Though Chet Holmgren may believe Aday Mara has the ability to be "very impactful" for this OKC Thunder team, don't expect the rookie to do him any favors when it comes to his most valuable on-court quality.
Chet is a player who provides many skills on the hardwood. Of course, his best attribute is undoubtedly his ability to swat shots, as he ranked third in the entire association in total blocks last season with a whopping 131.
This level of production was due, in large part, to the fact that Holmgren has regularly been found roaming the paint on the defensive end up to this point in his career.
Unfortunately for him, the arrival of the reletively slow and immobile Mara may end up moving the Thunder star farther away from the rim, which, in turn, should limit his shot-swatting opportunities.
Thunder rookie could force Chet Holmgren to play away from rim
The recently selected lottery pick lacks the lateral quickness and agility necessary to take on opposing players on the perimeter and in the mid-range on a consistent basis.
As he was during his days with the Michigan Wolverines, expect him to primarily be used as an interior dweller on the defensive end.
Now, while this may instill even more fear in their offensive opponents, as having a 7-foot-3, 250-pound behemoth manning the middle should almost certainly make players think twice before attacking the lane, it may come at the expense of Holmgren's elite shot-blocking production.
Fewer instances being near the rim on defense should only equate to fewer opportunities to turn away shots. Though there's no doubt that the runner up for last year's Defensive Player of the Year award will still be an elite defensive specimen regardless of where he's positioned, in lineups featuring both Chet and Mara, expect the All-Star to see a regression in his blocks production.
Thunder star has been working on his offensive game this summer
Perhaps this potential lack of defensive pressure could bode well for Holmgren's offensive game, for the less energy exuded on trying to constantly protect the rim could be exchanged for energy used in the scoring department.
This summer, the Thunder big has been hard at work trying to hone his craft on the offensive end, as he's frequently been spotted running drills with fellow NBA studs like Kevin Durant.
Holmgren's lack of aggression in the scoring department was put on full display during Oklahoma City's ill-fated playoff run this past year, as he saw his PPG average drop from 17.1 in the regular season to 14.9 in the high-stakes postseason.
He hit rock bottom against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs during the Western Conference Finals, where he posted just 10.7 points per game, and concluded with a miserable four points on two total shot attempts in their Game 7 elimination.
With his offseason workouts, it seems Chet is actively looking to put these struggles behind him and come into the 2026-27 campaign with a deeper bag of tricks on offense. Hopefully he can put them on full display and help the Thunder chase their second championship in three seasons.
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