How Will OKC Thunder's Injuries Affect its Regular Season Start?

Two key players in the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup — Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein — both sustained injuries during the preseason.

Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talks to center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the first quarter against Houston at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a successful 4-1 finish in the preseason, but two injuries caused it to end on a sour note.

It started when Isaiah Hartenstein suffered a fracture in his left hand on Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets, which will sideline him for the next 5-6 weeks. Two days later, Jalen Williams was struck with a left ankle sprain against the Atlanta Hawks, although it's been determined as "not severe."

Although Williams is likely able to suit up for Oklahoma City by the time its season-opener rolls around against Denver on Thursday, Oct. 24, it's still a small injury that it would've liked to avoid in the preseason. Hartenstein, on the other hand, is a much more serious case.

Unless his injury recovery speeds up faster than expected, Hartenstein will miss the entirety of November, along with the final week stretch in October. That leaves the Thunder without its newest signee — and biggest free agent contract in franchise history — for a significant portion of the season.

Still, Oklahoma City shouldn't have any problems in the early part of the year, even with the injuries.

With Williams' injury being minor, the Thunder will nearly be at full strength. It didn't have Hartenstein last season and it finished as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, so it has plenty of options to help fill in the hole in the lineup until his return.

Ideally Hartenstein would've been able to start the year and get more comfortable within the Oklahoma City lineup, but it won't be too much of a factor in it still being able to win games without him. There's no need to panic for he or the team, once the time comes for him to make his regular season debut, both sides will be in good standing.

Obviously, no matter the severity of an injury, the preseason is the worst time to suffer an injury. It's merely to get reps before the real competition begins, and losing a player during it puts the start to the regular season at a disadvantage.

It might be a longer wait for Hartenstein than expected, but those 5-6 weeks will fly by in the grand scheme of the 82-game season.

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