Chet Holmgren’s All-Star season came to an end when he sputtered in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday. As the OKC Thunder fought for dear life against the San Antonio Spurs, Holmgren managed just four points on two shot attempts, none of which came in the second half.
In the aftermath of the Thunder’s 111-103 loss, analysts called for the Thunder center to be packaged in a trade for another elite big man. Fox Sports’ Nick Wright brought up two former champions who are currently in the Eastern Conference.
“Chet being a part of a larger package for Giannis is going to be a big topic. But I wonder if Chet for AD (with the Thunder not having to give up any picks) isn’t a more likely trade,” Wright tweeted.
Insider Brett Siegel echoed the idea that the Thunder could include Chet Holmgren in a package to acquire the Greek Freak.
“The Thunder have been gathering future assets for years, and tonight proved it’s time to use them. Sam Presti and OKC have the perfect opportunity to move their draft picks this year and Chet Holmgren for Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.”
Though teams like the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics have figured prominently in the Antetokounmpo trade discourse, the Thunder have plenty of leverage to facilitate a trade with just about any organization, thanks to their wealth of draft capital. The idea of Holmgren being packaged in a high-profile trade could gain even more traction in the coming weeks.
“It’s About Us as a Collective”: Chet Holmgren Downplays Significance of One-on-One Matchup With Victor Wembanyama
One major talking point during the Western Conference Finals was the matchup between Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama. When Holmgren was asked after Game 7 about dealing with the chatter, he said he had always had his sights on the bigger picture.
“At the end of the day, it’s always about us trying to win a basketball game. Us, as a collective, the Thunder team trying to win a basketball game. That’s what it’s always gonna be.”
Now, Wembanyama is on his way to his first-ever NBA Finals, while Holmgren will have the entire summer to think about what could have been in the Thunder-Spurs series.
