Oklahoma City received devastating news late Sunday night after dropping its second game of the season in a home loss to the Golden State Warriors. Star center Chet Holmgren will be out for the foreseeable future due to a serious hip injury, which will certainly overshadow the Thunder’s stellar start to the season.

With an 8-2 record, Oklahoma City looked like one of the NBA’s most dominant teams. An injury to Holmgren certainly changes things and will be a huge loss for the rotation. Holmgren is irreplaceable as a potential All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The hope now is that the Thunder will have Holmgren ready for game action before the playoffs begin so the team can still earn a championship. Given the given timetable, that is certainly a possibility.

But what does that mean for the Thunder in the meantime? Isaiah Hartenstein And Jaylin Williams should both be nearing a return, which will certainly help. Kenrich WilliamsHowever, it will be active for the first time all season on Monday evening.

Williams wasn’t a big part of the rotation when Holmgren was added to the lineup a season ago, but he was an integral part of Oklahoma City’s attempt to turn this tide. When the Thunder made the play-in in the 2022-2023 season, and even the season before that, Williams was the start of Oklahoma City’s small-ball operation.

While the Holmgren news is devastating on many fronts, Oklahoma City’s small-ball lineup is a big part of the team’s success this season. Williams knows what it’s like to fill the undersized center role and has more knowledge of the attack and skills around him than anyone else. Even with Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams returning, Kenrich Williams could continue to operate the small-ball lineup with ease. It’s just back to his bread and butter as a player.

It may not seem like his return is a big deal, but it certainly could be. He brings the strength and grit that the Thunder desperately need, and the willingness to bounce back that the team will miss. His experience in the system and his ability to step in and help guard Oklahoma City’s tough lineups will be key. The Thunder could try to run him back, but Williams should help this team in Holmgren’s absence.

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