Can the Oklahoma City Thunder thrive without Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace? ESPN's Stephen A Smith isn't convinced following a devastating opening week. Adding to the unfortunate injury list, Thunder All-Star Chet Holmgren is ruled out indefinitely with right knee tendinitis. He underwent a biological treatment that will keep him sidelined for eight to 10 weeks.

Coming off an injury-plagued 2025-26 season, Williams' season-ending fibula fracture and dislocated left ankle drastically change the Thunder's title hopes, Smith said, per ESPN's First Take.

“That's so sad. He's a terrific player; a two-way player. He's a champion. We saw him drop a 40 piece in the Finals a couple of years back. If he were healthy last year with Ajay Mitchell, I don't think San Antonio would have been in the Finals. I think it would have been OKC,” Smith said. “But injuries are part of the game. They come with the territory. And to lose him and Cason Wallace as well. To have the plethora of injuries that they've had, they'll be in the mix.

“They'll have something to say, but I just think it's a lot to ask to lose people like that. I'm not going to tell you that the die is cast that it's the definitive because Ajay Mitchell is still there, and him with a Shai butter, I think, can do some damage. But that would call on him to elevate his level of play to join Shai in the mix on a more consistent basis. But right now, it's hard, looking at the powers that be in the Western Conference. It's hard to imagine OKC to be able to overcome the kind of loss they just suffered from. It really is,” Smith concluded.

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Starting in place of Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 30 points in a 125-114 win against the Phoenix Suns and 29 points against the Dallas Mavericks, the Thunder's first regular-season loss. Jared McCain got the nod for Cason Wallace in the Thunder's starting lineup, while Kenrich Williams has taken Holmgren's spot in Oklahoma City's past two outings.

The Thunder will face the Houston Rockets on Saturday.