Shocking Chet Holmgren contract reaction coins deal as 'dumbest' in NBA history

The Oklahoma City Thunder have committed to significant offseason spending, totaling $877.21 million in new contracts, with the majority ($822 million+) going to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. While max extensions for Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams were widely expected, Holmgren's max deal ($250 million) faced skepticism from some due to his injury history and recent playoff shooting struggles.

Fox Sports' Craig Carton strongly criticized Holmgren's contract during a discussion on "Breakfast Ball," labeling it potentially "the dumbest contract ever signed in the history of the NBA" and asserting Holmgren is not a "$50 million a year player." Carton implied Holmgren rode his teammates' coattails to the 2025 NBA Championship.

However, the article counters Carton's view by detailing Holmgren's pivotal role in the Thunder's championship victory. Despite poor shooting in the Finals (12.3 PPG, 39.5% FG, 15.8% 3PT), Holmgren led the series in rebounding (8.9 RPG) and played exceptional defense, notably holding Myles Turner to 37.7% shooting and a negative plus-minus. He anchored the Thunder's historic defense, led the entire NBA playoffs in plus-minus (+169), and set a Game 7 Finals record with five blocks.

Furthermore, Holmgren achieved this after returning from a four-month injury absence just two months before the playoffs, requiring him to shake off rust during the high-pressure title run. The article argues that even if this playoff run was Holmgren's career-worst performance, he was still a key reason for the championship. It concludes that signing Holmgren to the max extension was the right move for OKC, emphasizing his value extends far beyond offensive statistics, which Carton seemingly ignored.