Thunder’s Jalen Williams will need surgery for a broken leg and dislocated ankle

The timetable for Wallace’s return also will be set after surgery, but such procedures typically require several months of rehabilitation. Williams was an All-Defensive team selection in 2024-25; Wallace was picked to that team last season.

“Tough night last night,” Presti said. “There’s no way to paint that differently. We say within our walls all the time there’s a difference between being positive and being optimistic. Not going to sit up here and say this is exactly where we want to be or this is how we’d like to have it, but at the same time, we’re extremely optimistic about the recovery for both the players. Most importantly, things could have been a lot worse.”

The Thunder have experienced major injury-related challenges in recent years, including Chet Holmgren missing the entirety of what would have been his rookie season with a foot issue. The team’s 2024 first-round pick, Nikola Topic, missed all but 10 games in the previous two seasons — first because of a torn ACL, then with testicular cancer. And Williams missed 49 regular-season games a year ago with an array of issues, mostly wrist and hamstring problems.

“We’ve had some tough, uniquely tough, circumstances over the last few years,” Presti said. “One of the things I tried to say to the staff this morning when I talked to them was we can’t get to the point where we feel like this is a common situation. But that being said, it’s our situation.”

Williams was injured on a drive with 1:14 remaining against the Clippers. He was tended to almost immediately by medical personnel after going down underneath the basket on the Thunder’s offensive end.

Williams’ ankle was draped by towels and players from both teams reacted with dismay and disbelief as a stretcher was brought out. The game was stopped for about five minutes.

Williams — who has averaged 17.9 points in 251 games over his first five seasons — has already been an All-Star and an All-NBA selection, and he was a huge part of the Thunder team that won the 2025 NBA title.

The Thunder entered this season as a co-favorite with the Spurs to win the NBA title. Oklahoma City will — in time — likely make some decisions about applying for a disabled player exception or even using its stockpile of future draft picks to try and make trades and keep a title-hopeful team in contention.

Those conversations, for now, can wait.

“I haven’t thought about anything related to the roster spot,” Presti said.

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Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Thunder’s Jalen Williams will need surgery for a broken leg and dislocated ankle

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