Which OKC Thunder Players Will Step Up if Jalen Williams Misses Time?

Oklahoma City could be a bit shorthanded to begin the season — but if you asked Jalen Williams, it would all be completely worth it.

Williams battled through the end of last season and the entire postseason run with a right wrist injury — yes, on his shooting hand. He was certainly bothered by it, but he didn’t let it slow him down too much. The first-time All-Star averaged 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists during the Thunder’s 23-game run to the NBA Finals. He also had a 40-points outing in the Finals on the biggest stage, and etched his name in NBA lore forever.

He became one of the NBA’s best defenders as he ascended to All-NBA status, and has turned into one of the biggest young names the league has to offer. After the Finals run, Williams finally got wrist surgery to repair the damaged ligaments.

In ESPN’s latest article, they detailed what we learned from each team’s preseason slate. The Thunder’s was all about Jalen Williams.

“All-NBA wing Jalen Williams is unlikely to be ready for the start of the regular season as he continues to recover from surgery on his right wrist, an operation he had on July 1, after playing the entire postseason with torn ligaments,” Tim McMahon wrote. “He has only recently begun to shoot with his right hand again and has yet to be cleared for contact work. The Thunder and Williams have not publicly discussed a timetable for his return as they take a patient approach.”

Williams will certainly be ready to go when he’s cleared to play — he hasn’t been one to miss many regular season games over his first three seasons in the NBA. If Oklahoma City is going to defend its title, though, Williams will be a huge reason why. It’s extra important for him to be cautious with his return to play, and Oklahoma City certainly won’t rush him back. They’ll need him healthy for a big run.

If Williams does miss time, though, Oklahoma City has no shortage of players that can make an impact and step up in his absence.

On the defensive front, as good as Williams is, the Thunder shouldn’t suffer too much of a drop off. Alex Caruso and Lu Dort are otherworldly defenders and the Thunder’s team defense is elite in Mark Daigneault’s scheme. It’s the scoring that the Thunder would miss most.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren will certainly get their points in, but who will step up and help out in the absence of a key member to the team’s trio? The first and obvious answer is Aaron Wiggins.

Wiggins is coming off of a career-year where he averaged 12.0 points, shooting 48.8% from the floor and 38.3% from 3-point range. He played just under 23 minutes per game — and if Williams misses anytime, he could certainly see an uptick in minutes. He increased his volume by leaps and bounds a season ago, and could do so again to start the season. Oklahoma City has no problem with Wiggins taking on an extended workload, and on any other team, that would likely be normal for his role — he’s a terrific offensive player.

Another option for the Thunder is Cason Wallace, who very well could start in the absence of Williams. Wallace has looked like an improved offensive player during preseason action, specifically in the playmaking department. The Thunder’s staff has mentioned wanting to get Wallace more involved in the offense as he has grown as both a creator and a scorer, and now is the perfect time. He will also help ease the loss of Williams’s defensive presence on the floor. 

Obviously, Williams missing time would be a bummer — there’s no way around it. But Oklahoma City is well positioned to sustain a few blows to injuries throughout the year, and learning how to deal with it early on would be better than late in the season. If Williams does miss time, though, the Thunder will be a better team immediately when he returns.