The Oklahoma City Thunder are still squarely in the title picture, and Chet Holmgren sits right at the center of what comes next. After a season in which he emerged as OKC’s second-best player, the next step is less about proving he belongs and more about sharpening the edges of his game.
One thing is impossible to ignore: Holmgren has a Victor Wembanyama problem. Against everyone else in the league, he looks like an All-NBA talent.
Against the San Antonio Spurs, though, he looked rattled and unsure of himself, and that was on full display in the Western Conference Finals. His scoring dropped to 10.7 points in that series, and he managed just four points in Game 7.
When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needed help, Holmgren wasn’t there.
That doesn’t mean the Thunder should give up on him. The 24-year-old has become the easy target after that playoff exit, but the league is full of swings like that. Wembanyama is going to be an NBA superstar for a long time, and Holmgren’s task is to get past the mental hiccups that showed up in that matchup.
Defensively, though, Holmgren already has a strong case to keep building his reputation. Since arriving in the NBA, he has been one of the league’s best rim protectors, and the numbers back that up.
He averaged 1.9 blocks last season, and since he joined the Thunder, the team has owned the league’s best defense. That’s no accident.
Opponents think twice before attacking the paint when he’s waiting there, and the advanced metrics love what he brings on that end.
He finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year last season, and with Wembanyama becoming the first unanimous winner of the award, it’s going to be a tough climb for anyone else to take that crown. Still, Holmgren doesn’t need the trophy to validate what he is. Being in that conversation says plenty about his value to OKC.
The biggest area for growth is on offense, where Holmgren can do more than just finish the obvious stuff. He averaged 17.1 points while shooting 55.7% last season, and the production was real.
But a lot of it came from assisted baskets, second-chance points, dunks and catch-and-shoot jumpers. That works, but the playoffs showed the Thunder need more variety from him.
He doesn’t need to become a seven-foot Kyrie Irving, but there’s clearly room to expand the bag. A better in-between game would help.
A fadeaway could give Oklahoma City another option when the offense bogs down. And his jumper needs to get quicker.
At his size, he can’t keep letting defenders get a hand on everything because the release takes too long.
In Other News...
SGAs Father Defends The Thunder Star Fans Love To Debate
Vaughn Alexander is not shy about defending the style that has made his son one of the NBAs most debated stars. The father of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently spoke up in support of the Thunder guards approach, making the case for a game built on getting downhill, drawing contact and living at the line rather than chasing the kind of high-volume three-point diet that has come to define so much of the league.
For Oklahoma City, it is also part of the formula that helped fuel a breakthrough season. Gilgeous-Alexander won MVP after averaging 31.1 points per game and taking 9.0 free throws per game while shooting 87.9 percent from the stripe, a profile that has driven plenty of conversation around how he scores and why it works. The debate never really goes away, but the Thunder keep benefiting from a player who keeps forcing defenses to pay for every step toward the rim. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder May Have A Frontcourt Piece Fans Are Overlooking
The Thunders rookie class is drawing most of the summer attention, but Thomas Sorber is the kind of frontcourt addition that can quietly change the conversation once camp opens. The 2025 first-round pick is finally on track for his NBA debut after sitting out his first year with an ACL injury, and Oklahoma Citys roster churn has only made the path a little more interesting. In a system that values length, mobility and interchangeable defenders, Sorber gives the Thunder another young big worth tracking beyond the usual headlines.
What makes the situation worth watching is the blend of readiness and uncertainty around his role. Sorbers recovery is moving in the right direction for training camp, and his appeal goes beyond just being another body in the paint, with defensive versatility and possible offensive upside both part of his profile. Oklahoma City has plenty of options in the frontcourt, which means the competition for minutes will be real, but it also means Sorber could be one of the more intriguing pieces in the mix if he shows he is ready to hold his own. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Williams Just Reminded Thunder Fans What OKC Is Missing
Jalen Williams spent much of last season on the sideline, a frustrating follow-up to the breakout year that helped push the Oklahoma City Thunder to a championship. Injuries never really let him settle in, with two wrist surgeries and multiple hamstring strains limiting him to 33 regular-season games and just two full playoff games, a reminder of how much his presence matters when he is actually on the floor.
Even with the lost time, the expectation inside OKC remains the same: Williams is a cornerstone piece, and the Thunder are counting on him to get back to the form that brought All-NBA, All-Star and All-Defense recognition. If he does, it changes the ceiling for a team that already knows what a healthy, high-level Williams can mean in a championship chase, especially with 2026-27 circled as the next big window. [Read more 🡒]