After the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 111-103 Game 7 loss to Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs, Kendrick Perkins didn’t mince words about Chet Holmgren—going as far as to urge the Thunder front office to reconsider the All-Star’s future and evaluate a possible
By the time Game 7 ended with the Oklahoma City Thunder trailing 111-103 to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the offseason conversation had already started—and Kendrick Perkins made sure it didn’t stay polite.
The former Thunder center focused on Chet Holmgren’s performance after what he described as a “complete no-show” in a series that came to a head in the deciding game. For Perkins, Holmgren’s struggles weren’t limited to one moment. He said the problems showed up across the whole matchup.
“Should the Thunder consider moving on from All-Star Chet Holmgren after a four-point dud in Game 7’s 111-103 loss?” Perkins asked in his comments. before turning to what he saw as the bigger issue: Holmgren’s competitiveness against Wembanyama. He pointed to Holmgren earning first-time All-Star status this year and also being named to the Third Team All-NBA. then argued the production didn’t match the billing.
Perkins said Holmgren’s showing against the Spurs told the story. “We’re talking about a guy that was a first-time All-Star this year and made Third Team All-NBA, and was a complete no-show. Not just in Game 7, but this whole series,” Perkins said.
His criticism sharpened when he described the matchup itself. “Wemby straight up not only punked him but he took his heart, he snatched his soul. Chet Holmgren was scared to compete. And now Sam Presti — he has real business decisions to make when it comes to Chet Holmgren. This is not a an overreaction. This is facts. Wembanyama is not going anywhere. He’s going to be here.”.
Perkins added another layer to his point: “With that being said, you have to find somebody that’s going to be that dude.”
That “somebody” is where Perkins moved from critique to construction. arguing the Thunder should look for a different type of threat—one capable of meeting Wembanyama head-on. He suggested Holmgren’s value should be evaluated with trade talks in mind. and he named a target that would represent a major pivot for Oklahoma City.
Perkins argued the Thunder should explore a deal built around an All-Star caliber star who can “move the needle” immediately. Specifically. he said the team’s front office should look at the Milwaukee Bucks for a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. who Perkins referenced as being expected to be on the move this summer.
“You gotta go find a guy like a Giannis Antetokounmpo that’s gonna come in and move the needle and be able to go toe to toe in some capacity with Wembanyama because Chet Holmgren aint it,” Perkins said.
The pressure point for the Thunder is clear: they are heading into the offseason after losing Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. and the spotlight is already turning to whether Holmgren can consistently match the size and impact Wembanyama brings. Perkins’ message to the organization was direct—don’t assume the next round of Wembanyama-related matchups will be easier. and don’t assume the answer is already on the roster.
As the team weighs what comes next, the question now isn’t only what went wrong in Game 7, but what Oklahoma City should do with a star who was praised all season and then, in Perkins’ view, disappeared when the Spurs and Wembanyama tightened the game into a sprint of consequences.
Kendrick Perkins Chet Holmgren Oklahoma City Thunder Victor Wembanyama San Antonio Spurs Western Conference Finals Game 7 Giannis Antetokounmpo Sam Presti trade rumors