Thunder Secures the Future with Williams and Mitchell
The Oklahoma City Thunder have reached three-year agreements with power forward Jaylin Williams and point guard Ajay Mitchell, according to sources. This move demonstrates the team’s confidence in these young talents.
The Thunder opted not to exercise Williams’ $2.1 million team option, instead opting to negotiate a new $24 million deal with his agents, Marcus Monk and Sean Kennedy of Excel Sports.
Mitchell’s contract, for his part, amounts to almost 9 million dollars, after Oklahoma City also declined its team option for next season. Life Sports Agency CEO Todd Ramasar and agent Mike Simonetta negotiated the new deal for Mitchell.
Although the Thunder announced Williams’ multi-year extension on Sunday, the specific terms of the agreement were not revealed.
Williams, 23, missed the first two months of the season due to a hamstring injury, returning in late December to a Thunder team that lacked Chet Holmgren. Williams proved to be a key player until Holmgren’s return in February.
Williams proved his worth as a fundamental piece for the Thunder, even in the postseason, where Oklahoma City strategically used him against the feared frontcourt of the Denver Nuggets in the second-round series.
In the previous season, Williams averaged 5.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, with a shooting accuracy close to 40% in three-point shots.
Selected in the second round of the 2022 draft by the Thunder, Williams has averaged 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game throughout his career.
Mitchell, also 23 years old, was selected in the second round last season and participated in 36 games with the current champions. He averaged 6.5 points per game, with 50% field goal shooting and 38% three-point shooting.
