Jaylin Williams irritated his strained right hamstring during a workout on Tuesday, the Thunder announced (via Twitter). The third-year big man will have his condition reevaluated in four-to-six weeks.
Williams hasn’t played yet this season due to the injury, which he originally suffered in training camp. The team stated in early October that he would miss the remainder of camp and the entire preseason while rehabbing the hamstring.
Williams was a valuable backup for Oklahoma City last season, averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 69 games while shooting 36.8% from three-point range. His playing time was likely to decline this season with the addition of center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, but Hartenstein’s fractured left hand has left the team shorthanded in the middle for another month or so.
The Thunder have been using Chet Holmgren at center with a smaller lineup around him, and that strategy will probably continue until Williams and Hartenstein can return.
Williams, 22, was selected with the 34th pick in the 2022 draft. He signed a four-year contract that runs through the end of next season.
This type of player would never survive in any other era