What will Chet Holmgren’s season-ending foot injury mean for the team?
The Oklahoma City Thunder revealed on Thursday that the No. 2 overall choice in this year’s NBA Draft will miss the entirety of his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury to his right foot sustained on Saturday while competing in the CrawsOver Pro-Am competition.
Although Holmgren’s untimely injury denies him the opportunity to play and denies Thunder fans the chance to see their franchise’s highest draft pick since selecting Kevin Durant at No. 2 before moving to Oklahoma City, the history of top picks missing their first seasons due to injury suggests it shouldn’t have a significant negative impact on his development.
However, Holmgren’s absence could have an impact on how the Thunder perform this season. Despite having a few core players already in place, Oklahoma City is more likely to spend another year competing for a lottery spot without him.
Furthermore, Holmgren’s injury’s high profile and timely nature can alter how NBA teams see offseason pro-am tournaments, which have become more and more well-liked in recent years. Let’s examine each of the numerous implications.
