Oklahoma City’s starting lineup isn’t what it expected when the season began, but its veteran forward has been effective in his new role.

The Thunder’s season has been partially decimated by injuries up to this point, but their championship DNA has been on display amid a 7-2 start. Still near the top of the Western Conference standings, the Thunder have been able to find success despite missing some of their best players. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played at an MVP level, Ajay Mitchell has looked like an All-Star and the young players have started to get more comfortable with their roles. While those storylines have dominated the Thunder’s past few games, they’ve also gotten some overlooked contributions from their veterans, especially Kenrich Williams. 

In his seventh season in Oklahoma City, Williams was anticipated to have a larger role, given who the team lost in the offseason. However, no one expected him to have such an important role at this stage in the year. 

Since the Thunder lost three starters to injury in the third game of the season, Williams has become a staple in the starting five. On the floor at tipoff for the Thunder’s past six contests, Williams has showcased why Oklahoma City brought him back in the offseason. 

Playing at both the three and the four for Mark Daigneault in that span, Williams has been a much-needed swiss army knife for the Thunder. With three double-digit scoring performances in that span, Williams has been a key piece of what the Thunder have been doing. 

Even when he’s not having a great scoring night, Williams gives the Thunder stability, which is something that was in question after the team suffered so many injuries. With Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe departing in the offseason, Williams has become the Thunder’s go-to innings eater.

Any time he’s on the floor, the Thunder don’t have to worry about him making a negative impact. A smart player who has value on both ends and understands his role, Williams has filled several voids at once for the Thunder while also bringing veteran leadership. 

Add in his seven seasons of chemistry with Gilgeous-Alexander, and his fit in the starting five has been seamless, even if he hasn’t spent much time in that starting group over the past few years. The Thunder will continue to experiment and figure out their situation more as the season progresses, but it seems likely that Williams will be in that starting five for the foreseeable future.