Oklahoma City Thunder Rule Out 6 Players vs. Dallas Mavericks, Including Chet Holmgren And Jalen Williams

DALLAS — The Oklahoma City Thunder have listed Ajay Mitchell as questionable with a right ankle sprain for Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

Oklahoma City has ruled out Alex Caruso (right ankle sprain), Chet Holmgren (right knee patellar tendinitis), Thomas Sorber (right knee surgery), Nikola Topić (low back surgery), Cason Wallace (left shoulder labral tear), and Jalen Williams (left ankle fracture).

The Thunder are 4-0 after sweeping a back-to-back at Paycom Center, beating the LA Clippers 108-101 on Sunday and the Phoenix Suns 125-114 on Monday. Dallas comes in at 2-2 after a 113-109 win over the Miami Heat on Monday, when Cooper Flagg had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Jalen Williams And Cason Wallace Headed For Surgery

Williams was injured with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter Sunday, when his left leg got caught underneath him after a drive to the basket. Play was stopped for about five minutes before he was taken off the floor on a stretcher.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Monday that Williams fractured his fibula and dislocated his left ankle. Wallace, who was also hurt against the Clippers, tore the labrum in his left shoulder. Both players need surgery. Presti did not give a timeline for either one.

Williams, 25, was an All-Star and an All-NBA selection in 2024-25 and was part of the Thunder’s 2025 championship team. Through three starts this season, he averaged 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 38.5% shooting.

“This is an injury that generally we see more in football players,” Presti said. “I spent a lot of time speaking to different doctors and his agents, us, his family, and it’s a surgical situation.”

Wallace was an All-Defensive team selection last season. He started the first three games this season and averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.3 steals.

“I think everybody knows he’s a total warrior and probably would have gone back in the game if we let him,” Presti explained. “So obviously tough night last night. There’s no way to paint that differently.”

Jared McCain started in Wallace’s place Monday and scored 18 points. Mitchell took Williams’ spot in the lineup.

“We gotta have their backs,” Mitchell said. “That’s what we’re focused on, making sure those guys are good mentally and go out there and compete for them.”

Ajay Mitchell Questionable, Chet Holmgren And Alex Caruso Ruled Out

In his first start of the season, Mitchell scored a career-high 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting with 2 rebounds and 5 assists in 25 minutes. He made 9 of his 10 free throws and had 18 points at halftime. Through four games, he is averaging 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.

“Obviously, with those guys out, I knew I probably have to come out and be even more aggressive,” Mitchell explained. “But I gotta stay myself no matter what, no matter who’s in, who’s out, and figure out a way to help the team win.”

Caruso sprained his right ankle late in the second quarter Monday after colliding with another player. He needed help getting to the locker room and did not return. Before leaving, he had 9 points, all on 3-pointers, in 9 minutes. Off the bench this season, Caruso is averaging 9.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.

Holmgren missed Monday’s game with the patellar tendinitis in his right knee, his first absence of the season. Kenrich Williams started in his place. Against the Clippers on Sunday, Holmgren had 10 points and 4 rebounds. He is averaging 12.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 3.0 blocks in three games.

Neither Topić nor Sorber has played this season. Topić, the 12th overall pick in 2024, had a lumbar microdiscectomy in Dallas on June 13, and the team said then that he would be ready for the start of training camp. Sorber, the 15th overall pick in 2025 out of Georgetown, tore the ACL in his right knee during an offseason workout and missed all of last season. The Thunder announced July 1 that he had an arthroscopic procedure on the same knee.

Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CT at American Airlines Center. The game airs nationally on ESPN.