Following their stunning loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder are left to go back to the drawing board. That could result in them reassessing their roster, possibly starting with Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren was awful in the Western Conference Finals and practically disappeared in Game 7. In fact, he didn't have a field goal attempt in the final three quarters of the game and was benched for the final seven minutes.
That is a damning indictment on the former second overall pick. Remember, the Thunder already gave him a 5-year, $250 million extension.
However, he averaged just 10.7 points per game in the Western Conference Finals and was frequently shut down by Spurs forward Devin Vassell. Vassell is eight inches shorter than him. Yikes. That leaves the Thunder in a bind as they enter the offseason.
OKC has a massive Chet Holmgren problem on their hands
It isn't just that he had a bad series; it's that he seems to cower whenever he faces rival Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama clearly despises Holmgren, but the feeling doesn't appear mutual.
Instead of playing angry, Holmgren practically no-shows. Granted, Wembanyama is a defensive monster, but Holmgren barely spent any time being guarded by or guarding Wemby.
That is what makes his meltdown all the more puzzling. Now, the Thunder have to figure out what to do with Holmgren. The answer is far from clear.
The Thunder have no simple answers for the Chet Holmgren problem
The Thunder aren't going to just trade Holmgren. However, it must concern team president Sam Presti that his second- or third-best player suddenly turned into a pumpkin on the biggest stage.
Remember, Holmgren didn't play so hot against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, averaging 12.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in that series. That means that his play against the Spurs wasn't an isolated incident.
He just doesn't seem built to be a costar, perhaps a good third option, but only if he can find consistency. If not, then the Thunder may suddenly have an albatross of a contract on their hands.
