Report: Thunder sign Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to five-year maximum contract extension

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a five-year, $172 million maximum contract extension, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. The point guard broke out this season with 23.7 points, 5.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game.

The Thunder are entering a deep rebuild, but have plenty of first-round picks and cap space to play with as they hope to build another contender. Gilgeous-Alexander was one of the young players Oklahoma City acquired in the Paul George trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s developed well with the Thunder and looks to be a big part of their future.

Oklahoma City added ball handlers Josh Giddey and Tre Mann in the NBA draft, but still felt comfortably locking up Gilgeous-Alexander with a sizable deal. This move will keep the point guard out of restricted free agency.

Even though Gilgeous-Alexander’s season was cut short due to plantar fascia, there were several promising signs regarding his development. He saw big jumps in efficiency and his three-point shooting really came around. The point guard connected on 41.8 percent of his triples, something that was considered a weak spot for him when he entered the league. The Thunder hope to build something special over the next few years and feel Gilgeous-Alexander is a big part of the core they hope can contend for a title.