It's no secret that OKC Thunder forward Chet Holmgren has some work to do this offseason after getting humiliated by Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
While general manager Sam Presti has been adamant about not trading the big man, he and the rest of the front office have sent Holmgren a clear message with their various offseason decisions thus far.
Chet at the center position doesn't give OKC the best chance to win a championship. He was already seeing significant minutes at forward, and the selection of Aday Mara makes the role all but permanent.
With the Michigan product and Isaiah Hartenstein down low, Holmgren may find himself playing farther away from the basket in 2026-27, which will demand improvement from him in one key area.
Holmgren has been a respectable three-point shooter... for a center. His ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots at around a 35.0 percent clip from deep has given OKC a clear advantage.
Now seemingly playing on the wings nearly full-time, his perimeter prowess will be less of an advantage and more of an expectation. He will likely be expected to shoot close to, if not better than, his 36.2 percent from last season, and the 3.5 attempts per game will almost certainly increase.
Chet Holmgren's role will be determined by other Thunder deficiencies
The Gonzaga product may not have a say in this role shift. The addition of Mara gives OKC a pair of immovable forces below the rim, but neither of them is a capable three-point shooter.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's tendency to drive to the rim, the Thunder cannot have multiple bigs constantly clogging the painted area.
Therefore, Holmgren will be the most likely candidate to move out towards the perimeter.
It's not something he's incapable of doing, but he will have to continue to improve his release quickness, along with his willingness to pull the trigger from range.
The good news is that Holmgren was a 37.2 percent shooter on catch-and-shoot threes last season, good for third on the team among players who averaged over 20.0 minutes per game.
The team leader in this category, Isaiah Joe, is now gone, and it will likely fall on Holmgren to pick up some of that slack.
At this point, Thunder fans may have seen the last of Chet Holmgren's days as a full-time rim protector.
Though he'll likely see action at center in "small ball" lineups, he is clearly more effective as a forward, especially if he continues to develop his perimeter shooting. If he is successful in doing so, he could prove even more valuable to the organization than in years past.
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