Thunder injuries: Williams and Wallace out, trade path complicated

The Oklahoma City Thunder opened the 2026-27 season with a win over San Antonio, then lost two starters to long-term injuries within days.

Jalen Williams left Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers after an attempted dunk, and the team later diagnosed a dislocated left ankle plus a fractured fibula. He will have surgery and is expected to miss several months, potentially the entire season. Starting shooting guard Cason Wallace has a torn labrum in his left shoulder and faces surgery, an extended absence, and a possible lost season as well.

The Thunder reached Game 7 of last season's Western Conference Finals while Williams missed time. The team finished 39-10 in games without him, a 65-win pace, and posted a plus-10.9 net rating in those minutes. Oklahoma City also carries Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP, along with roster depth built for regular-season wins. The team's margin narrows without Williams and Wallace available, and Oklahoma City can no longer count on a large talent edge over the West.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves are undefeated, and the Denver Nuggets have lost only to the Thunder. Those clubs were dealing with injuries during last spring's playoffs, and Oklahoma City lacks its top defender against Luka Doncic and the size to counter Nikola Jokic. Wallace's defense would also matter against Minnesota's guard pairing. The Spurs, meanwhile, are working through a starting lineup decision and have struggled offensively with De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper together. Oklahoma City has never begun a playoff series on the road with this group, and home-court positioning in the West is now within reach if the team keeps winning.

General manager Sam Presti spoke at Monday's press conference about the injuries. "For me, the last 24 hours or whatever it's been is all about people," Presti said. "I know you have to ask the question.. I haven't really given a lot of thought to that. Right now, it's about those two guys and their families and trying to be there for everybody, working through all the medical information."

The team's trade options face limits. Nearly one-third of the league cannot be traded right now because of contract rules that loosen in December and January, so Oklahoma City would need to wait. The Thunder also kept its position below the second salary apron after failing to sign Spencer Jones to an offer sheet, since Denver matched the deal. Oklahoma City retained roughly $7 million in apron room but did not add the wing it sought.

The team holds a $17.7 million trade exception, which could bring in a player such as Rui Hachimura or Max Strus, though the Thunder would need to move salary elsewhere to stay under the apron. Oklahoma City also has three first-round picks in 2027, a 2028 swap with Dallas, and a top-five protected Denver pick in 2029. The team cannot aggregate salaries unless it remains below the apron, and it no longer has the contracts of Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins, who were traded in the offseason to duck the apron.

Oklahoma City's roster now lists three maximum players in Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Chet Holmgren, plus Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. Every other player on the team earns less than $8 million, so the team has little matching salary available for a larger deal.