The Oklahoma City Thunder may be on the brink of blowing up their big three given the latest trade rumors surrounding star forward Jalen Williams, proving the problematic nature of today's CBA which the Golden State Warriors never had to deal with.
The Warriors were able to retain the legendary trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green throughout the prime of their careers, but the same may not be said for the Thunder's core of Williams, Chet Holmgren and back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jalen Williams rumors reveal Thunder problem Warriors never had
The Thunder are still favorites to emerge and win a second-straight NBA championship, but that hasn't stopped rumors of Williams' departure amid their Western Conference Finals battle against the San Antonio Spurs.
They've extended so far that ESPN has already proposed a potential trade involving Williams that would send him to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. (who will be on an expiring contract) and three first-round picks.
The CBA is the primary reason for this discussion, with the five-year, $239.3 million extensions of both Williams and Holmgren set to kick in next season, drastically increasing OKC's projected payroll.
Williams' rising injury concerns have also contributed to suggestions the Thunder could cash in on his value while it remains sky high. The 25-year-old has been limited to 33 regular season games and only four of the team's first 12 playoff games to date, primarily due to a recurring hamstring injury.
The Thunder now face a situation where they may have to move on from arguably their second-best player just four years into his career, such is the ramifications of being repeatedly in the tax within today's CBA.
Warriors were able to retain their core three throughout dynasty
While we didn't necessarily appreciate it completely at the time, the Warriors were fortunate that they could just keep spending big on their payroll without so many consequences, allowing them to retain the trio of Curry, Green and Thompson until the latter departed in 2024 as a 34-year-old.
They were also incredibly fortunate that injuries delayed Curry's breakout, meaning the superstar guard's rookie extension was an incredibly low four-year, $48 million deal which is considered arguably the most team-friendly contract in NBA history, and which allowed them to go and make the blockbuster move of acquiring Kevin Durant in 2016.
The NBA changed the rules to penalize teams like the Warriors and L.A. Clippers who were repeatedly blowing well past the cap, but now a rising dynasty in OKC could be cut short as a result.
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