According to the team, and via HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Oklahoma City Thunder wing Kenrich Williams underwent surgery for his right knee. Per the report, Williams will be re-evaluated after preseason. Furthermore, there is a real chance he will miss time to begin the regular season.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams underwent a successful arthroscopic debridement procedure in his right knee today at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York with Thunder medical personnel present. Williams will be re-evaluated after the preseason, team says. pic.twitter.com/GgYJp7scjN
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 17, 2024
The 29-year-old has spent the last four seasons of his career with the Thunder. Last season, however, he assumed the smallest role of his stint with the team. In 69 games played, Williams only started one game. On the year, he averaged 4.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 14.9 minutes per game. All of these numbers were his worst with the Thunder. Additionally, he shot 46.8% from the field and 39.7% from the three-point line.
Oklahoma City Thunder Wing Reportedly Underwent Major Surgery
How the Thunder Will Replace Kenrich Williams
While he played a minor role with the team last season, Williams is still a notable loss for the Thunder. At 6’6″, he has the size to play either forward positions or shooting guard. Especially for the Thunder, this type of versatility is always important. Furthermore, he is a good defender and is a decent shooter. His offensive game is not entirely reliable. However, as a backup, Williams provides a lot of value to the Thunder.
In his absence, Oklahoma City will likely rely even more on their forwards. This includes players like Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort, who have already established themselves on this Thunder team. However, they will also rely a bit more on players who now have the opportunity to further develop their game and cement their spot in the rotation. This is especially true for players like Aaron Wiggins and Ousmane Dieng.
It should be noted, however, that it is still unknown if Williams will miss any time in the regular season. However, preseason will not end for the Thunder until October 17 against the Atlanta Hawks. That is exactly one month from today. He may be back before the start of the season, but this timeline is certainly something worth monitoring.
Where the Thunder Stand Without Kenrich Williams
Losing Williams for any time in the regular season would hurt. However, the Thunder are a title contender for a reason. They are led by the reigning Coach of the Year, Mark Daigneault, and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Furthermore, the team signed Isaiah Hartenstein from the New York Knicks and acquired Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls. The Thunder stand as one of the favorites to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals next year. With their additions, as well as the fact that they finished as the No. 1 seed last season, Oklahoma City has a legitimate case to be considered a championship contender.
The Thunder will begin their season on October 24 against the Denver Nuggets. Just a couple of years ago, this team was a perennial lottery team. Now, they have the chance to do something they could not do even with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the team–bring a championship to Oklahoma City.
