Despite fluctuating minutes, the veteran leader delivered elite defensive hustle and clutch postseason shooting.
Kenrich Williams averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game across 56 appearances. His effective field goal percentage was slightly down compared to the previous three seasons, but he was still above the league average. Williams also provided his typical hustle and defense.
His best performance came against San Antonio on Feb. 4. It was supposed to be a blowout because the Thunder were missing 10 players, including all five starters. However, Williams led the team with 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds. The Spurs still won the contest by 10 points, but it was a moral victory for Oklahoma City’s reserves.
The veteran only logged a total of 17 minutes across the Thunder’s first two playoff series, but Mark Daigneault deployed him more against San Antonio because of his size, physicality, defense and rebounding. Williams played 54 minutes from Game 4 through Game 7 versus the Spurs, and he finished the series with averages of 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Most importantly, he went 6-for-13 on triples.
Overall, Williams receives an “A” grade for the 2026 season. He stayed ready despite inconsistent playing time and acted as a leader rather than letting his limited usage affect him emotionally. His minutes against San Antonio were especially notable because he did not look out of place on the court. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that Williams should have played more minutes in the Western Conference Finals.
The 31-year-old only has one more year remaining on his contract, and it’s a $7.1 million team option. This figure is too high given his reduced role and Oklahoma City’s dire financial situation, so look for the Thunder to decline-and-sign Williams to a prolonged deal at a lower cap hit. For example, a three-year, $15 million contract is a solid framework for both sides. Williams gains long-term security and stays with the team he loves, while Oklahoma City retains the fan favorite and saves money next season.
Williams is what he is at this point of his career, but one viable area of improvement for him is his efficiency on free throws. He’s a career 56.4% shooter from the charity stripe, which remains baffling given his quality touch on three-point attempts. Will it be important? He very rarely gets to the line, but every point matters in the playoffs. It could be the difference between the Thunder leading by three points with a few seconds left and the game being out of reach since they lead by four points.
