Chet Holmgren has come under fire since his disastrous Western Conference finals series against the San Antonio Spurs, with calls mounting for the Oklahoma City Thunder star to be shipped away in exchange for a big-name frontcourt upgrade.
Among those leading the push for change is ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who urged the 2025 NBA champions not to hesitate to make a major splash, naming Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as an ideal trade target.
Stephen A. Smith Unloads on Chet Holmgren, Implores Thunder To Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo
Holmgren enjoyed a career-best regular season, earning his first All-Star selection and All-NBA nod as the defensive backbone of a 64-win OKC team. However, the 7-foot-1 big man ultimately came up short when it mattered most, completely disappearing on both ends during the Thunder’s 111-103 Game 7 home loss on Saturday.
Holmgren attempted just two field goals in the do-or-die showdown, both coming in the opening minutes, as he appeared timid throughout most of the night. The 24-year-old repeatedly shied away from offensive touches and lingered in the corners, often bobbling passes and not even looking to score despite the game being within reach down the stretch.
While the 2022 No. 2 pick has only been in the league for four years and suited up in just three seasons, leaving plenty of room for improvement, Smith has already seen enough. After witnessing Holmgren get thwarted by Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, the outspoken analyst advocated for Thunder general manager Sam Presti to find Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a more dependable running mate to complement his elite shot creation.
“In a perfect world, this would’ve been the last game Chet Holmgren plays in an Oklahoma City Thunder uniform. He should be traded the second you have an opportunity to get a guy like Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Smith said on Monday’s edition of “First Take.” “You need a productive offensive player on your front line who you can rely upon.
“… If Chet Holmgren had given [Isaiah Hartenstein] a speck of help [defending Wembanyama] in this series, guess what? The Oklahoma City Thunder, despite the two cats being gone, might have been advancing. Chet Holmgren was a no-show.”
Smith continued to tear into Holmgren’s underwhelming 4-point Game 7 performance before pointing out that no team is better equipped than OKC to land Antetokounmpo due to its immense depth and treasure trove of future draft capital.
“To attempt two shots in an entire game where you played over 30 minutes, to go three quarters in Game 7 of a conference finals, when you’re supposed to be the second option, and you do nothing, not even attempt a damn shot? I’m sorry, that’s getting punked,” Smith blasted Holmgren.
“It’s just that simple. You don’t have the heart to be in that position. … I wanna remind everybody, the Oklahoma City Thunder is the one team in the entire NBA that can get it done when you’re talking about Giannis. … You’ve got a boatload of assets. … What are you gonna do? Take those picks to the grave with you?”
“In a perfect world, this would have been the last game Chet plays in an Oklahoma City uniform.”@stephenasmith calls for the Thunder to trade Chet Holmgren 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/aCeG2cn1ft
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 1, 2026
While Marc Stein concurred with Smith’s assessment of OKC’s Antetokounmpo trade capabilities in his Monday newsletter, the NBA insider noted that rival executives are skeptical that Presti would “pursue such a dramatic move.” Stein added that “the injury absences of Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell were just as influential in the series outcome as Holmgren’s profound struggles.”
Antetokounmpo, who averaged 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting 62.4% across 36 outings in the 2025-26 season, would mark a clear upgrade over Holmgren. That said, the explosive two-time MVP is already 31, with injury troubles piling up.
As such, acquiring the remainder of Antetokounmpo’s three-year, $175,369,698 contract in return for a package built around Holmgren may be too risky a proposition for one of the league’s most savvy decision-makers.
