NBA – Stephen A. Smith on Thunder: « I’d give up Chet Holmgren for this superstar »

Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

Oklahoma City is now one of the league’s top teams after years of patiently building its roster. But Stephen A. Smith is urging the franchise to shake up its habits in order to secure a superstar this summer. To achieve this, the famous analyst is even willing to trade Chet Holmgren.

All that’s left is for them to put the lid on the series. Leading 3-2 against the Nuggets, the Thunder players have the opportunity to validate their access to the conference finals tonight. First in the Western Conference this season, Mark Daigneault’s men even finished with the best record in the league (68 wins for 14 losses) and for the moment, they more than justify this status in the playoffs.

Of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates don’t want to settle for a Western Conference Finals appearance. What they truly desire is the NBA title and nothing else as the team gradually matures. Whether it’s the Canadian superstar, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams, or Chet Holmgren, OKC’s talent pool is as young as it is incredibly talented and full of potential.

The huge trade imagined by SAS between the Thunder and the Bucks

For years, the franchise has made a specialty of building its team through the draft, making few big trades or signings like Isaiah Hartenstein last summer. However, the 2025 offseason promises to be exceptional and Stephen A. Smith would like to see Oklahoma City shake up its habits in order to get involved in the Giannis Antetokounmpo case, as he explained in First Take:

OKC would be number two on the list (behind the Spurs) because of the assets that they have. You keep Shai, you keep one of the Jalen Williams, preferably the off guard. And you put Giannis with those brothers? Man, I like Chet Holmgren a lot. I’d give up him and Hartenstein for Giannis. This is what we’re talking about here.

It’s true that a duo formed by SGA and Giannis would be absolutely devastating on both ends of the floor, but knowing the Thunder, there’s little chance of that happening. Smith also acknowledges that the most interesting option for the Greek remains San Antonio, his potential tandem with Victor Wembanyama under the rim having enough to give terrible nightmares to all the offenses in the league:

When you’re talking about Giannis and Wembanyama, with De’Aaron Fox… I know Chris Paul ain’t gonna leave, if that kind of scenario presents itself. I can’t imagine you could keep your rookie of the year in Castle but who knows? Based on the assets they have available, I imagine they will have to give up something. Wembanyama with Giannis and De’Aaron Fox? And you still got CP3 and his veteran leadership on the roster? I can’t ignore that.