To say OKC Thunder star Chet Holmgren has taken much of the heat for the team's heartbreaking playoff elimination would be an understatement.
The big man has been the subject of fan scrutiny and numerous trade hypotheticals after his meltdown against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
Since then, Sam Presti and company haven't outwardly committed to anything regarding his future with the team. When they do so, though, they can't overlook one key component that so many teams have before them.
Fans should be hoping that their general manager does not overreact in the same way the rest of the NBA world has. Oklahoma City needs to look no further than three hours south to see what happens when a franchise overreacts to an underperforming team.
Thunder already have a look into future if they were to deal Holmgren
It was just three years ago when the Dallas Mavericks fell short of an NBA title. Not eight months later, franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic was traded away to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for center Anthony Davis and a few other pieces.
The Mavs had a winning record at the time, yet it still wasn't good enough. Doncic was becoming a bit of a scapegoat.
His poor physical condition, combined with often-occurring injuries, had led to general manager Nico Harrison doubting the star's ability to be a franchise guy.
Fast forward to now, and the trade is widely known as one of the worst in NBA history.
Anthony Davis has since moved on to yet another team, and Luka has found what seems to be a forever home in Los Angeles.
If it weren't for the Mavs snagging Cooper Flagg with the number one overall pick in last year's draft (a 1.8 percent chance of happening leading up to the lottery), their franchise would be in complete turmoil.
The only thing that has kept a bright future in sight for Dallas fans is luck. Overreactionary measures almost cost the team a decade of losing, and it should serve as a warning for teams like the Thunder not to panic when they don't accomplish what they originally had in mind.
Whether Thunder fans like it or not, Chet Holmgren is still widely considered one of the top bigs in the league. He earned both All-Defense and All-NBA honors, and dominated in the first two rounds of the postseason.
It's true Victor Wembanyama had his number in the Conference Finals, but unless OKC can figure out a way to trade him for the alien himself, they are unlikely to find an upgrade down low anytime soon.
Thunder fans will just have to practice patience and trust that their center will spend his offseason improving. At the ripe age of 24, he is far from his peak.
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