Chet Holmgren seems pretty down about the departures of Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins this summer, likening their trades to "losing a family member." Of course, even with these emotions, the OKC Thunder star is well aware that their absences now make it all the more important for him and his teammates to step up their own play in 2026-27.
As he personally stated at a recent USA Basketball Foundation charity event, he feels these offseason moves make it all the more necessary for him to level up his game.
While acknowledging the pain he feels for seeing his former teammates being dealt elsewhere, Holmgren told media members that "it's my job to be in the gym all summer to get myself right" for the task of raising his own personal bar to make up for their now-departed contributions.
Fortunately, it seems he's not only talking the talk, but walking the walk, as he recently posted an image on his personal Instagram account of himself in the weight room, and was even seen putting in on-court work with Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III a few weeks back.
Holmgren is coming off a career-best campaign in 2025-26, one in which he posted averages of 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks on 55.7 percent shooting from the floor and 36.2 percent shooting from deep and earned All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive nods.
Now, after coming up short in the postseason and as a result of the Thunder's offseason decision-making, it appears he intends to take another step forward in his career progression in year four.
Chet Holmgren far from the only Thunder putting in offseason hours
Though Holmgren may be taking it upon himself to be a gym rat this summer, as he said at the charity event, it's now up to the team as a whole to focus on "putting in the work with no guaranteed outcome" if they wish to take home another Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2027.
Excitingly enough, many of his key running mates have accepted such a sentiment and are putting in the offseason hours necessary to adhere to it.
Just recently, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain were seen taking part in joint, behind-the-scenes training sessions, while SGA and Jalen Williams were recorded doing strenuous hill runs together.
Jaylin Williams was also recently featured in an epic workout montage of his own, which has been making its rounds on social media.
Needless to say, after falling short of their second-straight NBA Finals berth this past postseason in the way that they did, it's easy to see why OKC would be hungry for redemption following their ill-fated title defense tour.
With well over a month to go before training camps open, it seems members of this Thunder squad are working up even more of an appetite.
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