Chet Holmgren mentioned the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s offseason departures of Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe had been troublesome to course of, evaluating the losses of key contributors from the 2025 championship group to “dropping a member of the family.”
The Thunder traded Dort, Wiggins and Joe throughout the offseason as a part of a monetary reset designed to protect flexibility round their core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Talking at a USA Basketball Basis charity occasion in Southern California, Holmgren acknowledged the emotional facet of the strikes whereas understanding the enterprise causes behind them.
“That’s how the enterprise of this recreation goes,” Holmgren mentioned, through ESPN’s Ben Golliver. “No group, all 17 guys, sticks collectively without end. However it doesn’t make it damage much less once you see guys go.”
Dort and Wiggins had been despatched to the Atlanta Hawks, whereas Joe was traded to the Detroit Pistons. All three performed vital roles throughout Oklahoma Metropolis’s championship run, with Dort offering elite perimeter protection, Wiggins providing wing depth and Joe supplying high-volume three-point capturing.
Dort began all 69 video games he performed in throughout the 2025-26 season and averaged 8.3 factors, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists whereas capturing 34.4% from three-point vary. Wiggins appeared in 65 video games and averaged 9.4 factors and three.1 rebounds, whereas Joe averaged 11.1 factors and shot 42.3% from three on 6.0 makes an attempt per recreation.
The Thunder moved the contracts of these three rotation gamers to cut back payroll prices and create room for future commitments. Oklahoma Metropolis obtained seven future second-round picks within the offers whereas clearing roughly $40 million in wage, permitting the group to retain center Isaiah Hartenstein on a three-year, $75 million contract.
“I’ve full belief in our group and the strikes they make,” Holmgren mentioned. “I belief what they’re doing is to get it proper.”
The Thunder enter the 2026-27 season constructed round their three younger stars. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 factors, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 2025-26 whereas finishing first in MVP voting. Holmgren earned his first All-Star choice after averaging 17.1 factors, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 69 video games, whereas Williams averaged 17.1 factors, 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists regardless of showing in solely 33 video games due to damage.
Oklahoma Metropolis completed the 2025-26 common season with the NBA’s finest document at 64-18 however fell within the Western Convention finals, losing a seven-game series to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Holmgren mentioned the loss bolstered the problem of repeating as champions.
“We discovered the identical lesson [in 2026] because the yr that we gained it: It was virtually extra of a reminder of simply how onerous it’s to perform,” Holmgren mentioned.
The 24-year-old struggled within the decisive Recreation 7 in opposition to San Antonio, ending with 4 factors and 4 rebounds because the Spurs eradicated the Thunder 111-103. Nevertheless, Holmgren mentioned the outcome wouldn’t change Oklahoma Metropolis’s method getting into the brand new season.
“There is no such thing as a assure. You possibly can put in all of the work and nonetheless come up quick,” Holmgren mentioned. “On the finish of the day, you need to be okay with placing within the work with no assured final result.”
