Chet

Holmgren

According to MacMahon, Holmgren underwent a biological treatment on Friday to address a small patellar tendon tear in his right knee. With Jalen Williams (ankle/fibula) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) facing extended absences, and given Holmgren’s injury history, fantasy managers should expect the Thunder to be very cautious with his rehab process. Kenrich Williams should remain in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future, and Aday Mara’s playing time should increase. Also, Holmgren’s absence raises Isaiah Hartenstein’s fantasy ceiling.

He hasn’t played since October 25th against the Clippers, so that will make it three straight missed games. Kenrich Williams has been starting in his absence, but he hasn’t played starters minutes. If Hartenstein is available in your league, he’s worth a look.

Unfortunately, Holmgren sitting out Monday’s win over the Suns wasn’t solely because it was Oklahoma City’s second game in as many nights. Kenrich Williams moved into the starting lineup and played 24 minutes against Phoenix; he should fill a similar role on Wednesday.

Holmgren is dealing with right patellar tendonitis. Isaiah Hartenstein stepped up with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the win over the Clippers Sunday while Holmgren had a relatively quiet game with 10 points and four rebounds. Hartenstein should see even more usage with Holmgren out Monday against the Suns.

After recording two underwhelming stat lines in Oklahoma City’s first two games of the season, Hartenstein posted a double-double on Sunday. His play helped offset Chet Holmgren’s quiet night at the office (10 points, four rebounds, one steal, one block and two three-pointers), helping push Oklahoma City’s record to 3-0. Hartenstein also played 27 minutes, an encouraging number given his limited minutes last season.

After blocking four shots in Tuesday’s season opener, Holmgren matched that mark on Thursday night. Add in the rebounds, and this was an excellent night for those rostering the slender 7-footer, especially in category leagues. The Western Conference Finals may have left a bad taste in Holmgren’s mouth, but he appears to have put that behind him. This could be a big season for Holmgren if he stays healthy.

Despite missing time during the preseason with a quad injury, Holmgren is not on the injury report for Tuesday’s season opener. As a result, Aday Mara may not get the minutes that he did during the preseason, but the rookie should still be in the rotation.

Mara came off the bench with Isaiah Hartenstein making his preseason debut, but he was still able to make a solid impact in his 19 minutes. Mara has been productive during the preseason, and with Chet Holmgren (quad) and Jaylin Williams (heel) having been sidelined for the preseason so far, there is a chance Mara ends up playing a large role early on behind Isaiah Hartenstein. It’s a situation worth monitoring with the regular season set to start in just one week.

Holmgren picked the worst possible time to have one of his worst games of the season. Due to injuries, the Thunder needed more production from the 7-foot-1 forward/center, and he was unable to answer the call. Holmgren attempted just two shots from the field, an inexcusable number given his talent and what was on the line. However, for as disappointing as his Game 7 performance was, Holmgren will remain a highly regarded player in fantasy basketball. He finished this regular season as a second-round player, and that should be the case in 2026-27.

Named third-team All-NBA on Sunday, Holmgren produced another underwhelming showing in Game 4. If there’s a positive, it’s that his nine rebounds were two more than the 7-foot-1 forward/center’s total in Games 3 and 4. However, with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama’s consistent excellence, the Thunder need more from Holmgren if they’re to win this series, especially if Jalen Williams (hamstring) remains out after missing both games in San Antonio.