NBA Notes: Thunder, Jalen Williams, Lakers, Deandre Ayton, Grizzlies

Thunder

The Thunder just keep rolling. Even without Jalen Williams, OKC crushed Portland on Sunday and moved to an outrageous 17-1.

But Williams’ early-season absence comes with a financial twist.

As Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports noted, Williams has now missed all 18 games. With only 64 left on the schedule, he can no longer reach the new 65-game threshold needed for postseason awards.

That removes any chance of hitting the escalators built into the five-year rookie extension he signed in July.

Williams is earning $6.6 million this season before that extension kicks in with a projected $41.5 million starting salary in 2026-27.

A repeat All-NBA or All-Defense nod would have bumped that number another one or two percent.

Schiffer added that first-team All-NBA was always unlikely, but second- or third-team were very much in play. That’s a swing of roughly $1.5 to $3 million in Year One.

Either way, Williams blossomed into a star last season, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 69 games while delivering multiple big playoff moments — including a 40-point eruption in the NBA Finals.

He underwent wrist surgery in July, then needed an October procedure to remove a screw that was causing irritation. There’s still no return timeline.

And while OKC technically saves a bit of money by missing the escalators, Schiffer emphasized that the Thunder aren’t exactly strapped.

Their 2026-27 books project near the second apron, but they also carry $54 million in nonguaranteed deals and team options, including Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams.

Lakers

Deandre Ayton left Sunday’s game in Utah with a right knee contusion, and it didn’t take long to see he wasn’t himself.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN wrote that Ayton tried to play through the initial collision with Ace Bailey, but the pain eventually won.

“He had gotten hit on his leg in the first half and was kind of limping through it,” coach JJ Redick said. “And then couldn’t go in the second half.”

Ayton has quietly been a major value signing for L.A., averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds on nearly 70 percent shooting on his two-year, $16.6 million deal.

But with him out, Jaxson Hayes opened the second half and Maxi Kleber gave the Lakers 14 big minutes off the bench. That included a late dunk that helped seal a two-point win.

“Maxi gave us big-time minutes,” LeBron James said. “Brought physicality, had a big-time move towards the end.”

Grizzlies

Memphis made it official, announcing the signing of guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day hardship contract. 

The Grizzlies qualified for the hardship exception thanks to a staggering injury list. Four point guards — Scotty Pippen Jr., Ty Jerome, Ja Morant and Javon Small — are out, and Brandon Clarke remains weeks away after offseason knee surgery.

Bufkin, the 15th pick in the 2023 draft, never got traction in Atlanta because of a run of injuries that included a fractured left thumb, a sprained toe and December 2024 shoulder surgery.

He played just 27 games across two seasons for the Hawks. Brooklyn traded for him over the summer but waived him at the end of camp amid a roster crunch.

He resurfaced in the G League and flashed real upside with the South Bay Lakers, averaging 22 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4 assists through two showcase games.