What was widely known for a while became official on Monday. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without Jalen Williams for 2025-26 Opening Night. He continues to recover from wrist surgery that repaired the torn ligament he played through during the playoffs.

Williams will participate in the pregame ceremonies of the NBA championship banner drop and rings handed out. But he won’t suit up against the Houston Rockets as Kevin Durant debuts for his new team. Instead, he’ll watch from the sidelines as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren step up.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the expectation is Williams won’t miss an extended amount of time. That’s good to hear for the Thunder, as they will need their All-NBA player to return. Until that happens, though, here are four players who could step up in his absence:

Chet Holmgren

Last season, Holmgren had to sit back. He saw Williams receive the accolades that he hoped would’ve been his. A first-time All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense member. While he was surely happy for his happy, you can’t help but feel envy. Now, he’ll get the chance to get his. He’ll be relied upon to be OKC’s second-best player.

The Thunder will need Holmgren to step up as a scorer. That means hunting his shot even more. The seven-footer has the size to attack the basket and get to the free-throw line. The beginning of the season should also provide him some fresh legs to hit his outside shots. This is a prime opportunity to be OKC’s second-best player from the jump.

Ajay Mitchell

A lot has been made about Mitchell’s offseason. He crossed off an NBA champioship on his bucket list, but the 23-year-old had plenty of reasons not to take the summer off to celebrate. A promising rookie start was cut short with turf toe surgery that knocked him out for three months. When he returned, he was on the outside of OKC’s playoff rotation.

With Williams out, Williams will get a chance to run the bench lineup. Nobody else can do that when Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor. It’ll be his time to see if he’s capable enough to be a backup ball-handler. He’ll mostly be a driving scorer, but can make the textbook read. That should suffice.

Aaron Wiggins

Arguably the third-best shot creator, the Thunder will lean on Wiggins even more. Especially with Isaiah Joe also out. He had a career season last year, as he averaged 12 points on 48.8% shooting. The efficiency suggests he could add more to his plate. He’ll get those chances when Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor.

Wiggins has developed into a player who could score their own bucket. He can break a defender down. He’s a smooth driver to the basket. Once he gains a rhythm, he becomes creative with his finishes around the basket. The outside shot has also turned into a weapon. He can score off the dribble or on catch-and-shoot looks. They will need his scoring to make up for Williams’ 20-plus point absence.

Cason Wallace

Both sides could benefit from a Year 3 leap. A lot of excitement surrounds Wallace. He spent plenty of the preseason as a primary ball-handler. He’s been one of the best 3-and-D role players in his first two seasons, but the 21-year-old can do more. This could be the platform for him to do that.

Regardless if Wallace starts, he should grab some of Williams’ vacated shot attempts. That could include some drives to the basket. His athleticism should make him a threat if a lane opens up. The playmaking still needs some work, but has shown to make basic reads. His chemistry with Isaiah Hartenstein should help.