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Amid a busy stretch of roster decisions, the Oklahoma City Thunder could say goodbye to a longtime face. They have declined Kenrich Williams' 2026-27 $7.2 million team option, per NBA insider Chris Haynes. The 31-year-old is now an unrestricted free agent.
Well, I think this was fairly easy to forecast as the Thunder have made a couple of cost-cutting moves already. That doesn't necessarily mean Williams is gone for good, though. He reiterated after OKC's playoff exit that he wants to retire on the Thunder. I'm sure that's still feasible, but it depends on his appetite for the final stretch of his playing career.
In his six seasons on the Thunder, Williams has seen his playing time gradually descend. That speaks more about OKC's ridiculous depth than him, though. If he's comfortable with being in that role on a much smaller salary — say, the veteran's minimum — then I'm sure both sides can work something out.
But perhaps Williams has personal ambitions to get back to playing. If he wanted, there are probably a handful of contenders who'd love to add the one-time NBA champion for depth and experience. There'd surely be teams willing to promise him more playing time and a bigger payday. We'll see how things play out.
Williams averaged 6.5 points on 47.3% shooting and 3.3 rebounds this past season. He shot 38.8% from 3 on 2.3 attempts. He's thrived in his limited playing time. To the point that OKC fans have clamored for him to be a more prominent piece in their rotation. But if he's going to remain your 13th man, then his team-option salary wasn't worth the cost.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Report: OKC Thunder decline Kenrich Williams' 2026-27 team option
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