Chet Holmgren remains a fixture on the Thunder roster despite his underwhelming performance in the Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City has no interest in dealing away Holmgren, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
While the Thunder face some difficult roster decisions over the next few weeks, including team options on Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams, a Holmgren trade is not a consideration.
Holmgren was badly outplayed by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the conference finals, as he averaged 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in the series. That included a Game 7 clunker in which he contributed just four points and four rebounds in 33 minutes.
Holmgren, who was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team this season, will enter the first year of a five-year max extension next season. Fischer notes that Holmgren’s length and impact on defense, paired with his floor-spacing ability, is difficult to replace.
Oklahoma City could be active on the trade market but are more likely to make some moves regarding its draft picks. The Thunder hold the Nos. 12, 17 and 37 picks in this month’s draft. Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins could be dealt to help the team avoid the second tax apron.
League sources tell Fischer that Oklahoma City remains unlikely to enter the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. While they have the young talent and draft picks to make a serious offer to the Bucks, Sam Presti isn’t the type of GM who would surrender that type of capital for a star player, particularly one already past the age of 30.
The Bucks are trending toward an Antetokounmpo trade between now and the draft because Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam essentially established such a timeline in early May with various public comments.
Casual fans are handcuffed to their own recency bias. Sam Presti, not so much. I’m guessing OKC also won’t look to move J-Dub, even tho he contributed even less this postseason than Chet.
On a similar note who remembers when Knicks fans were screaming for Mikal Bridges to be traded? That was just a couple weeks ago. Now they love him again.
Literally just won a chip with the guy and he’s still young. Moving him would be the worst overreaction
Thunder is the weakest chip ever won until the Knicks win this year. That’s two years in a row that proves the NBA is a fraud league that is run by gambling companies.
Only thing weaker is you complaining about the bucks having an unfair evaluation of Jonathan kuminga! That’s some real weak sauce
^ if thats the worst thing you have against me, im in good shape lil bro hahahahah
Yep, all the players are frauds, including Steph Curry.
^ YDKB
A lot of NY media wanted KAT out to last season. How much 1 season can change everything . Chet is a great player and will bounce back .
JDub was literally injured, saying he contributed less than Chet without mentioning that sounds really disingenuous
Does he get a pass bc he was injured? I know yall don’t give Anthony Davis any passes when he gets hurt. Even tho he’s never missed a playoff game. Everybody knows J-Dub was injured. End of the day he scored 0pts in gm7, 4less than Chet. If we’re giving him a pass that’s cool but we gotta give AD that same treatment. If we give Luka a pass for being injury-prone we also gotta give Embiid the same treatment.
He’s not a tier one or lkkely tier 2 star but he’s perfect staring in the role thunder need from him
Such a shame that he was all nba over KAT
(I already thought this before his meltdown and before the Finals began, same for Duren making it over KAT)
Regardless, Chet is a good player but he is closer to Alex Sarr than Wemby as along as okc knows and is ok with that, then all good.
By VORP
CHET: 3.1 in 69 games
KAT: 3.1 in 75 games
Idk man, that’s too close to call there, they were about the same this year, but you give the output ceiling to Chet and health to KAT. Depends on what you prefer in your All-NBA metrics and values.
The Thunder sorely missed Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell
The Thunder should move Holgrem but should move him to PF and draft Mara with their first pick and Cenac with their second pick
Both are bigger than Wemby and can fight him down low. Something Holgrem struggled with but Hartenstein had success with. Wemby doesn’t do well against bigger guys than him pushing shoving on him all game wearing him down.
Holmgren alr starts at the 4. Mara might be a good pick for them at #12 tho