Thunder GM Talks Holmgren, Team Options, Draft, More
While Thunder big man Chet Holmgren drew plenty of criticism for his lackluster performance in the Western Conference finals, particularly the Game 7 loss in which he finished with just four points (on 1-of-2 shooting) and four rebounds in 33 minutes, general manager Sam Presti publicly backed the former No. 2 overall pick on Monday, writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
According to Presti, Holmgren’s “underdog” mentality will serve him well going forward.
“Chet’s one of our guys,” Presti said. “He’s been so impactful. He drives winning on so many different levels for us. We were sweeping our way to the Western Conference Finals primarily because of his efforts in the [Suns and Lakers] series. All that to say, he didn’t have a great series in the last series.
“… This is a guy who’s intrinsically motivated. He doesn’t need people questioning him or things on the internet to drive his improvement. The best example of that is we won the Finals last year, and he was dominant in Game 7 defensively and through a lot of the playoffs.
“I’m not really that concerned about him. The good thing is you get to confront those things again and continue to improve, and I’m confident that he’ll be ready to go.”
Here’s more from Presti’s end-of-season press conference:
- The Thunder project to be well over the second tax apron in 2026/27 if they exercise their team options on Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams. They could also be facing a roster crunch, with two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 17) and one second-rounder (No. 37) on top of having most of the roster signed to guaranteed contracts for next season. However, Presti reiterated ownership is willing to spend to contend for championships if the front office deems it necessary, as Anthony Slater of ESPN relays. “Is it possible that we just pick up the options for everybody and roll into next season when we have a bigger financial jump for the team?” Presti said. “That’s certainly possible. … The process itself to get to those potential options, it could take a little while. I could see it going a little deeper into the summer than we’re used to.”
- Oklahoma City will explore a number of possibilities with those three selections in this month’s draft, Presti told reporters, including Martinez. “Everybody knows we try to move up every year,” Presti said. “We try to get a price for what it would take for us to move out entirely, and then we also have contingencies to move back in the draft. It’s all about creating value. That’s how we see each one of these picks. Sometimes, the best value is to take the best player on the board and figure it out later. … But we’ll look at all these different options.”
- Presti spoke highly of Thomas Sorber, the team’s 2025 first-round pick who tore his ACL this past September and missed his entire rookie season, Martinez writes. However, Presti doesn’t think Sorber will play in Summer League next month.
- The longtime executive also praised mid-season acquisition Jared McCain, Martinez adds. “I’ve always felt like he’s a guy that contributes to winning,” Presti said. ” … There aren’t many people that I would choose to try to assimilate into our particular team in the middle of the year. … But he had the right mindset to walk into a team like ours and in the right game. I think, going forward, there’s a more balanced player in there and not just a guy that’s going to come off and be able to hit shots like that. He really understands the game. He understands winning. He’ll put his body out there. I’m looking forward to a full summer with him, a full training camp and really seeing how he accents our full team.”
Windhorst: Heat ‘The Team To Watch’ In Giannis Trade Sweepstakes
The Heat are “the team to watch” as trade talks surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo intensify, Brian Windhorst said Monday morning on ESPN’s “Get Up” during a panel discussion of the Bucks star (Twitter video link).
“Miami would say … well, we’ve got Tyler Herro, who is a young player who’s been an All-Star, we’ve got draft picks, including the 13th pick in this draft – we can give you a lottery pick in this draft – and Giannis, I think, wants to be in Miami,” Windhorst said. “There’s more checkmarks on Miami.”
A report last week from Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic listed Herro and the No. 13 pick as part of the Heat’s likely offer to Milwaukee, along with second-year center Kel’el Ware, Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Jaime Jaquez Jr. and two future first-rounders. However, Amick stated Friday on a radio show that Antetokounmpo has “questions” about the quality of Miami’s remaining roster if that deal were to go through.
Antetokounmpo is under contract for one more season at $58.5MM and holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28, so there’s some risk involved in trading for him if he’s not fully committed to staying with his new team.
The Bucks are reportedly hoping to resolve the Antetokounmpo situation before the draft begins on June 23, either by trading the 10-time All-Star or getting him to commit to a long-term extension that he’ll become eligible to sign later in the year. Numerous teams have been pursuing Antetokounmpo since the trade deadline or even longer, with the Heat being among the most aggressive.
During the discussion, Windhorst became the latest reporter to throw cold water on the idea that the Thunder might part with Chet Holmgren or Jalen Williams to acquire Antetokounmpo following their playoff loss or that the Celtics may get involved with a multi-team deal involving Jaylen Brown.
“The message that Oklahoma City is sending out is that they are not touching that core,” Windhorst said. “You can choose to not believe them if you want; they say they’re running it back.”
Regarding the Celtics, Windhorst stated, “I’m not sure Boston is ready to trade Jaylen Brown. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have won a championship together. I thought there was a decent chance we’d be in Boston right now for Game 3 of these Finals.”
Thunder Notes: Hartenstein, Holmgren, Picks, Williams
After falling short of their title aspirations, the Thunder enter the 2026 offseason with a good amount of flexibility, but some questions still need to be answered.
One decision they will have to make is whether to retain big man Isaiah Hartenstein, and if so, by what mechanism. Hartenstein has a $28.5MM team option for next season. Oklahoma City could either pick that up or decline it and negotiate a new deal.
Whichever avenue they decide to go down – the latter seems more likely – it’s crucial that they retain the 7’0″ big man, Rylan Stiles writes for Sports Illustrated. Hartenstein demonstrated his value in the Thunder’s series over the Spurs, as his impact was felt strongly against Victor Wembanyama after Game 1, when the team adjusted to a more traditional coverage.
Hartenstein spoke of his desire to stick around during the team’s exit interviews.
“I love being here. I love the organization, but it’s a lot in their hands,” he said. “I think that them and my agent will talk. It’s a business at the end of the day. But whatever happens, I’m truly grateful.”
The expectation among reporters in Oklahoma City is that the Thunder will look to decline his option and sign him to a new deal.
We have more from around the Thunder:
- Chet Holmgren was the subject of intense scrutiny after a disappointing series against the Spurs, especially on the offensive end, but he still had a very positive season. Not only did he make his first All-Star game, finish second in Defensive Player of the Year, and make Third-Team All-NBA, but he had a strong case for best Thunder player through their first two playoff rounds, Joe Mussatto writes for The Oklahoman in his end-of-year report card. The Spurs series was a real cause for concern though, as is the year-by-year decline of his three-point volume. Holmgren’s off-season homework is to forget about Wembanyama for a bit, try to speed up his three-point shot, and develop a deeper face-up game, Mussatto writes, giving his 2025/26 season a B grade overall but an A for the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs.
- Given that Oklahoma City is already facing a crunch of having more good players than roster spots, many have suggested they package their two first-round picks, Nos. 12 and 17, to move up in the draft. However, it may be more beneficial for them to use both picks, Stiles opines. With extensions set to kick in for their “big three” over the next two years, the aforementioned Hartenstein decision looming, and extension decisions around the corner on Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and Jared McCain, having high-upside rookie contract players could be more important than ever for the team, Stiles explains. They will likely make decisions this summer on Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Kenrich Williams, and how the draft plays out could help inform those choices.
- It’s not hard to imagine the Thunder coming to terms on a cheaper deal to keep Kenrich Williams around, Justin Martinez writes for The Oklahoman, but more questions remain for this team. Perhaps the most important one is: can Jalen Williams get healthy after a snake-bit season that saw him deal with wrist and hamstring injuries that prevented him from ever getting right? “I think rest, like everything, will really help a little bit,” he said. “We’ll just go from there … I think just having a nice cool-down period where I don’t have to try and rush or accelerate anything is going to be nice to just let my body completely settle, get back to zero.”
Thunder Won’t Look To Move Chet Holmgren
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 (Substack link).
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 won’t be under consideration, says Fischer.
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 per game 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 and was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, is entering the first year of a five-year maximum-salary extension. 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 12th, 17th, and 37th picks in this month’s draft. Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins could be dealt to help the team avoid the second tax apron, Fischer adds.
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.
Thunder Notes: Holmgren, Giannis, J-Dub, Wiggins, Joe, More
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 exit interviews. “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.”
Thunder Rumors: Holmgren, Caruso, Hartenstein, Dort, More
Although league insiders don’t expect Thunder head of basketball operations Sam Presti to make any “panic moves” following his team’s elimination in a tight Western Conference finals, rival executives have wondered for months whether the team will have to part with certain rotation players beginning this offseason as the roster gets more crowded and more expensive, per Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
“There can’t be room for everybody,” one Eastern Conference executive said to ESPN.
Much of the speculation in the wake of Saturday’s Game 7 loss has centered on Chet Holmgren, who shrank against Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, attempting just two shots from the floor in that do-or-die contest. However, Holmgren continues to be backed within the organization as a “franchise pillar,” write Slater and MacMahon.
Veteran guard Alex Caruso is also viewed as a “firm member” of the long-term core in Oklahoma City after a strong showing in the Western finals, according to Slater and MacMahon, who say that there’s also anticipation among league and team sources that big man Isaiah Hartenstein will return to the team for the 2026/27 season too. That could mean OKC picks up its $28.5MM team option on Hartenstein or turns that option down in order to negotiate a new contract.
Luguentz Dort‘s future with the Thunder is less clear. While his $18.2MM team option isn’t exorbitant, the club has no shortage of reliable wing defenders, including Caruso and Cason Wallace, which could make Dort the odd man out in OKC, observes Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
While Slater and MacMahon acknowledge that Wallace looks ready to take Dort’s place in the starting five, sources familiar with the thinking of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tell ESPN that the two-time MVP highly values playing alongside Dort, a fellow Canadian, and is expected to let management know that.
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- If Oklahoma City looks to move players on guaranteed contracts to create more financial flexibility, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins are potential trade candidates to watch, Slater and MacMahon say. The two wings, who will earn a combined $20MM+ in 2026/27, played regular rotation roles during the season but weren’t used much in the playoffs.
- Rival executives expect Oklahoma City to decline its $7.2MM team option on Kenrich Williams, though there’s a chance the veteran forward, a longtime member of the Thunder, could return to the team on a lower cap hit, Slater and MacMahon report.
- League sources tell ESPN that the Thunder have already had exploratory conversations with teams drafting in the top 10 about what the price would be to move up. While Oklahoma City is armed with the 12th, 17th, and 37th picks this year and has a surplus of future draft assets, the team’s decision on whether to pay the price to move up will likely be made on draft day and will depend on whether a specific target is available.
- While the Thunder front office will have some important roster decisions to make this summer, the 2027 offseason is viewed as the real start of a “financial reckoning” for the organization, according to Slater and MacMahon. That’s when Gilgeous-Alexander’s super-max extension will begin, increasing his salary from roughly 25% of the cap to 35%.
Draft Rumors: Clippers, Boozer, Acuff, Flemings, Carr, Burries
There’s an expectation that the Clippers will listen to trade-down offers for the fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.
Noting that reports have linked the Thunder to Cameron Boozer, who’s projected to be a top-three pick, O’Connor wonders if Oklahoma City might be able to use the 12th and 17th picks and an unspecified player to move up to fifth, and from that point potentially packaging the fifth selection to try to move into the top three with an “overwhelming offer,” perhaps including Chet Holmgren.
Obviously that’s just O’Connor brainstorming/speculating, but the Thunder have a trove of future first-round picks, plus their payroll is about to become very expensive, with roster-building restrictions in place if they’re over the second apron.
Oklahoma City also has a history of avoiding massive payrolls, O’Connor notes, having traded James Harden to Houston in the 2012 offseason when he was eligible for a rookie scale extension. Holmgren’s Game 7 performance vs. San Antonio and past history of struggling offensively in big moments could make the team more willing to part ways with him before his maximum-salary rookie scale extension kicks in next season, O’Connor writes.
Here are a few more rumors and notes related to the upcoming draft:
- Speaking of Boozer, one NBA general manager gave the following assessment of the former Duke star, who won several college Player of the Year awards as a freshman: “I don’t think he’s a franchise player, but I also know exactly what I’m getting with him,” the GM told Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 (Twitter link). “Both (AJ) Dybantsa and (Darryn) Peterson have a chance to be franchise players in the league. Boozer can be a great second option.”
- The Mavericks are believed to have interest in trading up for Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Dallas controls the ninth, 30th and 48th picks in the upcoming draft, while Acuff is widely projected to go in the top seven. Previous reports have said the Kings, who control the seventh pick, are high on Acuff and are considered his floor. Sacramento has also been impressed by Houston guard Kingston Flemings, a projected top-10 pick, in the lead-up to the draft, sources tell Siegel.
- The Bulls and Mavericks have “known interest” in Baylor guard Cameron Carr, arguably the biggest winner at the draft combine, per Siegel. Chicago has four picks in this month’s draft: fourth, 15th, 38th and 56th. For what it’s worth, Jeremy Woo of ESPN had Carr going 15th overall in his latest mock draft.
- While Brayden Burries is considered a lock to be drafted in the lottery, his range seems pretty wide, Siegel writes. One scout from a lottery team sounded impressed by the Arizona guard before the combine, according to Siegel. “He’s simply a sound player,” the scout said of Burries. “Good vision, great instincts, good vibes around him. His teammates love playing with him. Nobody ever says, ‘Well, he can still work on this and that.’ This guy is the complete package when it comes to being cool and collected.”
Thunder Notes: Holmgren, SGA, Wallace, Topic
Chet Holmgren‘s coaches and teammates expressed support for the embattled big man during the Thunder‘s end-of-season interviews on Sunday, according to The Associated Press. Holmgren’s rough series in the Western Conference finals ended with a two-shot, four-point performance in Game 7, but head coach Mark Daigneault said he remains an important part of the structure in Oklahoma City.
“Every minute Chet Holmgren’s been on the team, we’ve been the one seed in the Western Conference,” Daigneault told reporters. “And it wasn’t the case before Chet was healthy.”
Holmgren is coming off his best statistical season, averaging career highs with 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He made his first All-Star Game appearance, received his first All-NBA honors, and finished second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year. However, none of that shielded him from criticism after he got badly outplayed by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during the seven-game series.
Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was among the players speaking out Sunday on behalf of Holmgren.
“We need Chet. We need Chet Holmgren,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Before Chet was here, we weren’t who we are today. We didn’t have the success we had today. When he’s the best version of himself, we’re the best version of ourselves and it’s no secret.”
There’s more from Oklahoma City:
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports examines the case for trading Holmgren, noting that he’s had other playoff disappointments during the past two seasons and even during the NCAA Tournament at Gonzaga. O’Connor doesn’t completely advocate for a Holmgren trade, but points out that he has a history of durability issues and is about to get much more expensive when his maximum-salary rookie scale extension kicks in next season.
- General manager Sam Presti has handed out six extensions since the 2022/23 season, and Cason Wallace appears to be next in line, Bobby Marks of ESPN states in his offseason preview. The 22-year-old guard led the league in steals this season and earned All-Defensive honors for the first time. Marks notes that he held opponents to 41.6% from the field as the closest defender, which ranked fifth in the NBA, and in the playoffs he limited Austin Reaves, Devin Booker, Stephon Castle and Jalen Green to a combined 25% on three-point attempts.
- Nikola Topic is looking forward to making an impact after having his first two NBA seasons affected by a partially torn left ACL and then a diagnosis of testicular cancer. He hopes to ultimately benefit from those difficult experiences, relays Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “I learned a lot about myself,” Topic said. “I didn’t know how tough I was, honestly. It wasn’t the best, but I’m grateful 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.”
Thunder Not Expected To Pursue Giannis, Interested In Mobley?
The Spurs not only caught up to the Thunder sooner than expected but surpassed them by eliminating the defending champions in Oklahoma City on Saturday night, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The big question now facing the Thunder is how the team can solve the unprecedented challenge that Victor Wembanyama presents.
While a major roster overhaul would be shocking considering the Thunder were 71-14 against every other team in the league in 2025/26, they went just 4-8 against San Antonio in what could be the beginning of a long rivalry.
League sources have told Amick throughout the season that Oklahoma City is not expected to pursue Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, though speculation will undoubtedly pick up on that front in the wake of the Thunder being eliminated. Amick has also heard “chatter” for some time about the Thunder being interested in Evan Mobley, whom Cavaliers president of basketball operations (Koby Altman) recently called “part of our future.”
As Dan Woike of The Athletic writes, one key player who really struggled under the bright lights of Game 7 was big man Chet Holmgren, who was named to the All-NBA Third Team and finished runner-up to Wembanyama in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Holmgren finished with just four points (on 1-of-2 shooting), four rebounds, two steals, two blocks and two turnovers in 33 minutes.
“They’re a unique team in terms of personnel, what their personnel does,” Holmgren said softly after the game. “I don’t think there’s another team that has the same kind of play style.”
Holmgren’s struggles against Wembanyama and the Spurs aren’t a new development, as he was largely ineffective during the 12 combined times the two teams faced off in 2025/26. The 24-year-old center/forward averaged 10.7 points, 7.1 and 1.1 blocks in 29.9 minutes per game with a shooting line of .510/.273/.769 during the Western Conference finals, a far cry from the numbers he posted during the first two rounds of the playoffs (18.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.4 SPG on .600/.387/.885 shooting).
“That’s not all on him,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “I actually thought he played his minutes pretty well. You know, I thought that run at the end of the second quarter that got us back going and cut into the (lead), I mean, he was a huge part of that in ways that may not be in the box score visibly.”
While Daigneault certainly wasn’t wrong in that assessment of that stretch, Woike points out that Holmgren was unable to sustain that level of play throughout the game. Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman (subscriber link), graded Holmgren’s Game 7 performance as an “F,” while her colleague Joe Mussatto gave Cason Wallace an A+.
“There’s no running from improvement,” Holmgren said, per Woike. “I always look at it as no matter what — good, bad, win, loss, whatever it might be — you have to continue to improve. So, that’s the mindset.”
The Thunder will have to answer some difficult roster questions this summer, with five-year, maximum-salary extensions for Holmgren and Jalen Williams set to begin in 2026/27 and decisions due next month on sizable team options for Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams.
Still, Alex Caruso was defiant in his belief that the Spurs aren’t a problem that can’t be solved, Woike adds.
“There’s nothing that needs to be solved,” Caruso said. “We could have won (Game 7), and we would have been asking them maybe the same thing. I don’t think there’s this huge narrative of, like, this is a bugaboo. … We should have played better and won the game and been in the NBA Finals.
“They’re a good team, they’re young. We’re a good team, we’re young. Both will probably be around for a while, so we gotta get better and try to win next time.”
Spurs Reach NBA Finals; Victor Wembanyama Named MVP Of WCF
The Spurs won a tough Game 7 at Oklahoma City on Saturday night to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. The 111-103 victory sets up a matchup with the Knicks for the NBA championship, with Game 1 tipping off Wednesday night in San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama was a unanimous choice as Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference Finals (Twitter links). He received the Earvin “Magic” Johnson trophy in a vote by nine media members.
Wembanyama played 42 minutes in Game 7, finishing with 22 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and he got plenty of help from his teammates.
De’Aaron Fox contributed 15 points, five assists and three steals and hit several big shots to stave off Thunder rallies. Julian Champagnie added 20 points with six three-pointers, Keldon Johnson sank two crucial threes in the fourth quarter and backup center Luke Kornet may have made the play of the game by blocking Isaiah Hartenstein on a breakaway (Twitter video link).
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points, with many of them coming on difficult shots over multiple defenders. Cason Wallace added 17, but OKC couldn’t find much additional scoring with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell both sidelined by injuries. Chet Holmgren had a particularly forgettable night, finishing with four points on just two shots from the field.
“They’re young, talented, well-coached, play the right way, seems like they like each other,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the Spurs (Twitter link from Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic). “They have the make-up. You don’t beat us without the make-up.”
The victory not only gives the Spurs a shot at their first NBA title in 12 years, it may signify the start of a long-term shift in the balance of power. With the deepest roster in the league, the Thunder looked capable of stringing together a potential dynasty after winning 68 and 64 games the past two seasons. But San Antonio took down the defending champs with a younger core built around Wembanyama (22), Stephon Castle (21) and Dylan Harper (20).
This year’s series could also be the start of an extended high-stakes rivalry between the two franchises. The Thunder have the ability to bring back virtually their entire roster next season, but they also have a stockpile of draft picks if they want to chase a veteran star. Regardless of which path they choose, Oklahoma City and San Antonio figure to enter the 2026/27 season as heavy favorites to grab the top two seeds again and return to the Western Conference finals.
Wembanyama was overcome by emotion as the final seconds ticked away, and he spent several minutes hugging teammates and friends before heading to the locker room. Speaking at the post-game press conference, he made it clear that the Spurs’ mission isn’t complete, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
“We want four more,” Wembanyama said. “We’re not done.”