The Thunder aren’t going to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they aren’t going to trade away Chet Holmgren, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (subscriber link).
As Mussatto explains, while head of basketball operations Sam Presti isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on major trades, he doesn’t act impulsively. The Spurs deserved to beat the Thunder in the Western Conference finals, Mussatto writes, but Oklahoma City came very close to winning despite missing Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell for most of the series and Holmgren playing some of his worst basketball.
Pursuing Antetokounmpo would be a major risk, according to Mussatto, as he hasn’t been able to stay healthy in the playoffs, is multiple years older than Oklahoma City’s top players, and would make the roster more expensive than it already projects to be both next season and going forward.
Including Jalen Williams in a deal for Antetokounmpo would be a “non-starter” for the Thunder, Mussatto states, and trading Holmgren would disrupt the team’s “chemistry, competitive timeline and financial flexibility.” Mussatto expects Oklahoma City to make moves this offseason, but nothing on that magnitude after nearly making a second straight trip to the NBA Finals despite the untimely injuries.
Here’s more from Oklahoma City:
- Head coach Mark Daigneault and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were among the key members of the Thunder who publicly backed both Williams and particularly Holmgren during exit interviews on Sunday, according to Rylan Stiles of SI.com, who says the team should retain both players with their maximum-salary rookie scale extensions set to kick in next season. Like Mussatto, Stiles acknowledges Holmgren’s performance vs. San Antonio was “dreadful,” but says he’s the “hardest worker” on the team and will use the series as motivation going forward. “Before Chet was here, we weren’t who we are today. We couldn’t have the success we have today. When he’s the best version of himself, we’re the best version of ourself, and it’s no secret,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “… Both those guys [Williams and Holmgren] are the same caliber. We need them to be the best version of themselves for us to be the best version of ourselves. And I have confidence that they will be that. Those guys work way too hard for them and love the game way too much for that not to be the case. I don’t think for a second they won’t be that. Those guys, they’re a big part of the success we’ve built.”
- Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe have been cited as potential trade candidates due to the Thunder’s financial and roster crunch. Wiggins talked about his reduced postseason role on Sunday, tweets Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. “Nothing is permanent,” Wiggins said. “A lot of things change from day to day, and obviously year to year. At the end of the season and that last stretch, I wasn’t my best self, and I obviously wasn’t seeing the minutes that I might be capable of seeing. But from a team perspective, it’s still being a professional, buying into the team and being around guys who I love supporting and being with. It makes it easy to come in and embrace the togetherness of the team first. I wouldn’t say it was overly difficult to look past whatever my individual circumstance looked like, especially when you’re competing for something big.”
- Joe also saw his minutes cut back significantly in the playoffs and discussed it on Sunday, according to Martinez (Twitter link). “As a player or competitor, it’s frustrating. But in the moment, it’s more of what I can do to help the team win. … You’re just trying to bring energy to the guys,” Joe said. “Obviously with this organization, sometimes you play when you think you’re not going to play. And then you don’t play when you think you’re going to play. You just never know. That’s just one thing that we’ve been really good at, just the ability to stay ready. Those are moments where you don’t know if your number is going to get called, but you’ve still got to find ways to bring energy or bring life to the team and help them win.”
- Martinez, Mussatto and Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman (subscriber link) pass along several more noteworthy quotes from Oklahoma City’s end-of-season press conferences. “I learned a lot about myself,” said Nikola Topic said, who overcame testicular cancer in 2025/26. “I didn’t know how tough I was, honestly. It wasn’t the best, but I’m grateful that I went through those experiences. I grew from those experiences as well and it made me a better person today, and I wouldn’t be here if those things didn’t happen. I’m looking forward to getting ready to play.”