players on Sunday. Center Jaylin Williams has agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $24 million, while guard Ajay Mitchell is signing a new three-year contract worth nearly $9 million, both per ESPN. 

Getting Williams a solid extension is another step towards securing the team’s NBA championship core; all 15 of their returning players from the 2025 title-winning squad are on contract through at least 2025-26. Oklahoma City initially declined the $2.1 million team option on Williams’ previous contract while the two sides worked on a new deal. 

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Williams tallied just 14 total minutes in Oklahoma City’s NBA Finals showdown against the Indiana Pacers but averaged a career-high 5.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in spite of his relatively limited playing time. He provided more crucial minutes off the bench in Oklahoma City’s NBA Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, matching up with All-Star post and three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Williams averaged 10.6 minutes per game against the Nuggets. 

As for Mitchell, he was selected by Oklahoma City with the No. 38 overall pick in last year’s draft out of UC Santa Barbara. As was the case with Williams, the Thunder declined the team option on his contract this offseason before working out a new deal. In 36 games played this past season, Mitchell averaged 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He played a total of 20 minutes in the NBA Finals.  

Starters Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, a 2025 All-Star, are both still on their rookie contracts, though those expire after next season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, will be in the fourth of a five-year deal next season, and he’ll likely demand a supermax deal. Those are decisions that Oklahoma City can push for another year, at least. Signing Williams puts them ahead in terms of locking down quality post depth and understanding what their available money pool will look like when bigger contract resolutions emerge.