Sam Presti Expresses Belief in OKC Thunder Big Man

Chet Holmgren's season ended in disappointment as the San Antonio Spurs ousted the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals in a series that saw Holmgren no-show putting the already short-handed Thunder further behind the eight ball.

The conversation around the Gonzaga product grew loud as the clock hit triple zero in Game 7 and the Spurs danced on the Thunder's home hardwood after Holmgren could only muster two shot attempts in a win-or-go-home game to end Oklahoma City's quest for back-to-back titles.

While the discussion's around the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft have gotten out of hand, even Presti will admit that the big man "didn't have a great." Western Conference Finals but the Thunder general manger is right in explaining why Bricktown should still believe in Holmgren instead of hopping on the trade machine.

"Chet [Holmgren]'s one of our guys, you know. He's been so impactful. He drives winning on so many different levels for us. You pointed out some of the things he accomplished: He's a first-time All-Star, second Defensive Player of the Year, Third Team All-NBA.We were sweeping our way to the Western Conference Finals primarily because of his efforts in the series. All that to say he didn't have a great series in the last series. But as I was saying in the open, like if you go back and look at some of the greatest players in the game, they all have these moments where they run into defeat or struggle. That's what makes them great players is that they're able to continue to move on from that and improve," Presti explained at his end-of-season interview.

For the crowd clamoring for the Thunder to move on from Holmgren, Presti's opening statment that he is one of the Thunder's guys is loud. Oklahoma City should in no world consider moving on from Holmgren even after a horrific Western Conference Finals and season-long showing against the San Antonio Spurs.

"Two things about Chet I'd also add: One, he's an underdog. I mean, like we've seen that everywhere. He's been questioned all the time. I watched that guy when he was in high school, people had all kinds of questions and doubts. I mean, that's nothing new to this guy. He's used to being an underdog. That's why he fits here so well, you know," Presti detailed. "The other thing about him is he doesn't need -- this is a guy that is intrinsically motivated. He doesn't need people questioning him or things on the Internet to drive his improvement. The best example of that is we won The Finals last year, won the championship, he was dominant in Game 7 defensively and through a lot of the playoffs."

If there is any player who you trust to put the work in over the offseason and improve as a player it is the Thunder seven-footer who is fresh off a season where he elevated his play to All-Star and All-NBA levels while making the All-Defensive team and finishing runner up in Defensive Player of the Year.

"Then look at how much better he got over the summer. Came into the start of the season with no Jalen [Williams], and he was significantly improved, and that's coming off a Finals win. So he doesn't need somebody to nudge him, he doesn't need somebody to question him, it's just kind of how he's wired. So I'm not really that concerned about him. And this is part of the path we're on, like I said before. The good thing is you get to confront those things again and continue to improve, and I'm confident that he'll be ready to go," Presti concluded.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are not shying away from the fact that the Western Conference Finals showing from Holmgren wasn't good enough, the big man admits that, but that doesn't disrupt the future for the Gonzaga product on this team –– nor should it.

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