OKC Thunder Hoping For Better Luck With Injuries Next Season

Oklahoma City just couldn't seem to stay healthy throughout the year.

Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) grabs the back of his right leg after a play against the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Thunder will need health to be in their favor next season. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t have the season they would have liked, as they fell short in the Western Conference Finals to the San Antonio Spurs. Although multiple parts of Oklahoma City’s game could have been better, there is no denying that injuries definitely played a part in the Thunder going home early. 

OKC was without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell for the majority of the series, and in the end, it hurt the team greatly. Mitchell was the team’s second leading scorer in the playoffs, averaging 15.1 points per game, and was even averaging 4.3 assists per night. 

Williams was also missed very much by OKC, averaging 14.4 points on 51.8% shooting from the floor. These injuries came at a horrible time, but unfortunately, these were not the only times in the season when the Thunder had to deal with players being gone due to injury. 

Williams had a rough regular season as well, as the All-NBA player just a year ago only played in 33 games this season. He did his best to still find his rhythm, as he averaged over 17 points a game, but it wasn’t the same as his standout performance the season before. 

Mitchell had the same problem in the regular season as well, with the young guard only playing in 57 games. He was really coming into his game as he put up 13.6 points per game as just a second-year player. You have to wonder if the injuries stopped him from developing even more, and what he could turn into next season if he has better luck with health. 

Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein also had trouble with his health this year, playing in just 47 contests for OKC. Between the calf strains and ankle troubles, Hartenstein barely played in over half the games this season. This limited OKC to the lineups they could use in the regular season, which was a double-edged sword, as in some games it hurt them, but it allowed for other players to get in-game opportunities. 

Even with the Thunder being plagued with injuries throughout the whole year, they were still able to grab the top spot in the league and fight their way up until the conference finals. We saw in 2025 how OKC can play when their squad is healthy, as they won their first NBA Championship. Now, the Thunder are hoping that they can get healthy once again for next season, and if they are able to do so, they could find themselves hoisting another trophy.