Stephen A. Smith took a dig at Chet Holmgren on Friday while predicting that the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder would meet in the 2027 NBA Finals.
Smith appeared on Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart’s “The Roommates Show,” which aired on ESPN. He apologized for his harsh comments about Brunson, Hart, and the Knicks organization over the past several years.
Hart asked Smith for his early prediction for the Knicks in the 2026-27 season, and the analyst explained why he sees Oklahoma City in the finals rather than San Antonio.
“I got y’all meeting Oklahoma City for the finals next year, for the championship,” Smith said. “I don’t think San Antonio making it back next year. I think J-Dub [Jalen Williams], Ajay Mitchell, them boys (get) healthy.
“Now, somebody gotta get Chet Holmgren to do a push-up… unless they’re gonna go out and get Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. Because I don’t know if y’all noticed, Oklahoma City’s got between now and 2032, they got 13 first-round picks and 16 second-round picks, so they can make the trade.”
Chet Holmgren had one of his most underwhelming playoff series in the Western Conference finals against Victor Wembanyama. He averaged 10.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, shooting 51.0% from the field on 7.3 attempts.
Critics felt he was intimidated by Wembanyama’s physicality and couldn’t match up well. His low shot volume and contribution as the No. 2 option with Jalen Williams missing the majority of the series only fueled that belief. In the do-or-die Game 7, Holmgren put up four points and four rebounds while attempting only four shots.
Thunder reportedly have no interest in trading Chet Holmgren or acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to place faith in their 2025 championship core. According to insider Zach Lowe’s June 14 report, the Thunder have received calls regarding Holmgren’s availability, but Sam Presti has not made him available.
The Thunder also have been ruled out as a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spot. Despite having a draft chest and player assets that the Bucks would likely accept, the Thunder, according to insider Jake Fischer’s June 2 report, are not expected to be a factor in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
The Heat and Celtics have been mentioned as the likeliest landing spots, while the Timberwolves have reignited interest over the past couple of days.
It makes sense for the Thunder not to give up on Chet Holmgren and pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo just yet. Aside from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, none of their young players have reached their prime. They found success early on in their careers, so the expectations are high.
However, the Thunder are only one year removed from their title run. They were plagued by injury in the playoffs, primarily to Jalen Williams, which contributed to their conference finals exit.
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