Even though it was not a trade, the Oklahoma City Thunder made a big splash before the trade deadline. It was announced the morning of February 6 that Chet Holmgren would return and play the next game for the Thunder. He will be available on Friday when the Thunder take on the Toronto Raptors. The team currently has the best record in the NBA, but getting Holmgren back makes this team even more deadly.
Thunder Make Deadline Move with the Return of Chet Holmgren
This is the best news the Thunder fanbase has heard all season, as they started their day with a bang.
Just in: Thunder star Chet Holmgren is off the team's injury report, clearing the way for him to return to action Friday against the Toronto Raptors in OKC. At 40-9, Thunder's remainder of regular season will feature reintegrating Holmgren into the young, rising title contender.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
The Thunder did end up making one trade, acquiring veteran center Daniel Theis, though he was eventually waived by the squad. Now with the Gonzaga product back from his hip injury, the Thunder are the healthiest they have been all season. The young squad in downtown Oklahoma City has looked unstoppable, but has two main weaknesses. Those are their size, and three-point shooting. They had opportunities to fix that with a trade, but elected not to. Sam Presti and company decided to play the waiting game and see if it pays off. Waiting on Holmgren looks like it will pay off, as he is back before the All-Star break. He also covers some holes the team has.
Before getting injured, he was averaging 16.4 points per game while shooting 37.8 percent from deep. Defensively, he also brings a top tier interior defense with his shot blocking, averaging 2.6 blocks a game. These stats are something any team would want, but it is a scary thought that this is being added to a 40-win team. Some players could benefit from the return of Holmgren, like the All-Star pairing of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Williams could benefit from the attention Holmgren draws, and scoring could become easier for the third-year wing. Isaiah Hartenstein will also benefit from this, as he can show off more of his playmaking skills. Overall, somehow the league’s best defense got better, and a top five offense could become the best offense in the NBA now.
Does not Solve Every Problem
There could be one addition though that the top Western conference team could make, as with Ajay Mitchell out, they need a backup point guard. There are two paths to fixing this, though the team already took their route. After cutting Theis, they signed the 2024 second round pick to a standard deal. Mitchell, who was on a two-way contract, can now play during the playoffs. This could signal his recovery process is going well, and that the fans could see him back sooner than anticipated. Things are now starting to look up on the injury front for Oklahoma City.
This squad is excited to have their 22-year-old center back. This move should make every team even more worrisome of Oklahoma City. With the Thunder adding Holmgren back, fans can consider that a win for their squad, as the star center makes his long awaited return back to the court.
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