Chet Holmgren and the $240 million disappearing act

Chet Holmgren took two shots in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. And he didn’t attempt a third after Victor Wembanyama rose up and detonated on him for one of the most violent dunks of these playoffs:

(Christian Petersen via Getty Images)

The poster was so emphatic it seemed to physically eliminate Holmgren. He just sort of stopped existing. Bobbled passes. Tripped over his own feet. Drifted into the corners and stayed there. Holmgren was so horrible that a debate was sparked on social media regarding his future in Oklahoma City.

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It’s a worthy conversation. Even if Wemby wasn’t lurking, Holmgren looked incapable of scoring against other San Antonio defenders. It was illuminating how bad he was.

It’s also not the first time Holmgren has been a shrinking violet on offense:

In 2022, Holmgren averaged 12.8 points on 13% shooting from 3 in five conference tournament and NCAA tournament games for Gonzaga.

In 2024, Holmgren shot 22% from 3 in Oklahoma City’s 2024 second-round series loss against Dallas.

In 2025, Holmgren was terrible offensively in the NBA Finals against Indiana. He averaged only 12.3 points on 47% from 2-point range and 16% from 3.

Chet is now 30% from 3 in 48 career playoff games. Down from 37% for the regular season. His shooting isn’t translating to the playoffs and he has shown no signs of being a shot creator. Now his five-year, $240 million max is about to kick in.

So, trade Chet? I don’t think the answer is a definitive yes, to be clear. Chet was voted second for Defensive Player of the Year for a reason. He might’ve got dunked on, but he still made some competitive plays for the Thunder on that end throughout the series. And he’s only 24 years old, so there’s room for growth on offense.

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But it is completely reasonable to question whether Chet should be part of Oklahoma City’s future. He has struggled offensively in the playoffs. He’s about to get paid big money. Durability is a concern too. He missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, and missed 50 regular-season games last year with a hip bone fracture. Those…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/chet-holmgren-and-the-240-million-disappearing-act-121613294.html

Author : Kevin O'Connor

Publish date : 2026-06-01 12:16:00

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