The Thunder just won the 2024-25 NBA Championship over the Pacers a few weeks ago and now, the club has locked up its superstar for the foreseeable future. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Gilgeous-Alexander has agreed to a four-year, $285 million super maximum contract extension with the Thunder, which is the largest annual salary in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander is now under contract with the Thunder through the 2030-31 season and this massive payday was well-deserved. Not only did Gilgeous-Alexander lead the Thunder to an NBA Championship this past season, but he was also the NBA’s MVP in the regular season and then, he was named MVP for both the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
In the regular season, the superstar led the NBA with 32.7 PPG while also averaging 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Furthermore, Gilgeous-Alexander shot 52% from the field and the Kentucky product ranked first in net rating among all players who averaged at least 20 minutes per game. In the postseason, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 29.9 points, 6.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.
Coming off this incredible season, Gilgeous-Alexander carries the second-best odds to win the MVP award next season at +250 on DraftKings Sportsbook, trailing only Nikola Jokic. Gilgeous-Alexander absolutely has a chance of winning this award for the second straight season and even more so, the Thunder certainly have a great chance of repeating as NBA champions.
Oklahoma City isn’t expected to lose any of the team’s core players that just helped the organization win the NBA title and just like Gilgeous-Alexander, both Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren could be inking huge contract extensions with the Thunder this summer.
Oklahoma City not only just hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but the club had one of the greatest regular seasons of all time. The Thunder led the NBA with a 68-14 record, which is the seventh-best record in NBA history. Plus, Oklahoma City’s 12.87-point differential in the regular season is the best of all time. The Thunder led the NBA in net rating by a mile and, while the team ranked third in offensive rating, Oklahoma City’s defense was even better, as the club led the NBA in defensive rating by a comfortable margin at 106.6, which is the best the NBA has seen in four years.
The Thunder have the best and most complete roster in the NBA heading into next season and it isn’t even a debate. If Oklahoma City can avoid any major injuries, it’s hard to imagine the team not leading the NBA with the best record again next season and contending for another championship. After getting over the hump and winning the NBA title this past season, this Thunder team will be a very confident group next season that won’t be scared of any test the club may face in the postseason, as Oklahoma City won two Game 7s en route to winning the 2024-25 NBA Championship.
Rightfully so, the Thunder are the heavy favorites to win the 2025-26 NBA Championship. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Oklahoma City carries +225 odds, while the Houston Rockets rank second with +700 odds. Investing in the Thunder now makes sense, because if the club gets off to a hot start next season, those odds will likely drop under +200. While a much riskier wager, DraftKings Sportsbook is offering the Thunder to win three consecutive championships at +750 odds if you’re overly confident that the Thunder are the NBA’s next dynasty.
