This is devastating news out of Oklahoma City.

Jalen Williams suffered a dislocated left ankle and fractured fibula from a horrific fall during Sunday’s win over the Clippers, news Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced Monday in a media briefing. While Presti wouldn’t discuss a return timeline, Williams will miss most — and more likely all — of the remainder of this season.

“This is an injury that generally we see more in football players,” Presti said, adding that the former All-Star was in good spirits. “I spent a lot of time speaking to different doctors and his agents, us, his family, and it’s a surgical situation.”

In that same game, starting guard Cason Wallace left with a shoulder injury which turned out to be a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Presti said. That will also require surgery and, again, while Presti won’t give a timeline, Wallace is likely out for an extended period of time, if not the season.

“I think everybody knows he’s a total warrior and probably would have gone back in the game if we let him,” Presti said of Wallace. “So obviously tough night last night. There’s no way to paint that differently.”

Both players were major contributors to the Thunder’s 2025 championship run, and both were key to OKC’s plans to return to the Finals.

Through three games, Williams has averaged 13.7 points and 4.7 rebounds a game, but those numbers undersell his two-way value. While he’s struggled with his shot (38.5% so far this season), he’s stepped up in clutch moments. When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an off night against Denver, Williams stepped up with 21 points to secure the win. Just having him on the court as a secondary shot creator and threat took a lot of pressure off SGA.

Wallace took on a major defensive role for the Thunder to start the season, but his offense was still coming around, averaging 6.3 points per game and shooting 30% from 3-point range. Still, he was a key cog in an elite defense.

Both players were starters and played key roles in the Thunder’s 3-0 start. Expect Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain to get more run now to try and fill in those huge gaps.

When asked whether these injuries might push the Thunder to make a trade to help fill out the roster, Presti said he hasn’t thought about it yet.

“For me, the last not even 24 hours, whatever it’s been, it’s all about people,” Presti said. “I know you got to ask the question… but I really haven’t given a lot of thought to that. Right now, it’s about those two guys, their families.”

Oklahoma City can file for a disabled player exception for both Williams and Wallace, which would give them some financial flexibility to bring in another player (however, this would require a league doctor to say that the player is very likely to be out past June 15). Williams’ salary would let them bring in a player being paid up to $15 million, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks, however, that does not open up a roster spot. Both Williams and Wallace are under contract with the Thunder through at least 2031.

Presti also talked up Oklahoma City and the Thunder culture.

“I’m 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,” Presti said. “Most importantly, you know, things could have been a lot worse. And I think in these types of situations, it’s important to kind of take stock, take a step back, realize we’re dealing with people, realize we’re dealing with the greatest athletes in the world. They’re going to be back out there. They’ll be playing for our team. They’ll be representing our city and our state in short order…

“We’re, as an organization, and also as a city and a community, this is what we’re built for. This is the kind of thing that gets thrown at you here, and you just plow right through it. You walk through punches, and you step over roadblocks. And I think our guys are ready to do that. But it’s certainly disappointing. I don’t want to sugarcoat that for anybody.”