As the confetti settles from the Oklahoma City’s NBA Championship victory, reality is start to set in. Jalen Williams, an integral piece to the Thunder’s title run, will undergo wrist surgery during the offseason.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti told reporters that Williams played through the issue for about two months, and he should be ready for the start of next season.
Williams played the best year of his young career, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in the regular season. He earned his first All-Star, All-Defensive Team and All-NBA Third Team nods. He showed up in the postseason as well, averaging 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Williams also dropped a memorable 40 points in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
While it is far from ideal for an injury to occur on Williams’ shooting hand, there are no long-term concerns with the injury. Presti was extremely optimistic about his recovery timeline, with the expectation being that he will be ready to go by training camp. For now, the 24-year-old will enjoy some well-earned time away as the ligament heals.
The Thunder got over the championship hump this season, but are uniquely positioned to continue contending. While they cannot be crowned the next dynasty just yet, Oklahoma City enters next season as the clear title favorite with +225 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Houston Rockets hold the next-best odds at +750.
