The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a massive blow on Sunday night as multiple starters went down with injuries. While Cason Wallace’s shoulder injury is unfortunate, especially in light of his recent contract extension, Jalen Williams’ horrific leg injury sparks greater concerns.

As a key member of the Thunder rotation, Williams plays a significant role next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, providing scoring and defensive support. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old’s recurring injuries over the last two years have limited his availability and ability to make an impact on the team’s performance.

Jalen Williams has firmly established himself as one of the best two-way players in the league when healthy. However, with injury concerns mounting, along with OKC’s pre-existing luxury tax issues, Heavy’s Sean Deveney believes the Thunder may be willing to replace him this time around. He wrote:

“The Thunder dealt with injuries to Williams most of last season, and while it is not ideal for the team to be without him again, there is a sense that this group might be better suited to play without him this time around… The question is whether backcourt players who were reliable last year can take steps forward to replace Williams’ scoring: Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain.”

One of the most noteworthy aspects of the Thunder is their overall roster depth. Even with key players sidelined, OKC has enough talent within their squad to compensate for these absences. But does this make it easier for them to trade Williams?

According to Deveney, it might, as he noted that New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones could be on their radar.

“After struggling with his shot last year (38.3% from the field and 30.9% from the 3-point line), Jones has seen his minutes plummet from 28.4 to 17.0 this season. He is averaging just 3.3 points coming out of the gate, and for a guy who was a big commodity on the market a year ago, his value has slipped dramatically. It’s possible that Jones could be a target to replace Williams in OKC, in fact.”

When healthy, Herb Jones is considered one of the NBA’s premier wing defenders. With Trey Murphy III‘s rise to stardom in New Orleans, Jones has found himself playing in a reduced role, which has affected his overall production. Despite this, he possesses the potential to be a key contributor.

Given the demand for elite wing defenders in the league today, Herb Jones is bound to have suitors if he is made available on the trade market. But does it make sense for the Thunder to view him as a replacement for Jalen Williams?

The Thunder May Not Benefit From Trading For Herb Jones

For all intents and purposes, Herb Jones has the tools to be a solid fit in OKC’s rotation. Aside from being a phenomenal on-ball defender, Jones has positioned himself as a capable perimeter threat.

Although he struggled to find his stroke during the 2024-25 season, shooting 30.9% from beyond the arc, the forward showed some promise last season, shooting 40.0% from deep over his three appearances.

With career averages of 9.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 45.8% shooting from the field and 35.0% from three-point range, Herb Jones is an asset. When also factoring in his $14.9 million cap hit, acquiring him could help OKC shed considerable salary. Still, this may not be the best move for the Thunder.

Despite his recent run-ins with injury, Jalen Williams has repeatedly proven himself as a valuable piece in OKC’s rotation. With career averages of 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, Williams brings a lot more to the table than Jones. Even though his $41.2 million cap hit will weigh heavily on the team this year in light of his absence, it would be unwise to part with him for Jones.

However, this is not to say that the Thunder should not trade Williams at all. It simply implies that Jones may not be the right target.

While players like Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain have shown promise, the Thunder would see more value in having them solidify the second unit as they eye another title push this season. Hence, one could argue that OKC may see more value in going after a bigger name to replace Williams.

To that end, the notion of trading for Pelicans star Trey Murphy III has also been floated. While this is still speculative, the Thunder may be intrigued by it.