Injuries are part of the game, and championships often go to the most fortunate teams - not just the most talented.
However, not all injuries are equal. The Pistons are currently without their $200-million center, but Jalen Duren's hamstring strain should sideline him for only a matter of weeks. Even Kawhi Leonard's swollen knee isn't quite a five-alarm fire for the Raptors (yet), and Orlando seemed to dodge a bullet with Jalen Suggs' latest issue.
But one injury sustained Sunday night will have season-long consequences, as the loss of Jalen Williams could throw a wrench into Oklahoma City's best-laid plans.
Williams suffered the type of gruesome leg injury that can be just as emotionally devastating as it is professionally. Once Williams' teammates get over the shock of losing their star swingman in such a horrific fashion, they'll have to figure out how to contend without him.
The Thunder entered the season as championship favorites for a reason. Reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is, at worst, a top-three player on the planet. Star big man Chet Holmgren anchors a ferocious defense stocked with on-ball hounds like Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace. The roster is full of two-way difference-makers and disruptive defenders, including rookie big man Aday Mara, who proved his worth in an opening-night matchup against Victor Wembanyama's Spurs.
But as we saw last season, Williams is often the difference between Oklahoma City looking like a standard juggernaut and an inevitable force. At his best, Williams' three-level abilities, secondary scoring in support of Gilgeous-Alexander, and two-way play tip the scales in OKC's favor. Remember, he made an All-NBA team and an All-Defensive team as the second-best player on a championship squad in only his third season. Williams makes the Thunder nearly flawless.
Oklahoma City should still rack up a ton of wins without Williams, as it did last year when wrist and hamstring injuries limited him to 33 games. However, the team's big-picture goals just don't feel as attainable without his unique combination of size, scoring, playmaking, and physicality. Williams' availability and his diminished play were the biggest reason OKC didn't repeat as champions last season. The big question is, how can the Thunder fill the void?
They likely won't. While Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain are great scoring options off the bench and can slot in as starters in specific roles, expecting either to emerge as a No. 2 option on a title hopeful is asking too much. Same goes for the recently extended Wallace, who doesn't have the offensive chops for such an elevated role. Aside from Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, no one on the roster has ever averaged 16 points per game or posted a 25% usage rate in a season.
What was supposed to be the league's best team on paper - and the contender that appeared most ready through the season's first week - suddenly looks like a club without the secondary scoring or size on the wings to survive an entire championship journey. And those are just the short-term concerns. Williams is under contract through 2031 on a deal that'll pay him between 25% and 27% of the annual salary cap.
Meanwhile, the Thunder project as a second-apron team as soon as next season. They have surplus draft picks and intriguing young talent to dangle on the trade market, but for a cash-strapped club in the age of aprons, turning those assets into a star-level replacement for Williams doesn't seem feasible. It's also not in general manager Sam Presti's nature.
Barring a stunning development in the trade market or a miraculously early return to the court for Williams, the Thunder will likely have to make do with what they have. It's still an advantageous position compared to most of the league, but it's not the overwhelming edge Presti and Co. planned for.
Contenders in San Antonio and around the league surely smell blood. But Williams' grotesque injury is a sobering reminder of how fragile championship windows are and how thin the margin for error is at the top. Oklahoma City might be the one team that can survive such a blow.
Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead NBA reporter.
