Thunder reach contract extension with Ibaka

The Oklahoma City Thunder took a big step toward sticking around as an NBA championship contender. The Thunder face difficult decisions in their quest to remain a title threat for the long haul after reaching the NBA Finals last season, but they reached a contract extension with blocks leader Serge Ibaka. Ibaka came to terms on the deal on Saturday as the Thunder locked up another key member of their nucleus while also putting into question whether they can afford to keep Sixth Man of the Year James Harden beyond next season. Ibaka (pictured right) posted on Twitter that he …

The Oklahoma City Thunder took a big step toward sticking around as an NBA championship contender. The Thunder face difficult decisions in their quest to remain a title threat for the long haul after reaching the NBA Finals last season, but they reached a contract extension with blocks leader Serge Ibaka. Ibaka came to terms on the deal on Saturday as the Thunder locked up another key member of their nucleus while also putting into question whether they can afford to keep Sixth Man of the Year James Harden beyond next season. Ibaka (pictured right) posted on Twitter that he was happy for the chance to play for the Thunder for five more years. Yahoo! Sports first reported that the deal is for four additional years and $48 million. – AP