sportingnews
The Oklahoma City Thunder are no strangers to navigating the season without Jalen Williams, but that doesn't make his absence any easier. Williams, the team's secondary scorer behind point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, recently underwent surgery to repair a fractured left fibula and a dislocated ankle, and he is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 campaign.
During the 2025-26 season, Oklahoma City managed a 39-10 record without Williams, showcasing their depth and resilience. However, the team's fortunes are further complicated by a small patellar tendon tear in Chet Holmgren's right knee, leaving the Thunder in need of another All-Star-caliber player.
General manager Sam Presti may turn to the trade market to make a significant move, but the ideal solution might have been on the roster already. In 2021, the Thunder traded two first-round picks to acquire Alperen Sengun on draft night, only to quickly reroute him to the Houston Rockets for draft assets that were later used in a package for Ousmane Dieng, who was salary-dumped at last season's deadline.
Sengun has since developed into a key contributor for the Rockets, averaging a career-high 22.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. The 24-year-old center is a two-time All-Star and might be reaching new heights in his career.
Key Analysis
Presti has done an excellent job building Oklahoma City's roster, but the Sengun trade stands out as a potential misstep. With Williams out and Holmgren ailing, the Thunder could certainly use a player of Sengun's caliber. Losing Williams might not have hurt as badly if Sengun were still in Oklahoma City. As the Thunder aim for another NBA Finals run, they may need to get creative to fill the void.
Originally reported by sportingnews.