It only took three games for the 2026-27 regular season to see its first curveball. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been weakened. Once viewed as the co-title favorite, they've notched down a few levels. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace will miss most — if not all — of the year with respective injuries and surgeries.
The Thunder lost both starters in their win over the LA Clippers. Williams sustained a fibula fracture and a dislocated ankle. Wallace sustained a torn labrum on his shoulder. Both will require surgery. They're ruled out for the indefinite future.
The NBA marathon moves on. You can't spend too much time dwelling on their lengthy absences. All you can do now, if you're the Thunder, is pick up the pieces. Sure, those two injuries have
completely shaken up your expectations and hopes, but there are still 78-plus games to go.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren remain an All-NBA duo. The rest of your depth will get a chance to take on a larger role. With two such seismic injuries, the Thunder have to shift their 2026-27 season goals. It's no longer title or bust, sadly. To what? Who knows. Let's break down three routes OKC can take:
Stand pat
I feel like this is the most likely of the bunch. At least, for the next three months. Even without Williams and Wallace, you still have a good skeleton roster. Gilgeous-Alexander alone is worth 60-plus wins. Holmgren is still one of the most impactful players in the league. Those two will keep you in games most nights. So that's a good start. Now, about the rest.
I guess we'll see if Ajay Mitchell can become OKC's second go-to scorer for an entire regular season. The talent is definitely there. It's all about consistency and health for him. The latter variable applies to Alex Caruso. He's a role-playing demon. But his physical playstyle invites a lot of nicks and bruises.
The cruel part is, the Thunder still have a really good team sans Williams and Wallace. Sure, the defense takes a dip. But it's still one of the best in the league. Not crazy to think that the Thunder could still tally 50-plus wins and compete for a top-three seed in the West. Their room for error is nonexistent, though. One more notable injury and the season may be cooked — if it isn't already.
Add outside help
This is the option that a lot of folks are pounding the table for. You have Gilgeous-Alexander in his prime; same with Holmgren. Why punt a year? The two-time MVP winner is too damn good to just shrug your shoulders and wait until next summer. Go all in now. Salvage something. And who knows? All you need to do is get to the dance. From there, you can still get hot at the right time and make a run. Especially since the NBA is filled with question-mark teams. There's no true top dog.
The next three months will determine what the Thunder do at the 2027 NBA trade deadline. If they're still in the hunt and a top-seed contender, then they'll be viewed as buyers. The treasure trove of draft assets has lessened in recent years, but you still have a deep enough haul to get something. There are also intriguing prospects — such as Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber. If OKC wants to go all out for a guy, then it theoretically can.
But who? That's the million-dollar question. There are no true one-for-one replacements for Williams and Wallace. But maybe you can improve your new version of the team as a whole. I guess we'll see names materialize over the coming months. Especially as teams plummet in the NBA standings. But the Thunder have the choice of getting some in-season help without irresponsibly selling assets.
Trade away pieces
This is the true gut punch. Let's see the Thunder stay good. Not great, but decent. I think that's the most likely outcome, right? Especially if Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Mitchell stay healthy. Those three are a quality enough nucleus to flirt with 50-plus wins still. But what that justify OKC ownership in paying $216.4 million for a non-true title contender?
If the Thunder fall down a couple of tiers, perhaps the best course of action — as cold, calculated and unpopular as it may be — is to sell off some veteran pieces. Three that come to mind are Isaiah Hartenstein, Caruso and Kenrich Williams. The writing is kinda on the wall that at least two of those three won't be back after this year. It's just financially unfeasible. If that's the case, why kid yourself on some miraculous postseason run? Rip the band-aid off and get some assets back for those three players.
I can tell you right now the Thunder being sellers would absolutely demoralize the fanbase for the time being. But if you truly believe they have zero shot at winning an NBA championship now — which is the case without Williams and Wallace — then there's no point in pretending everything is still the same in the aftermath of their devastating injuries. Rip it up right now and try again in 2027-28. But I also understand that's asking for a lot.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: So, what now? Looking at 3 routes OKC Thunder could take for 2026-27 season
