Thunder star Jalen Williams will make his 2025/26 season debut on Friday against Phoenix, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.
Williams underwent surgery at the start of July to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist that bothered him throughout the 2025 postseason. The 24-year-old wing required a second procedure in late October to remove a screw that was causing irritation.
Head coach Mark Daigneault referred to Williams as “day-to-day” prior to Wednesday’s game. According to Charania, Oklahoma City take a “patient and cautious” approach to Williams’ return to the lineup.
The 12th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Williams earned his first All-Star, All-NBA (third team) and All-Defensive (second team) nods during the ’24/25 campaign, which culminated in the Thunder winning their first championship following a nail-biting seven-game NBA Finals against Indiana.
Despite multiple players — including Williams — being sidelined to open the season, the Thunder hold the best record in the NBA at 18-1 and currently have the best point differential (+16.5) in league history, Charania notes.
Williams is no longer eligible for major postseason awards due to the 65-game rule. He’s making $6.6MM in ’25/26, which is the final year of his rookie contract. That will jump to a projected $41.5MM in ’26/27, when his five-year max rookie scale extension kicks in.
Oh good, he is my favorite of the team to watch.
Great boost for okc
This game against Phoenix will be must see TV, the Suns are rolling too
OKC has had the easiest games so far (have only played 4 games against teams with a winning record. From this point forward they have the toughest schedule in the league.
Being a young team they are playing these regular season games like it’s the playoffs. I think the Nuggets, Lakers and Houston respect OKC, hit I don’t think any of them are scared of being matched up against them in the playoffs.
The Nuggets took OKC to seven games with Porter Jr fully injured, and Gordon couldn’t walk in game 7. Now the Nuggets, Lakers and Houston are significantly better while OKC has stayed the same.
Again, OKC is going to be a tough contender, but they are nowhere near as invincible as the talking heads want to make them seem.
They are not playing these regular season games like playoffs haha
Nuggets are the only actual threats unless Houston can get a legit pg.
Lakers have no depth, they may challenge them if it was a 1st round match up but Bron not lasting 4 playoff rds 28gms every other day at 40.
Wouldn’t say OKC stayed the same gained experience of being able to close and Ajay Mitchell looks to be an impact player he was out for playoffs.
They aren’t playing these games like playoff games. They’ve been there and they know better. They’re just blowing everyone out. 16.5 PPG average differential per game is insane. It’s early and they’ve had an easy schedule so far but that’s 3.6 PPG then their record breaking differential last season.
Pippen had a bad back in the playoffs and Jordan still lead them. Kawahi was semi hobbled and lead raptors. Murray forgot how to help Jokic????
Sure. Because all teams sit their best player in the fourth quarter of playoff games, especially when their second best player is out for injury. Standard practice…
As for ‘stayed the same’ it’s not like those guys are grizzled old veterans past their primes. They all have room to grow rolling into their prime years.
18-1 just got their second best player back.
OKC is light years ahead of everyone right now on both ends of the floor.
They are far ahead than everyone else, but take them in deeper waters, like the NUGGETS and PACERS did ….. anything can happen.
Or OKC’s big three takes more leaps, since they’re that young and good…… dynasty.
Suns are in trouble…as is the rest if the west…