The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to navigate through a basketball apocalypse. They will be without Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace for most — if not all — of the 2026-27 season. Both sustained franchise-altering injuries in their win over the LA Clippers on Sunday.
Williams sustained a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle. His leg snapped backward as he drove to the rim in the final minute of regulation. Wallace sustained a torn labrum on his shoulder. He fought over a screen and went down in pain. Both will require surgery to address their injuries.
Before Halloween has even arrived, the Thunder and NBA world have been completely flipped upside down. Williams and Wallace were penciled in as OKC starters and two of its four top players.
Now, it's left picking up the pieces in the disastrous aftermath.
If the Thunder are hoping to salvage this year, they'll likely need to get outside help. As things stand right now, they still have the bare bones of a decent team. But realistically speaking, they're no longer a legitimate title threat. According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst, folks across the league expect OKC to make some sorta move before the 2027 NBA trade deadline.
"If Presti does elect to pursue a deal, multiple executives identified the New Orleans Pelicans as a potential trade partner with defensive stopper Herb Jones or 3-and-D wing Trey Murphy III as possible targets," MacMahon wrote. "The Pelicans have set a high asking price for Murphy in recent transaction cycles, making it clear that multiple first-round picks would need to be involved to pique their interest, according to league sources."
Well, those are some big-time fishes to catch. Sure, Murphy III and Jones aren't one-for-one replacements for Williams and Wallace, but it's pretty dang close. Murphy III has been a highly-coveted player for years. He's averaged 14.2 points on 46.4% shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season. He's shot 35.5% from 3 on 6.2 attempts.
Same for Jones. He's been in the rumor mill for years. He's averaged six points on 46.2% shooting and 2.4 rebounds this season. He's shot 22.2% from 3 on 1.8 attempts. Right now, he's outside of New Orleans' rotation. Too many big-time names to fit him in on a nightly basis.
Unfortunately, I think these dream acquisitions are on the fantasy side of the spectrum, rather than close to reality. Murphy III is on a three-year, $87 million contract. Jones will start a three-year, $67.6 million contract next season. That's a lot of money and a long-term commitment to tie up to two guys who would ultimately be Band-Aid additions.
"That's not who they are," an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. "I think they'd rather play their young guys and see what they have."
It's just feasibly impossible for the Thunder to add on two bloated salaries like that on their long-term books. Especially since Williams and Wallace are viewed as long-term pieces. Even after their significant injuries. I think if OKC makes a move, it'll likely be for a pure rental piece.
But it's interesting to see that rival NBA executives believe the Thunder are going to do something. Now, the scale of it remains to be seen. How the next three months play out will determine OKC's next course of action. But there's no denying that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives them a puncher's chance against any opponent.
How can the Thunder, considering their financial crunch and Sam Presti’s long-term vision, respond to cruel injury luck? @WindhorstESPN and I checked into with execs and scouts around the league to explore the possibilities: https://t.co/YYVQszUXyX
— Tim MacMahon (@BannedMacMahon) October 30, 2026
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Rumor: OKC Thunder could target 2 prominent Pelicans players in an NBA trade
