The OKC Thunder dealt with widespread health woes all throughout last year's title-winning campaign.
Even before the 2024-25 season began, the injury bug had already managed to chomp down on a few key members of the rotation, and would continue on to have a feasting frenzy from October all the way through their championship run that ended in June.
Now, as we gear up for their repeat bid in 2025-26, it appears the ball club's core rotation is once again prepping to start off the year at sub-full strength, as the Thunder announced on Monday morning that Kenrich Williams is slated to undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee.
Thunder injury woes continue on with Kenrich Williams
At this time, not much has been made public about the in-depth details of the veteran's injury. Per the Thunder PR team, updates such as an expected rehab timeline "will be provided following the procedure."
Generally speaking, this particular operation is one that sidelines players for a month and change.
Last week, it was revealed that Memphis Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke would also be undergoing an arthroscopic procedure, and, according to the folks at ESPN, he will be reevaluated in six weeks.
With this, the expectation should be that Williams will be met with a similar timeline.
This news now marks the second straight year where the forward will have gone under the knife before seeing any regular season action, as he underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure in his right knee last summer that wound up sidelining him for all of training camp, the preseason, and the first 10 games of the regular season.
Of course, once he returned to the hardwood in early November 2024, Williams immediately started to make a serious impact on the court, something he has consistently done throughout his tenure in the Sooner State.
Since landing with the Thunder back in 2020, he's established himself as a true fan favorite thanks to his strong defense, steady long-range shooting stroke, and captivating effort, earning him the nickname "Kenny Hustle."
Through 69 games last season, Williams played an integral role within Mark Daigneault's rotation, boasting averages of 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 48.3 percent shooting from the floor and 38.6 percent shooting from distance while placing fourth on the team in net rating (minimum 50 games played).
Fortunately for OKC, their depth is more than capable of making up for Williams' absence should he be forced to miss extended time during the early stages of the upcoming season.
Of course, considering their injury struggles last season, coupled with the fact that they're already without rookie Thomas Sorber for the entirety of 2025-26 as he recovers from a torn ACL, there is a chance that this recent news could spark feelings of PTSD among some Thunder fans.