It goes without saying that no one can replace what Jalen Williams provides on both ends of the court. However, after his recent ankle injury, it's expected that the OKC Thunder will now apply for a disabled player exception, a luxury that, at least from a roster-count standpoint, could be used to add a fill-in for J-Dub.
Derrick Jones Jr. seems like the ideal target to pursue should the league honor Oklahoma City's DPE request.
From a skill set standpoint, Jones checks quite a few boxes Williams does for the Thunder rotation. The veteran is a tall, lengthy, multi-positional forward who can stroke it from deep (has shot 36.4 percent from beyond the arc since 2024-25) and plays elite on-ball and help defense while excelling at the point of attack.
On top of this, he's also an effective catch-and-shoot weapon who sported a 56.2 percent effective field goal percentage in such sets a year ago and, during these early stages of 2026-27, has bumped it up to a ridiculous 90.0 percent clip.
Playstyle-wise, Jones is a tremendous fit within this Thunder scheme at either one of the forward positions.
However, what makes him a true no-brainer trade target for the club is his contract details.
Derrick Jones Jr.'s contract is cherry on top of hypothetical Thunder deal
As ESPN's Brian Windhorst revealed in a recent edition of the Hoops Collective, the Thunder now have the ability to apply for a DPE, which, he noted, "they will certainly get." Said exception will have a value of up to roughly $14 million.
Jones's current deal with the Clippers would easily fit into such financial confines.
The veteran's salary for this season is just $10.4 million, so absorbing his contract would be a seamless act.
What's more enticing about Jones' contract details, however, is the fact that he's currently in the final year of his three-year, $30 million pact with LA, meaning he'd be a mere one-year rental option until Williams makes his return.
Given Oklahoma City's excessive financial situation as is for the 2026-27 season, bringing on a player on an expiring deal is a must if they actually use the DPE.
While the Thunder may not be known for making many in-season moves, the recent Jalen Williams injury has them charting through rather unprecedented times. Assuming they get approved for the exception, a pursuit of a Jones trade should be at the top of their "to-do" list.
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