After getting knocked out of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs, a lot of the OKC Thunder conversation has centered around the weak play of Chet Holmgren. Well, the Thunder did something about it and drafted towering center Aday Mara, meaning Holmgren should be worried about his spot.
Through most of the 2025-2026 season, the expectation from many corners of the league was that OKC was going to repeat. They kept all of their key players in place and even added Jared McCain. Another title seemed all but inevitable. That was until Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs arrived.
It wasn't an easy series for San Antonio by any stretch of the imagination, but the Spurs ultimately took down the reigning champs four games to three. They would go on to face the New York Knicks, who won the NBA Championship four games to one. It wasn't the ending Wemby was looking for.
A big part of the reason the Thunder didn't get the opportunity to lose to the Knicks in the finals was Holmgren. He had a tough playoffs overall but basically fell apart against Wembanyama. There were times that Holmgren looked genuinely afraid of the French phenom. That's a bad scene.
Adam Mara is coming for Chet Holmgren's spot
As expected, the Thunder have begun to address this issue through the draft. They used their 12th pick to select Aday Mara, a 7'3" center fresh off winning a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines. He's big, strong, and can ball, making him an incredible addition to the roster.
The reality is that Mara has the size and skill to stand up to Wemby and hold the line. Once he gets his NBA legs under him, Mara will be a force to be reckoned with. It won't take long, as he has four years of college experience at UCLA and Michigan as well as professional experience in Spain.
That will leave Holmgren wondering how he fits into a Thunder team with a dominant force like Mara on it. Holmgren is about to start a five-year extension worth an average of almost $48 million per year. With Mara on board on a rookie contract, the Thunder might move the expensive Holmgren along.
If they trade Holmgren, which could be on OKC's minds after his weak WCF performance, that would let them look at retaining the services of Isaiah Hartenstein and/or Lu Dort. And if it doesn't happen now, the growth of Mara could force Holmgren out. He has to pick up the pace ASAP.
Add us as a preferred source on Google