In the aftermath of the gut-wrenching injuries to both Jalen Williams (dislocated left ankle/ fractured fibula) and Cason Wallace (torn labrum), the OKC Thunder are expected to apply for two separate Disabled Player Exceptions.
If granted by the league, Oklahoma City will be allowed to add a player via trade, free agency, or off waivers whose salary falls within $15.04 million with the Williams DPE and $3.7 million with Wallace's.
Though the former range should be reserved for a higher-priced commodity who could potentially take on some of the duties now unaccounted for as a result of Williams and Wallace's shelving, the latter could be a range the Thunder may be willing to experiment with.
Should their experimentation be open to morale boosters in these times of hardship, they should strongly consider the idea of reuniting with franchise legend Russell Westbrook for a feel-good last dance for the ages.
Thunder could easily sign Russell Westbrook with Cason Wallace DPE
When Westbrook announced his retirement back in August, it came as quite a shock to fans, pundits, and players alike.
Though in the twilight years of his Hall of Fame career, the nine-time All-Star still found himself producing at a rather high level in the league. Most recently, through 64 games with the Kings during the 2025-26 campaign, he posted solid averages of 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.
Despite reports that a number of teams were interested in giving the veteran a new deal for the 2026-27 season, Westbrook instead decided to call it a career.
However, this doesn't mean he can't be enticed to lace them up for one last hurrah. In fact, some have already gone on record predicting that the 2017 MVP "might be back," arguing that he's still "got a lot left" in the tank.
Riding out into the sunset with his beloved Thunder at a time when they find themselves in serious anguish and turmoil could actually be the ideal scenario for The Brodie.
Not only would he be a gem of an add from a sheer leadership and team spirit standpoint, but he could also prove to be a quality on-court contributor as well, for not only could this Thunder squad use more offensive firepower with J-Dub no longer in the mix, but they could also stand to add another talent to their backcourt rotation, what with the loss of Wallace.
Assuming it wouldn't cost more than the veteran minimum to sign him anyway, reuniting with such a beloved figure with the lower-valued DPE could be the perfect way for both him and the Thunder to end the Westbrook era in storybook fashion.
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