The disappointment (Shai called the season “a failure”) inside the Oklahoma City Thunder organization after the Game 7 loss to the San Antonio Spurs didn’t stop with the fanbase. Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins also went off on Chet Holmgren, delivering a scathing postgame assessment following OKC’s elimination from the Western Conference Finals.

Perkins did not hold back when evaluating the former Gonzaga big man, arguing that the issue goes beyond Game 7 and extends across the entire series against San Antonio.

We’re talking about a player who was an All-Star for the first time this year and made All-NBA Third Team, but he was completely absent. Not just in Game 7, but throughout the series. Wemby didn’t just dominate him – he took his heart, he took his soul. Holmgren was afraid to compete

Kendrick Perkins

The former Boston Celtics then escalated his comments further, directly referencing Thunder general manager Sam Presti and urging the front office to seriously evaluate Holmgren’s future.

Now Sam Presti has to make real decisions when it comes to Chet Holmgren. This is not an overreaction, these are facts. Victor Wembanyama is not going anywhere – he’s going to be here for a long time. And in that scenario, you need to find someone who can actually be that type of player

Kendrick Perkins

According to Perkins, OKC should even consider including Holmgren in potential trades to acquire an established superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose future with the Milwaukee Bucks remains a major storyline heading into the offseason.

You’ve got to go get someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo, someone who can truly raise the level of the team and at least somewhat match up with Wembanyama. Because Chet Holmgren is not that guy

Kendrick Perkins

The ESPN analyst’s comments will inevitably spark debate, especially given Holmgren’s age and still-evolving development curve. At the same time, the series against the Spurs exposed how much OKC still needs in terms of experience, physicality, and interior presence to compete at the highest level in the Western Conference.