The Oklahoma City Thunder were already reeling, but Monday night hit different. Reserve guard Alex Caruso went down with a sprained right ankle against the Phoenix Suns, but his injury just piled on to a nightmare start for a team that had serious championship aspirations.
Another Man Down in the Perimeter Rotation
The moment itself was ugly. Just under two minutes before halftime, with the Thunder holding a decent 61-47 lead, Caruso, the veteran super-sub, was hustling on help defense, trying to contest a shot from Suns forward Dillon Brooks. As Brooks drove and jump-stopped, his foot clipped the inside of Caruso’s right ankle. Down he went. You could tell immediately it wasn’t good. He walked off gingerly, with 1:34 left in the second quarter, and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game. Nine minutes on the court, nine points, three assists, two boards. Good effort, but a crushing exit.
A Western Conference Favorite in Absolute Crisis
Look, Caruso’s ankle roll might not be as devastating as some of the other hits they’ve taken, but let’s be real, any more perimeter injuries are a gut punch. Before this game even tipped off, GM Sam Presti dropped a bomb. All-Star swingman Jalen Williams? Dislocated ankle and a fractured fibula. Requires surgery. And Cason Wallace, who they just extended? Torn labrum. Surgery needed there too. We’re talking about two starting five guys likely out for *most if not all* of the season. Let that sink in. This is a team that was widely seen as one of the favorites to come out of the Western Conference and battle for the 2027 NBA Finals. Now? Man, it’s rough.
Depth Is Vanishing Before Our Eyes
And the kicker? The Thunder already thinned out their wing depth this summer. They moved rotation players Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe in what were called “financially motivated transactions.” Smart money moves, maybe, but now? Now those moves are looking like a major problem. Losing Williams, Wallace, and now potentially Caruso for any stretch of time, after already shipping out three other key guys, leaves a gaping hole.
This isn’t just a tough break, it’s a full-blown crisis for OKC’s perimeter. How do they even begin to patch this up? Their aspirations for the 2027 NBA Finals looked so real just a few weeks ago. Now, they’re staring down a brutal season trying to simply stay afloat. You gotta wonder what Sam Presti does next to try and keep this ship from sinking completely.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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