BREAKING: Thunder's Chet Holmgren Set to Return to Action Friday

After missing nearly three months, the OKC Thunder star is off the injury report.

Nov 1, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) looks to pass the ball against Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) during the first quarter at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Murphy-Imagn Images / Brian Murphy-Imagn Images

The NBA Trade Deadline is here, meaning in just a few hours teams around the league could look very different. As the Oklahoma City Thunder navigates the day and GM Sam Presti gauges the market to see if there are any moves worth making, the franchise will arguably have the best addition to the roster in the form of a healthy Chet Holmgren.

On Thursday morning, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Holmgren was ready to make his return to the court, meaning he is off the injury report for Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors. He had been sidelined since Nov. 10, marking roughly three months of recovery time.

For the Thunder, this is truly significant news. With the best record in the NBA at 40-9 -- with 40 of those games coming without Holmgren -- having him back is more significant than almost any trade deadline acquisition the team could make today. With the NBA All-Star break occurring in less than two weeks, this will be a good opportunity for the 7-footer to ease back into play for a few games before getting more time off to acclimate and continue getting back in game shape.

With an NBA Championship being a real possibility for the Thunder this season, Holmgren's return to action was a key step in keeping those dreams alive.

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