Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams’ injury has hurt the team’s chances after entering 2026-27 with the best championship odds. Still, NBA insider Zach Lowe isn’t ready to seal Williams’ fate. He also believes that the Thunder could be one trade away from saving their season.

If the Thunder haven’t ruled out Williams potentially returning from injury this season, Lowe isn’t ready to do it either, he said, per The Ringer.

“I’m not closing the door on J-Dub returning in the playoffs, assuming that they make the playoffs,” Lowe said. “I’m expecting him to be out for the season, cause we all saw what happened. But, based on what I’ve heard, I’m not closing the door until the Thunder actually publicly close it, and/or he actually publicly closes it.”

"I'm not closing the door on J-Dub returning in the playoffs… based on what I've heard, I'm not closing the door until the Thunder actually publicly close it."

Zach Lowe on the possibility of Jalen Williams coming back for the playoffs 👀

(via @ringer) pic.twitter.com/uaUAkkIMZQ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 3, 2026

The Thunder signed Dalen Terry to a two-year deal Tuesday after pivoting away from plans to sign free agent forward Ochai Agbaji last week. Early in the regular season, Oklahoma City is expected to make a trade before the deadline, especially after losing Chet Holmgren for at least two months while he underwent biological treatment for a patellar tendon tear in his right knee.

Zach Lowe discussed the Thunder’s potential move, floating a trade package that could land a high-caliber player ahead of this year’s deadline.

“We can still make something of this season with a really dramatic win-now trade, like for a big player or two big players, and it would require us sending out a big salary. Maybe it’s Jalen Williams’ salary, and just for a player who’s going to help us this year. That seems extremely un-Thunder-like to me,” Lowe said.

“Maybe it’s Isaiah Hartenstein’s salary; they are most well fortified at his position, and his contract is not very long. Maybe we combine, like, a Sorber plus Kenrich Williams plus something else, get up to like $20 million, and bring back a player that’s worth that amount of money. They can’t really go up too much in salary because of the tax and second apron.”

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The Thunder could end up making a more modest trade. However, trading Jalen Williams seems most unlikely, as Lowe stated, while Oklahoma City’s bevy of first-round picks increases the likelihood of a trade for an impact player who can help the frontcourt.

With Isaiah Hartenstein’s defense increasingly important without Holmgren and in a potential playoff series against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets or a rematch against the San Antonio Spurs, the Thunder will probably keep him for at least this season.