Sam Presti shuts down Chet Holmgren trade chatter after Thunder fall in West finals

Oklahoma City’s title defense ended early, and within hours the most uncomfortable question for any championship team was already circulating: should Chet Holmgren’s poor Western Conference Finals performance become a trade talking point this summer? On Monday, Thunder general manager Sam Presti offered a clear answer. “Chet’s one of our guys,” Presti said during his end-of-season media availability, defending Holmgren even after a seven-game loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Presti framed Holmgren’s slump as part of a larger pattern rather than a referendum on his long-term value. He acknowledged that Holmgren “didn’t have a great series in the last series,” then pivoted to what he believes separates elite players from one-off appearances: the ability to absorb defeat and respond. Presti pointed to Holmgren’s impact in earlier postseason rounds and emphasized that Oklahoma City was “sweeping our way to the Western Conference Finals primarily because of his efforts in those series.”

The contrast Presti drew was stark. According to the playoff-by-round line in CBS Sports’ coverage, Holmgren averaged 17.3 points against the Phoenix Suns and 20 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first two rounds, then dropped to 10.7 points in the Western Conference Finals against San Antonio. Presti tied that productivity shift to the matchup challenge posed by the Spurs and by Victor Wembanyama, noting that Wembanyama has taken those individual battles personally.

Holmgren’s Game 7 output in particular fueled the trade speculation. CBS reported he scored four points on two shots in Oklahoma City’s season-ending loss at home, a result that also erased the momentum the Thunder had built through the playoffs. The NBA’s recap put the final margin at 111-103 Spurs, with Wembanyama scoring 22 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading Oklahoma City with 35. San Antonio used that victory to advance to the NBA Finals.

Presti’s defense did not stop at production. He argued that Holmgren’s personality and mindset are consistent with the work needed to correct course after a difficult series. He described Holmgren as an “underdog” who has handled skepticism before, and he said the big thing to watch is that Holmgren does not require external pressure to improve. “This is a guy that is intrinsically motivated,” Presti said, adding that Holmgren’s progress did not happen by accident after winning the Finals last season.

For additional context, the Thunder have less reason than most teams to treat Holmgren as disposable. CBS reported Holmgren’s 2025-26 regular season as his best yet, with averages of 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks while earning a first All-Star selection and an All-NBA Third Team nod. The NBA’s official All-NBA announcement also listed Holmgren on the Third Team, reinforcing that Oklahoma City’s investment is tied to more than reputation.

The practical question for the Thunder now is how to address what the Spurs exposed without derailing the core. The CBS report noted that Oklahoma City had to play much of the series without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, which matters for how much of Holmgren’s workload and offensive rhythm can be blamed on the matchup itself. If Oklahoma City believes Holmgren’s “path” includes this kind of setback, the next step is building a clearer offensive plan for the next time the Spurs, and Wembanyama, present the same schematic problems.