With the Denver Nuggets matching the OKC Thunder's offer to forward Spencer Jones, the blue and orange are right back where they started in terms of filling their last official roster spot.
On paper, Jones would have been a perfect fit in Oklahoma City. At 6-foot-7, he presented a physical perimeter presence that the team lost when they traded Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks.
Now that they missed out on the forward, it adds pressure on the lone man who fits a similar mold. Veteran Kenrich Williams may be expected to fill the void left by Dort, and he may or may not be ready to do so.
This offseason, GM Sam Presti replaced Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins' spots on the roster with Bennett Stirtz and Aday Mara, with an expectation that unproven youngsters Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic step into larger roles.
While the transactions bolstered the team's depth at the rim and the top of the key, they left the wings, primarily the forward positions, extremely thin.
Outside of Jalen Williams, Kenrich is the only player on the roster who can effectively play the forward position. While Caruso is more than capable of defending forwards when needed, his minutes will likely remain capped, especially during the regular season.
Thunder may be forced to ask more of Kenrich Williams out of necessity
Offensively, Williams played respectably last season. He shot 47.3 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent from deep.
But it was the defensive end in which he struggled.
The eight-year man had a 109.5 defensive rating, good for the worst on the Thunder among players who logged at least 45 regular-season games. He also had a 52.5 percent defensive field goal percentage.
The only player who produced worse was Payton Sandfort, who played in just four contests.
Whether he is ready for it or not, Williams will be asked to play a larger role in the 2026-27 season.
With over 4,700 minutes vacated as a result of the three departed wings, someone will have to fill the void.
Cason Wallace and Jared McCain will enjoy elevated roles, while the aforementioned Stirtz will certainly help out on smaller guards, but Kenrich Williams is the only one big enough to man up against larger forwards without sacrificing athleticism.
If Presti cannot find another big-bodied forward at a discounted rate via free agency, OKC might be staring at a situation in which Kenrich serves as Jalen Williams' backup.
If Dub experiences injury problems yet again, much of the Thunder's season could hinge on the development of the 31-year-old forward.
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