Thunder unlikely to shop Chet Holmgren amid Giannis trade chatter
thunder-unlikely-to-shop-chet-holmgren-amid-giannis-trade-chatter
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder are not expected to put Chet Holmgren in trade talks or mount a major bid for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman.
Mussatto reported that executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti intends to keep the club’s young core intact after a season that ended one series short of the NBA Finals. Despite injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell — and a difficult Western Conference finals showing from Holmgren — the Thunder remained competitive before falling to the San Antonio Spurs.
Sources told Mussatto that including Williams in any Antetokounmpo proposal “would be a non-starter,” and Holmgren, 23, is also viewed as untouchable. Team officials believe moving him would disrupt the roster’s timeline and create significant long-term salary complications.
While Antetokounmpo remains one of the league’s elite players, his age and recent postseason health issues make him an imperfect fit with Oklahoma City’s younger nucleus. Adding the two-time MVP would also add substantial cost to a payroll that is already projected to climb as the roster matures.
Even without an aggressive pursuit of Antetokounmpo, the Thunder hold a large cache of draft picks and young contracts, giving Presti flexibility to explore other upgrades during the offseason.
The organization’s internal view, Mussatto wrote, is that the current group is still in the early stages of its championship window, making a blockbuster move unlikely this summer.
Source: Hoops Wire
