Cason Wallace still has no Thunder extension. Two of his 2023 classmates just agreed to about $31 million a year

Cason Wallace still does not have a contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the deadline is October 19. On Friday, two of his 2023 draft classmates settled theirs at almost the same number. Keyonte George signed with Utah on a deal ESPN reported at five years and $157.5 million, and Ausar Thompson agreed to five years and $155 million with Detroit, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Both work out at about $31 million a year. For Wallace, that number matters because it sits near the top of what front-office executives told Zach Lowe he is worth, and they said it before either deal existed.

Executives ranked Wallace first of three

On the September 8 episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe said he had asked 10 or 15 front-office executives to compare Wallace with two other 2023 first-round picks still waiting on extensions, Brandin Podziemski of the Warriors and Orlando's Anthony Black. Wallace ranked first. Their estimates of a fair annual salary ran from $25 million to $33 million.

Ausar Thompson is the closer comparison. He made the All-Defensive First Team last season and led the NBA at 2.0 steals per game. Wallace made the Second Team, his first All-Defensive selection, and led the league in total steals with 150, third per game at 1.9.

The argument against the top of that range is his offense. Wallace's 8.6 points per game was a career high, but he shot career lows of 43.2% from the field and 35.1% from three, before making 48.4% of his threes across 15 playoff games. Dyson Daniels, another Second Team guard, signed for four years and $100 million with Atlanta on last year's deadline day. That is $25 million a year, the bottom of Lowe's range.

The Thunder's bill arrives in 2027-28

Oklahoma City spent the summer getting below the second apron, trading Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta and Isaiah Joe to Detroit. Wallace earns $7.4 million this season. Any extension would start in 2027-28, the same season Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's four-year, $285 million supermax begins.

In June, general manager Sam Presti said the Thunder would address Wallace's contract when the time was right, and praised his development.

He's taken strides every year he's been here. He's a competitor.

Sam Presti, speaking at his end-of-season media availability

Charania named Wallace on ESPN's NBA Today on Friday as one of the next 2023 players to watch for an extension. No terms have been reported. If there is no deal by October 19, Wallace becomes a restricted free agent next summer, when the Thunder could match any offer sheet he signs. They open the season the next night, October 20, at San Antonio.