Trading Chet Holmgren for Giannis Could Become the NBA's Worst Trade Ever

On ESPN‘s “First Take” this morning, pundit Stephen A. Smith suggested a trade idea for the Oklahoma City Thunder after losing the opening game of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Trade Chet Holmgren for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In the world of video games and make-believe, this seems like a no-brainer for the Thunder.

Holmgren is great, sure, maybe even a top-15 player in the game today, but Giannis?

Antetokounmpo has won multiple MVPs, led the Bucks to a championship, and at his best, is arguably still one of the best three players on the planet.

The “Greek Freak” has the athleticism and burst to match Wembanyama, which Holmgren, who has the size and skill, doesn’t have to combat the 7-foot-4 Frenchman when he’s at his peak.

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In actuality, though, it’d be one of the dumbest trades in NBA history, with a chance to be somehow worse than Nico Harrison shipping off Luka Doncic to Los Angeles for a few weeks of Anthony Davis.

Holmgren just turned 24 and is nowhere near his prime, with many years ahead of him to add size to his frame alongside his already elite defensive instincts and touch.

While Antetokounmpo, who turns 32 in a few months, is currently a superior player in his best condition to Holmgren, who is to say he’ll be at his best a year from now for the Thunder in the playoffs, going head-to-head with Wembanyama?

Along with that, if the Thunder made the trade for Antetokounmpo, they’d be signing him to the supermax that would see his yearly value skyrocket over $60 million. With the Thunder already looking towards the new CBA second apron, forcing them to shed depth, the all-in move for Antetokounmpo would pigeonhole them, hoping he stays healthy and productive through his early-to-mid 30s.

Luckily for the Thunder, they have Sam Presti in charge of operations, not Smith, who, if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t up his game soon, might suggest shipping him to the Lakers for LeBron James.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 4:49 PM.