With injuries to Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams stretching Oklahoma City’s rotation, Kenrich Williams has resurfaced at exactly the wrong time to be ignored. After long disappearance into garbage-time minutes, he delivered 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting acros
For stretches of this postseason, Kenrich Williams looked like a name fading into the background. From March 21 onward, he essentially played only garbage-time minutes for Oklahoma City, even as the playoffs rolled on.
Then the injuries came. With injuries to Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams, the Oklahoma City Thunder needed to dip further into their rotation than they initially planned this postseason. The change created openings—and it also created surprises.
Jared McCain, who was largely out of the rotation at the start of the playoffs, emerged as the team’s hottest shooter. Across his last nine games, McCain is shooting 38.2% from 3-point range. He’s looked fearless despite his youth and lack of playoff experience.
Alex Caruso also took on a larger scoring role when he’s been called upon. Chet Holmgren, too, answered his doubters in Game 5 with an aggressive performance.
But perhaps the most striking reappearance in the Western Conference Finals belonged to veteran forward Kenrich Williams. Out of everyone in the regular-season rotation, Williams was seemingly removed from playoff consideration the earliest.
His resurgence has arrived at the precise moment a rotation can’t afford dead weight.
Between Games 4 and 5, Williams amassed 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. In Game 5, he made a pair of pivotal 3-pointers that helped Oklahoma City sustain their wire-to-wire lead over San Antonio.
The Thunder’s offensive needs have been impossible to ignore—especially with both Jalen Williams and Mitchell in the lineup earlier in the season. But this is where Williams’ impact refuses to fit the usual “replace the scorer” narrative.
There’s no real way to replace the offensive impact of both Jalen Williams and Mitchell, even with the depth Oklahoma City has. That’s not what Williams has been asked to do.
Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe have seen action this postseason without finding the same offensive spark. Wiggins has yet to make a single 3-pointer across 68 minutes on the court. Joe has been relatively efficient, but he’s struggled to make a serious offensive impact.
Williams has provided something those two haven’t: the kind of physical presence that can slow down a defense—and the discipline to make the right play when the floor tilts toward chaos.
The coaching decision matters. Mark Daigneault is one of the most acute coaches in the NBA, and his willingness to grant Williams some run points to a simple need: an extra ounce of strength to counter the Spurs’ offensive attack.
That’s what Williams has always brought to Oklahoma City’s rotation. A smart, veteran presence who’s willing to make the right plays on offense and get down in the mud on defense when called upon.
And now the uncomfortable timing: as Oklahoma City faces second-apron penalties this offseason, Williams’ time with the team will likely come to an end. He’s even facing a team option this offseason.
If this is his last stretch in a Thunder uniform, it doesn’t look like a farewell tour. It looks like proof of value delivered in the one place where teams can’t afford nostalgia—on a stage where injuries force decisions, and minutes don’t lie.
Kenrich Williams Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference Finals Jared McCain Alex Caruso Chet Holmgren Ajay Mitchell Jalen Williams Spurs Mark Daigneault second-apron penalties team option