I’m guessing the news is really bad….

OKLAHOMA CITY — It’s every athlete’s nightmare, not to mention every fan’s: the danger inherent when spectacular athletes collide with speed and force and land in unpredictable ways.

And in one moment Sunday, it sucked the air out of a raucous Paycom Center — and possibly recalibrated the NBA title chase along with it.

With 1:44 left in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s game against the LA Clippers, Thunder All-Star forward Jalen Williams flew to the rim for a finish against the challenge of high-flying defensive specialist Derrick Jones Jr., and the two collided while a trailing Kris Dunn met Williams from behind. The force knocked Williams backward and off balance under the basket, with his left leg caught beneath him.

When he untangled it, his ankle was bent at a gruesome angle, and nearby players almost immediately reacted in shock and horror. Teammates Ajay Mitchell and Chet Holmgren instinctively covered their eyes and turned their heads away. Isaiah Hartenstein, sitting on the nearest bench, covered his head in a towel and walked all the way into the tunnel. The trainers were on the court in seconds, and a quick-thinking Thunder staffer placed a towel over Williams’ twisted leg to shield the view.

Their opponents had the same reaction. Clippers players first went to check on Jones, but when LA forward Rui Hachimura saw Williams, he covered his head in shock and walked behind the stanchion. The Clippers’ 18-year-veteran, Brook Lopez, who had too close a view of it, told me it was the worst thing he’d seen on a basketball court in his career.

Read the rest here for free: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7725697/2026/10/26/jalen-williams-thunder-injury-championship-hopes-nba/?unlocked_article_code=1.LlE.ugGa._fbM_ivKJeIc&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta

I, like all of you are devastated about JDubs injury, prayers to him. I wonder if OKC will trade/sign for a small forward to a 1 year deal. I looked at the free agent tracker and its slim pickings. Bruce Brown could be a good hustle guy for us tho. Who do yall think we should look at?

Like everyone else, I feel absolutely sick about what happened to Dub. While I was tossing and turning last night, I remembered that after Damar Hamlin’s injury in the NFL, there was a fan movement that raised a ton of money for his charity and I thought maybe we could do something similar for our guy.

I know Jalen has the WTTP foundation, but I haven’t seen a way for general donations to be submitted. Do folks know if there are any other charities/organizations that JDub promotes?

Mods feel free to remove if this is against the rules— just wanted to see if we could have something positive come out of this terrible situation

Edit for clarity: I’m not saying that we should donate to Jalen or the Thunder directly. I was just wondering if there is a charitable organization that JDub supports that our community could show some love to

I hate that JDub got injured and I pray that he has a great recovery and comes back better than ever, but we didn’t have him a majority of the time last year and was 1 win away from the finals again. Losing Dub sucks but our team is 1000% capable of winning it all this year still.

Not many fits on the wing scheme wise for OKC, even smaller window when it has to be a player in the final year of their contract. I’m assuming the front office will take advantage of the opportunity if the luxury tax isn’t too high on said player.

TEXT

I know the rule is it has to be someone with 1 year left on their contract. Does that also include free agents or no? Just seems like it’s the perfect time for a Russ retirement tour.

Brian Sutterer MD on YouTube already has a video out evaluating Dubs injury. If you’re looking to get a clear concise analysis of it that’s the best guy I could recommend. TTFU, Dub come back strong 🙏🫡

Russell Westbrook.

Lakers fan coming in peace. I know emotions are still raw right now, and sending prayers up for J-Dub. He's a special player and you never want to see a guy go down. But looking at your squad this year, I don't think you guys have anything to worry about.

Your depth this season is just so good. Even with this setback, you still have the ultimate foundation with Shai and Chet, plus the guys that don't get enough credit. Ajay Mitchell is ready to roll, Kenrich Williams is a rock for you guys, and Topic is going to be such a good player for you guys once he's back on the floor. Even your rookie center, Aday Mara, looks legit. You have the assets, the coaching, and you have Sam.

Im rooting for you guys this season! I’m a huge UK fan so I’ve been keeping up with OKC ever since you got Shai. Worst-case scenario, I think you guys are still a lock for a top-4 team in the West.

We have the minutes now and Sam presti could be the only dude to get him to come out of retirement. If Jdub is out for the season he’s the best person to bring in. He hopefully gets a ring coming back and we get immediate help.

Russ come on down! Presti, make the call. He wouldn’t fill Dub’s role, but he could be the spark the team needs.

Do any of you still have championship expectations or faith that we can make a deep run barring any other major injuries or do you believe we took a big hit with this happening? Like what happens if we run into San Antonio, Minnesota, or Denver these playoffs and have to go all the way without Dub?

With JDub's injury, the roster is essentially forwardless, barring Micah Peavy, just signed on a two way. That won't cut it and I expect Presti to be agressive on the trade market, especially the deadline on Topic and Sorber's next year options looming (November 2).

First, let's start with the cap situation:

• OKC is 6.9M below the 2nd apron, but with only 14 contracts (which I assume they plan to fill up as the season goes on)
• The NBA minimum salary for the full season is 2.45M prorated, essentially decreasing by each day passing (currently at about 2.4M)
• With only Topic traded, the maximum incoming salary (assuming we want to fill the 15th spot later on) can be around 5.4M+6.9M=12.3M minus about 2M, so incoming salary about to be 10.3M maximum
• With only Sorber traded, the maximum incoming salary can be around 4.9M+6.9M=11.8M minus about 2M, so incoming salary about to be 9.8M maximum
• With both Topic and Sorber gone, don't forget they need to save money for TWO spots, one of them needs to be filled in about two weeks. Maths is 5.4M+4.9M+6.9M=17.2M minus 4M, so about 13.2M
• Since OKC does have a 17.7M TPE for Dort and a 11.2M TPE for Joe, also a 9M TPE for Wiggins; Topic and/or Sorber's departure doesn't need to happen at the same time of the acquisition. They need to be under the 2nd apron by the end of the season, so OKC can trade for a player using the empty roster spot, then dump Topic/Sorber until the deadline
• I don't expect anyone else to be traded. Wallace has a poison pill after him signing an extension, Stirtz is a low salary, Kenrich too, as well as McCain. Everybody else is unexpendable.
• OKC will likely receive a sizeable DPE for JDub's injury (the max is the non-taypayer MLE, about 15M), but we are still capped at 2nd apron AND you can only trade for expiring contracts into DPE

Based on the above, my trade target shortlist, in order. Sadly, there are not many players who would make sense and are realistic to be traded.

• D. Jones Jr. (LAC, can be acquired into DPE and TPE as well, he is on an expiring deal) - both Topic and Sorber needs to be gone
• N. Marshall (DAL, ineligible to be traded until Feb 2., and will be too expensive for OKC in the coming years) - available for the combination of Topic and Sorber
• G. Santos (GSW, unlikely they are willing to trade him, but he is on an extremely team friendly contract) - available for only one of Topic or Sorber
• J. Jaquez (MIL, RFA next summer) - available for the combination of Topic and Sorber
• Jus. Champagnie (WAS, in the rotation, not sure they trade him, but on a very team friendly contract) - available for only one of Topic or Sorber
• R. O'Neale (CHA, 11M deal next season) - both Topic and Sorber needs to be gone
• B. Coulibaly (WAS, starter until Dybantsa comes back, but I don't think WAS wants to pay him, will be RFA next summer) - available for the combination of Topic and Sorber
• B. Mathurin (NOP, player option for next year at 7.5M, eligible to be traded after Dec. 15) - available for the combination of Topic and Sorber
• R. Holland (DET, he is not in their future for a reason, but also earns 11M next year) - available for the combination of Topic and Sorber

Note: Saddiq Bey is ineligible to be traded this season after signing his extension

• Would make some sense, but not sure we are taking a step forward with them: J. Edwards (PHI), Kr. Murray (MEM), T. Watford (NOP), J. Minott (BKN), I. Okoro (CHI), S. Cissoko (POR)
• Realistic targets, but wouldn't make any sense in the grand scheme of things: S. Mykhailiuk (UTA), V. Krejcí (POR), S. Fontecchio (MIA), Ca. Martin (DAL), B. Hield (CHI), G. Niang (GSW), D. Powell (BKN), T. Prince (DET)

Further note: don't have any hopes JDub plays this season. And let's pray that Wallace's shoulder 'only' popped out, and not a torn labrum, which is season ending, too.

In some of the early clips of Dub lying on the ground while medics tend to him, it sounds like there were a lot of boo’s and “kick him out”. It wasn’t the normal Dub barking crowd.

Anyone know details about it?

I know Okc is still good but man, with JDub back in the lineup they looked great.

The Thunder traded Joe, Dort, Wiggins with the idea of avoiding the 2nd apron, it’s all part of a longterm plan for the Thunder to avoid the 2nd apron penalties this year because 3 years in the 2nd apron introduces the harsh penalties (your pick automatically being pick 30).

The DPE counts into our cap and we are only 6 million from hitting the 2nd apron

The right idea might be to package IHart/Topic for a player making 28 million or so

I view all the players making 15 - 30 million and are also realistic trade candidates and I found 3 players

RJ Barrett (29 million & expiring)
20 point scorer that has previous chemistry with Shai with Team Canada. Expiring so it won’t affect our longterm goals

Trey Murphy ( 27 million + 2 years left) this is honestly a popular option, one of the best shooters, good 19+ scorer. Does have multiple years left so the Thunder could regain value if they have to trade him eventually. He will be the most expensive trade tho since it will likely require additional assets

Dillon Brooks- another player with chemistry with Shai. He is a worse scorer than RJ so honestly not my favorite option

All 3 options allows okc to add another scorer which we will need, and also leave some wiggle room to add another cheap vet or young player? (Like Bilal or Josh Minott)

The idea is to avoid the 2nd apron, so we pretty much we have 34 million to operate (IHart + Topic) + the additional 6 million we have before hitting the 2nd apron

Which is why using the full 14 million DPE is unrealistic

Tonight vs the Suns:

MCcain

Mara

Stirtz

Kenny

Peavy

Dix

Barnshizer

If you are the team mgmt do run out a limited roster? Let players absorb this loss and prevent other injuries (more due to lack of focus)? Or do you feel athletes need to compete and just let them run?

Is there even a 1% chance there is no structural damage?

Why not?

Bring Brodie home

the amount of missed calls leading up to dub’s injury last night needs to be investigated by the league. specifically, the undercutting by clippers defenders; i counted 4 undercutting no-calls, of the min. 19 total no-calls by LA, broken down by quarter:

1st qtr
- hachimura hold on chet
- jackson runs over dub
- dunn over the back on chet
- jackson moving screen on dub
- jackson obvious flagrant on cason (resulting in injury)
- lopez hold on mara
- lopez swipes down on mara

2nd qtr
- lopez reach on dub
- jackson undercut chet on lob
- sanders hip checks shai
- dunn undercuts shai

3rd qtr
- jackson undercuts dub
- jackson slaps dub in face
- jackson block on dub
- dick undercuts shai

4th qtr
- lopez block on ajay
- jackson reach on shai
- hachmiura reach on shai
- jackson reach on shai
dub injury happens

I have no idea where the Thunder’s season goes from here.
Jdub is obviously out for the season. That injury was brutal

We also cannot just “pun” the season with Shai.
This Thunder team cannot win a championship without Jdub

Like I truly have no idea what direction the Thunder will take…. I am genuinely sick to my stomach