Midway through September, the Oklahoma City Thunder are close enough to the 2026-27 regular season that positional questions are no longer hypothetical. The small forward spot is one of them, and the answer starts and largely ends with Jalen Williams.
Williams is the projected starter. He is an efficient 20-point scorer and plays at an All-Defense level. Those two facts explain why Oklahoma City can treat the position as settled at the top of the depth chart even as the season approaches.
Jalen Williams: The Starter
Williams enters the season as an All-NBA talent, a designation that reflects how much the Thunder rely on him at both ends. He is the ideal running mate for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Robin to Gilgeous-Alexander’s Batman. That comparison is not a slight. It describes a player good enough to carry a heavy load without needing to be the center of attention.
The Scottie Pippen comparisons that have followed Williams are not worth scoffing at. Like Pippen, Williams can be the second option on a contender while still being one of the best all-around forwards in the league. The comparison fits because of what Williams does on both ends, not because of any stylistic imitation.
There is a caveat. Williams had injury concerns last year, and that affected his season. He faded into the background for stretches, which is unusual for a player of his caliber. The Thunder need him healthy and available, because their margin for error at small forward is thin.
Oklahoma City fell five wins short of back-to-back ambitions last season. That shortfall is not solely on Williams, but his availability and production matter to a team that remains a title favorite. When Williams is on the floor, the Thunder have a two-way forward who can score efficiently and defend at a high level. When he is not, the drop-off is significant.
Depth Behind Williams
Behind Williams, the Thunder have Brooks Barnhizer and Otega Oweh. Both are two-way players, and both are the only pure small forwards on the roster behind Williams. That is a narrow pipeline.
Barnhizer and Oweh are developmental pieces. Expecting significant contributions from either in the 2026-27 season would be optimistic. They provide depth in name, but the Thunder will likely need to look elsewhere for reliable minutes at the three.
That elsewhere could be the frontcourt. Oklahoma City has frontcourt players who may fill in at small forward, giving the coaching staff flexibility to go bigger or shift matchups. It is not a permanent solution, but it is a realistic way to cover minutes when Williams rests or misses time.
Open Roster Spot and the Spencer Jones Situation
The Thunder have an open standard roster spot. That vacancy gives them a path to add a wing before or during the season, and the front office has already shown interest in doing so.
Oklahoma City attempted to sign Spencer Jones. The Thunder made an offer sheet, but the Denver Nuggets matched it. That closed one avenue for adding a small forward. The open roster spot remains, and filling it with a wing would directly address the depth concern behind Williams.
Until that happens, the small forward position rests on Williams staying healthy and on the team’s ability to improvise behind him. The Thunder made cost-cutting moves in the summer, which may affect how they use the open spot, but the need at small forward is clear.
Outlook for 2026-27
Oklahoma City remains a title favorite. The core of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Chet Holmgren gives the Thunder a high ceiling. Williams is a major reason for that, and his two-way play at small forward is a foundational part of how the team operates.
The risk is health. If Williams misses time, the Thunder will lean on two-way players who are not ready for significant roles, or they will ask frontcourt players to slide over. Neither option is ideal for a team with championship expectations.
The open standard roster spot is the most obvious lever. Adding a wing would not replace Williams, but it would raise the floor behind him. The Thunder tried to do that with Spencer Jones. Denver’s decision to match the offer sheet kept Jones off the roster.
As the season approaches, the small forward position is a story of strength at the top and uncertainty underneath. Williams is the starter, the efficient scorer, and the All-Defense presence. Behind him, Oklahoma City has two-way players, an open roster spot, and a frontcourt that may need to help. The Thunder’s title hopes do not hinge on the backup small forward, but the position is worth watching as the 2026-27 season begins.
