The Oklahoma City Thunder might have another option after losing two important players to injuries that require surgery.
ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks revealed Monday that the Thunder can apply for disabled player exceptions for both Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace.
The potential salary cap relief could give general manager Sam Presti another avenue to reinforce a roster suddenly missing two key contributors.
However, neither exception has been approved, and Oklahoma City has not announced plans to apply.
Bobby Marks Reveals Thunder’s Potential Roster Options
According to Marks, Oklahoma City can seek a disabled player exception for each injured player.
The NBA requires an independent medical determination that a player is substantially more likely than not to remain sidelined through June 15.
That means surgery alone does not guarantee approval.
If granted, an exception could allow the Thunder to sign an eligible replacement or acquire one through a trade, subject to league restrictions.
However, the physician designated by the NBA has to determine if either player will be out until June 15.
Despite being over the first apron (they can also exceed Apron 2), OKC is allowed to use
The amount would be limited to the lesser of half the injured player’s salary or the applicable non-taxpayer midlevel exception.
Marks noted that Oklahoma City already operates above the first luxury tax apron, complicating potential roster moves.
For now, the exceptions represent a possibility, not an imminent transaction.
OKC Faces Uncertain Timelines for Williams, Wallace
The discussion follows a disastrous injury sequence during Sunday’s 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Williams suffered a fractured left fibula and dislocated left ankle after landing awkwardly on a drive to the basket.
He left the court on a stretcher, offering fans two thumbs up as medical personnel wheeled him away.
Wallace suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder earlier in the game.
Both players will require surgery, Presti confirmed Monday.
The Thunder have not established recovery timelines.
“We’re extremely optimistic about the recovery for both the players,” Presti said.
Still, Oklahoma City faces the prospect of an extended stretch without an All-Star forward and one of its top perimeter defenders.
Thunder’s Offseason Trades Leave Depth Exposed
The injuries also cast Oklahoma City’s offseason decisions in a different light.
The Thunder traded longtime starter Lu Dort and reserves Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe to avoid the NBA’s second luxury tax apron.
Dort and Wiggins went to Atlanta, while Joe landed in Detroit. Oklahoma City received seven second-round picks across the three deals.
Those moves preserved financial flexibility as expensive extensions for Williams and Chet Holmgren took effect.
But they also stripped away three proven rotation players who could have helped absorb the current losses.
Dort’s perimeter defense would have been especially valuable with Wallace sidelined. Wiggins offered reliable scoring and positional versatility, while Joe provided outside shooting.
Keeping all three would have created significant financial consequences. Nevertheless, their departures now leave the Thunder with fewer established options.
Presti previously acknowledged that the Dort trade was a financial decision designed to preserve the franchise’s long-term competitiveness.
Now that calculation faces an unexpected test.
Oklahoma City can lean more heavily on Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain while waiting for Williams and Wallace to recover.
The Thunder also have the option of exploring outside help if the NBA approves disabled player exceptions.
Whether Presti ultimately makes a move could depend on how well Oklahoma City’s remaining rotation handles the added responsibility.
The Thunder chose financial flexibility over retaining their championship-tested depth. Just three games into the new season, that trade-off has become impossible to ignore.
Thunder Could Get Major Roster Lifeline After Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace Injuries