Sam Presti is not trading Chet Holmgren. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon went on the record to say it. “This idea that it’s time to pull the plug on Chet Holmgren in Oklahoma City and I can promise you this, Sam Presti will not be taking that advice.”
That is as direct as a major insider gets when shutting down a trade rumor.
The Holmgren trade talk picked up after his disastrous Game 7 against the Spurs. Holmgren played 33 minutes in the decisive Western Conference Finals loss and attempted just two field goals. He did not attempt a single shot during his last 31 minutes on the floor. That kind of disappearance in a season-defining game gets you on the trade block in the internet’s collective imagination.
Wemby was the matchup that did him in. Holmgren and Wembanyama are two of the most physically unique bigs in the league, and the Spurs simply outmaneuvered the Thunder all series with how they used Wemby to make Holmgren’s reads harder.
Holmgren acknowledged after Game 7 that he was out of rhythm and missed opportunities to shoot. That is the kind of self-aware quote that tells you he is going to work on it, not the kind that should get you traded.
The Thunder organization is built for this kind of moment. They did not get to the Finals last year and the Western Conference Finals this year by panicking after a tough series. Presti is one of the best in the business at being patient with young stars who hit walls.
Mark Daigneault said publicly that Holmgren’s future in Oklahoma City is set. The head coach is not pulling his big man’s plug after one bad series. The franchise is treating this as a development opportunity, not a referendum on whether Holmgren can be a centerpiece.
SGA has been vocal about his belief in Holmgren. The Thunder superstar said he has full faith in his big man even after the Spurs loss. That is the kind of locker room support that matters when there is national pressure to make a change.
The trade proposals floating around online have been ridiculous. Most of them involve OKC giving up Holmgren for a star big who is older, less skilled, and more expensive. Presti is not interested in any of them.
What the Thunder probably do this offseason is add. They have draft equity. They have the cap flexibility. They can keep their core together and bring in another piece. That is the Sam Presti playbook. Build around the young guys, supplement at the margins, do not panic.
For Holmgren personally, the next 90 days are about confidence. He is going to have to come into next season ready to be the secondary star next to SGA. He cannot afford another series like the one against the Spurs. The Thunder need him to be the matchup nightmare he was supposed to be when they drafted him.
The good news for Thunder fans is that Holmgren is 23. He has the kind of frame and skill set that ages well. One bad playoff series does not change his long-term ceiling.
The Thunder are not trading Chet Holmgren. They are doubling down on him.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
