Presti backs Holmgren, Gilgeous‑Alexander after Thunder loss

Thunder GM Sam Presti publicly defended Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous‑ after the team’s early playoff exit, rejecting critics who blamed the stars for the loss. Presti pointed to Holmgren’s defensive versatility and Gilgeous‑Alexander’s scoring consistency, noting that both players delivered strong performances even as the series slipped away. He also emphasized that the shortcomings were systemic—depth, rebounding, and interior scoring—rather than individual failures, and that the front office will stay the course with its young core.