Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claims that the previous NBA season was a failure for him, as he didn’t achieve his goal of repeating as a champion. One of the obvious reasons for that was the fact that OKC injuries definitely derailed their chances. For that reason, Jalen Williams‘ health is becoming a big concern for the Thunder as they seek to put up another title run in the 2026-27 season.
The reigning MVP gave it his all in Game 7 against the Spurs, only to fall short. He didn’t have the services of his number two for most of the series, save for a disastrous performance in Game 6. As the Thunder guard ended up being shut down after that, there are now talks of how his presence next season would make an impact on Oklahoma City’s chances of winning a title again.
Jalen Williams’ Health Looms Large For The Thunder
Williams is one of the key players on the OKC roster. It’s a given fact, considering how he sacrificed so much to play in the 2025 playoffs and help steer Oklahoma City to a championship. Remember, he played with an injured wrist for most of that playoff run, and fans even saw how different wraps were put around it, and J-Dub even claimed that he had painkillers for it as well.
Last season, he encountered tough hamstring injuries, which derailed him for most of the Thunder campaign. The piled-up OKC injuries didn’t help as well, and it cost them their shot at returning to the NBA Finals. Now, Williams has to show up big-time for Oklahoma City moving forward.
The Thunder Big Three Needs to be at Full Strength
Much has been said in criticism of the OKC big three, even when they haven’t really played at their full strength and highest potential. For instance, the 2024 run was their first, and they definitely had their jitters on the big stage.
The 2025 campaign didn’t really see the best of Chet Holmgren as he came back from a major injury. It’s also a surprise that J-Dub revealed an injury by the end of their championship run. Then there’s the flurry of injuries heading into the 2026 campaign. Williams played a short portion and could not even find a way to get back and stay on the court efficiently.
Thunder Big 3 in 2 1/2 quarters tonight
SGA
20 PTS
7-10 FG
2-3 3PT
7 AST
+26JDub
15 PTS
5-9 FG
7 AST
+31Chet
21 PTS
4-5 3PT
7 REB
4 BLK
+30 pic.twitter.com/Hrdi3ki7oa— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) April 6, 2026
Long story short, we have never seen SGA, J-Dub, and Holmgren together in the playoffs as healthy and as elite as they can be in a single playoff run so far. We have seen glimpses of their best so far, and it cannot be denied that their level of play has so much to offer.
If this coming season is going to be any different, J-Dub has to get back to his old, efficient, energetic self. The 2025 playoffs were proof that the Santa Clara product has what it takes to play at a star level, and he’s got to bring that back for OKC. Provided that both SGA and Cheddar stay healthy, this year is worth watching.
J-Dub’s Dynamic On The Floor Was Sorely Missed
Speaking of his star-level play, the Thunder are just a different beast when they have Williams on the floor. With J-Dub in the previous season, OKC boasted a 25-8 record, which is not that bad considering they went 39-10 without him as well. Some would argue that they are actually winning more based on that, but there’s more to the numbers than actually winning.
For starters, they average five more points when they play with Williams. Oklahoma City also shot 50.1% from the field with him and 47.2% without him. In the 2025 playoffs alone, he averaged 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 23 games. That’s a superb J-Dub stat line that most people don’t see, and the Thunder missed that scoring punch they get from him.
OKC's four most dominant frequently used lineups had either Jalen Williams or Ajay Mitchell in them.
Thunder were unable to play any of those lineups in Games 4, 5, 6, or 7 vs the Spurs. https://t.co/HE7ihZC4v3
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) July 6, 2026
But perhaps the biggest difference here is what his presence brings to the court. His energy is different — he can carry and elevate the crowd to a different tier with his explosive plays. J-Dub’s length is also quite a factor on both ends of the floor, and he’s mainly a stabilizer who helps OKC stay big even when fielding their smallest possible lineup.
Williams Is Long Due For A Bigger Breakout
Only averaging above 20 points per game in his career once, J-Dub is expected to have a comeback or a breakout run next season. We have seen the blueprints; the Thunder are about to get better with their recent acquisitions, such as Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz. Isaiah Hartenstein — who often plays pick-and-roll with Williams — has also extended his stay with OKC.
“Last year Jalen Williams got All-NBA for defense, All-NBA for offense and was an All-Star in the same season”
People really underestimating who Jalen Williams really is.
• He’s the 2nd half of the 2 man game
• His speed off the first step when SGA gets doubled
• He can…— BKS Sports (@BKSecretsports) May 31, 2026
Holmgren is due for a bigger redemption run this offseason after his Game 7 blunder. SGA is expected to raise his MVP standards, and having Williams come up with a big season of his own may just be the perfect cherry on top.
Who knows, maybe this will be the big year that the Thunder finally gets to avoid injuries, and finally we get to see the best version of this Oklahoma City squad, with a lot of growth coming from J-Dub.
Featured Image: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
