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Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks defends against Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder
In the wake of Saturday’s stunning loss in Game 7 on their home floor against a resilient and tough Spurs team, the Oklahoma City Thunder were immediately tossed into the meat grinder that is the NBA trade rumor mill. And the sausage that came out on the other end of the grinder: Pack up Chet Holmgren and all the draft picks, send them to Milwaukee, and bring Giannis Antetokounmpo to Bricktown.
The logic is there. The Thunder have more picks than they can use. The Bucks want picks for Antetokounmpo. The Thunder must be looking to dump Holmgren after a rough series (capped by four points on two shot attempts in 33 minutes in Game 7) in which he appeared to be completely intimidated by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. The Bucks would love to start a rebuild around the 24-year-old Holmgren.
The money lines up. So, not long after Game 7 over, the speculation that the Thunder can and should deal Holmgren and picks for Antetokounmpo was rampant.
Except … here’s what one Western Conference exec said about Thunder GM Sam Presti: “They have not had any talks that anyone knows about for Giannis Antetokounmpo. I don’t know what in Sam Presti’s history makes anyone think that’s the road he is going to go down. I’ll give you my 24-year-old, you give me your 31-year old. And take some picks, too. The could trade Holmgren, but not for a player in his 30s who you still have to pay.”
The exec noted that the Thunder lost the series playing without their No. 2 option, Jalen Williams and there should be concern about his persistent hamstring injuries going forward. But there should not be panic in Oklahoma City, and trading Holmgren for Antetokounmpo would have the air of panic.
“I’d hit the brake on that,” the exec added. “Maybe they change their outlook in the next week or two. Maybe it happens. But I don’t think you come out of that series and say that you need to sell the farm for Giannis.”
The Thunder do have some shedding to do. And around the NBA, there is keen interest in who might be sent out–Lu Dort, Isaiah Hartenstein, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams? Oklahoma City is about $40 million over the second apron and $60 million over the luxury tax, and they’ll be firm in NBA trade rumors this summer.
The exec said of the Thunder, “It’s like they are their own free-agency bubble unto themselves. Everyone is waiting to get one of their players.”
So, who’s out?
Lu Dort. He is unlikely to be back. The Thunder have the depth to replace him and with an $18 million team option, the question is whether OKC can find a team to take his contract in a trade, or whether they simply turn down his option.
Aaron Wiggins. He has two years and $17 million remaining (and a team option for a third year). That’s a bargain for a mid-rotation role player, and someone will scoop him up in a trade in which the Thunder don’t take back salary.
Isaiah Joe. At $11 million, and with a 40.3% career 3-point shooting number, it won’t be hard to find a take for Joe, who has one year plus a team option at $11 million.
Just getting free of those contracts gets the Thunder back under the second apron. They could pass on Hartenstein’s $28.5 million option, and it’s likely they would decline that and re-sign him for two or three years at $18-20 million per year. They could also let Kenrich Williams (team option) go, or re-sign him for multiple years at a number less than the $7 million on his option now.
And they could trade Chet Holmgren, or Jalen Williams. Just because a deal for Antetokounmpo might be too out of character does not mean that Presti has not weighed how this team moves forward as it gets more expensive. Holmgren’s $240 million extension kicks in next year, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s four-year, $270 million supermax hits the books after that. Again, there will be NBA trade rumor fodder there.
SGA is not going anywhere, but moves involving Holmgren or Williams could certainly be explored–the rumor that would send Holmgren to Washington for the No. 1 pick, with Cameron Boozer going to OKC is probably more realistic than Antetokounmpo talk.
The Thunder will need changes. It’s just more likely that they get look to stay young as they change.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including "Fun City," "Before Wrigley became Wrigley," and "Facing Michael Jordan." More about Sean Deveney
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