Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace require surgery — SkimNews
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- Jalen Williams suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated left ankle after being fouled on a drive with 1:14 left Sunday, was taken off on a stretcher and will undergo surgery.
- Cason Wallace tore the labrum in his left shoulder after running into a moving screen by Clippers center Isaiah Jackson in the first quarter against the Clippers and will undergo surgery.
- Sam Presti said Monday that return timelines for both operations will be known afterward; each injury typically requires multiple months of rehabilitation, putting both players in doubt for the rest of the season.
- Jalen Williams played through a torn ligament in his right shooting wrist during the Thunder’s 2025 championship run and scored 40 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers.
- Jalen Williams then missed the first 19 games of last season after wrist surgery, had recurring hamstring strains and appeared in only 33 regular-season games while sitting out 10 of 15 playoff games.
- Cason Wallace, an All-Defensive selection last season, signed a five-year, $139 million extension last week and became a regular starter after the Thunder traded Luguentz Dort to the Atlanta Hawks.
- Jalen Williams is in the first season of a five-year, $239 million maximum contract signed after the Thunder’s 2025 championship.
Why it matters: Oklahoma City loses two starting contributors for multiple months, with both players in doubt for the remainder of the season. That matters alongside contracts worth $239 million for Williams and $139 million for Wallace, leaving the Thunder to manage simultaneous rehab timelines while determining its next steps.
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