oklahoma-city-thunder/news/thunder-get-blunt-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-update-involving-478-million-all-nba-duo/11081b57f6addcf5c9793140?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on">Thunder get blunt Giannis Antetokounmpo trade update involving $478 million All-NBA duo originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder just experienced a deflating and revealing close to their 2026 postseason run that could push them closer to a league-altering decision.
First-time All-Star, All-NBA Second Team selection and 2026 Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, Chet Holmgren, opted to shy away from the moment throughout the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama.
In the aftermath of his disappointing 4-point performance (1-2 FG) in a Game 7 defeat at home to San Antonio, the NBA rumor mill was set ablaze with trade gossip surrounding the 24-year-old star and his injury-riddled former All-NBA co-star Jalen Williams.
Speculation on the immediate futures of both players has grown since Oklahoma City’s playoff elimination, which recently led CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn to throw both two-way stars in the mix as Giannis Antetokounmpo trade bait in a potential blockbuster swap with the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.
“If the Thunder put Holmgren or Williams on the table, that changes the entire equation,” Quinn wrote Monday.
“There are only a handful of assets reasonably in the picture here that could compete with either of them.”
“Oklahoma City got a glimpse of life without Williams this season, and had (Ajay) Mitchell stayed healthy against the Spurs, they might’ve won the championship despite Williams’ injuries.”
“Holmgren’s Spurs series, especially Game 7, was a mess. He hasn’t grown as an individual shot-creator in the ways the Thunder likely hoped, and his 3-point attempt rate, while still high for a center, has gone down in each of his three seasons.”
Williams’ recent injury history makes a trade from Oklahoma City to Milwaukee easier to visualize, whereas Holmgren’s disappointing on-court production against Wembanyama and future outlook hands the Thunder’s front office some more complicated questions.
However, Quinn believes that Williams is the more expendable of the pair thanks to Oklahoma City’s embarrassment of riches when it comes to talented defensive wings like Alex Caruso and Lu Dort.
A center of Holmgren’s caliber is much harder to replace in todays NBA, and a potential Holmgren-Antetokounmpo frontcourt could send a serious shiver down San Antonio’s spine moving forward.
The Bucks’ disgruntled 2-time MVP and 2021 Finals MVP has dominated the trade rumor mill for the past few seasons, but Oklahoma City has all of the assets necessary to finally drive the 10-time All-Star away from the only franchise he’s ever known through his 13 NBA seasons.
Even in just 33 appearances this past season, the 31-year-old all-time great broke the box score with averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in what could be classified as an underwhelming campaign for his standards.
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