May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) warms up before the start of game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) warms up before the start of game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center.
The NBA is very much in a transition period ahead of the 2026-27 season. After years of the “superteam era,” the new CBA has fundamentally changed the way teams construct their rosters. Now, it’s not about the number of stars; it’s about how much depth and versatility one team can accumulate.
For the Oklahoma City Thunder, this new way of life could have some major implications that stretch years into the future. Specifically, if the weight of their payroll becomes too burdensome, the Thunder may look at moving off Chet Holmgren’s contract to maintain some roster flexibility.
“The second apron is rearing its ugly head with OKC in real time and will continue to do so as long as the Thunder keep that big three together,” wrote The Athletic’s Zach Harper. “They might have to make a big-time decision soon. If Holmgren continues to struggle against Victor Wembanyama when it matters most, then maybe that decision becomes easier.”
The Thunder are widely considered to be one of the best and deepest teams in basketball. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, they have a young and powerful core that’s already proven they can win on the biggest stage. Off the bench, role players like Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell provide valuable minutes, ensuring the Thunder keep up even when the starters are struggling.
On paper, the Thunder are built for success in today’s NBA. The issue is that it’s impossibly costly to keep everyone together. Between Shai, Williams, and Holmgren alone, the Thunder are committed to paying $809 million over the next five years. For 2026-27, they are a top-10 payroll team, with a roster costing $214 million.
The Thunder are content to run it back for now, but they might think twice about Holmgren’s future if he continues to underperform against his rival, Victor Wembanyama. In the Finals, Holmgren infamously struggled to find a rhythm, finishing the series with averages of 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks over seven games.
Ever since, doubts have surfaced regarding his long-term future with the team. Even with his contract (five years and $238 million), the 24-year-old shooting big man still holds value, and he’d likely generate a lot of interest on the trade market. Plenty of teams need a center (including the Warriors and Clippers, among others), and Holmgren is someone who could fill the role for at least a decade or more.
Needless to say, a lot is at stake for the Thunder this upcoming season. For a team that is so stacked with talent and resources, the pressure is on to prove they are still the same team that won the 2025 NBA championship in dominant fashion. If not, GM Sam Presti could be forced to make some changes and break up the young core that looked borderline invincible not too long ago. For Chet, now is the time to step up and show his worth if he wants to stick around.
With averages of 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game last regular season, we already know what he can do when he’s got it going. Now, he just needs to make one final leap to save his spot on OKC and silence the doubters once and for all.