Chet Holmgren's hip injury leaves a significant gap in the Oklahoma City Thunder's lineup. Despite his absence, the team remains atop the Western Conference with a 37-8 record but faces challenges, especially against strong opponents like the Warriors.

As the Oklahoma City Thunder run away with the first seed, Chet Holmgren continues to rehab from his hip fracture. Nearly three months removed from the injury, the 22-year-old's return will provide a massive boost for a title contender that's juggled through injuries all season.

Still, Hall of Fame NBA player Paul Pierce had an idea for the Thunder -- trade Holmgren for Kevin Durant. The 36-year-old forward is still playing at an MVP-caliber level, and Pierce's reasoning was that Holmgren has hardly played in Oklahoma City's remarkable campaign thus far.

There's no such thing as the perfect NBA squad. There are always areas to improve upon. With that in mind, here are nine backup players the Thunder could target by the Feb. 6 deadline:

On Nov. 10 the Oklahoma City Thunder season changed. Rising star Chet Holmgren hit the deck and fractured his hip contesting a shot against the Golden State War

There's no such thing as the perfect NBA squad. There are always areas to improve upon. With that in mind, here are three backup guards the Thunder could target by the Feb. 6 deadline:

On the "Ticket & The Truth" podcast with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce spitballed that the Thunder should trade Chet Holmgren for Kevin Durant. He cites that the Thunder have rolled without the 22-year-old for most of the season as he rehabs a hip fracture.

The Portland Trail Blazers will look to extend their winning streak to five games as they prepare to take on arguably the best team in the league, the Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Houston and Memphis are young teams with large asset pools, but going "all-in" at the wrong time could backfire.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) plays in the second half of an NBA basketball game Nov. 6 ...

In recognition of the annual appointment of players to hoop in the mid-season showpiece, this Kia Race to the MVP Ladder is dedicated to those who’ll play in next month’s All-Star Game. Every player repping this week’s ladder is an All-Star.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's big free agent acquisition, Isaiah Hartenstein, has filled the void of Chet Holmgren's absence, immediately becoming a key piece