Kenrich Williams didn’t wander far before finding his way back to Oklahoma City.
After the Thunder declined his team option, the veteran forward spent a few days in free agency before landing on a one-year, $5 million deal to stay put. At 31, Williams made it clear at 2026-27 Media Day that the choice was never really about leaving.
"It was good. Me and Sam and my agent had a really good dialogue and I talked to my family and stuff," Williams said.
"Ultimately, I've said it before, I don't want to be anywhere else but here. But yeah, everything worked out, and here I am."
Williams is now entering his seventh season with the Thunder, and if things break the right way, he could finish his career in OKC. He showed up with a slimmer face and a smile, back in the mix for another season with championship expectations around the team.
The return came with a financial concession. Williams passed on the previous 2026-27 $7.2 million team option to remain with the Thunder, a move that keeps him on a roster that has changed more than it has in years. Oklahoma City moved on from one-quarter of its rotation minutes in Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, which opens the door for Williams to matter more than he has in recent seasons.
That could be especially true if the young group of Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz isn’t ready to give the Thunder immediate help.
Williams’ minutes have dropped over time, but that’s been more a reflection of Oklahoma City’s depth than anything else. This season gives him a chance to remind the Thunder what he can still bring, and why he remains the kind of player fans want to keep around.
In Other News...
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is Giving Thunder Fans A Dangerous New Thought
Early in training camp, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already has Thunder fans looking twice at the little things, the kind that can make a star feel even more dangerous. A video making the rounds showed him in sprint drills alongside Jared McCain, and the broader takeaway was hard to miss: Gilgeous-Alexander is spending the offseason sharpening the parts of his game that make Oklahoma Citys offense hum.
The timing matters because Gilgeous-Alexander and McCain have put in real work together all summer, building chemistry while pushing each other in the process. McCain said the two spent a lot of time training together, including workouts in Canada, and that kind of shared grind is the sort of detail Thunder fans will file away as they wait to see how much quicker and sharper their centerpiece looks when the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Camp Is Already Forcing A Big Post-Dort Lineup Call
The Thunder are only three days into training camp, but the shape of their new-look roster is already coming into focus after a significant offseason shake-up. Media Day for the 2026-27 season underscored how much has changed, with Oklahoma City moving on from longtime starter Luguentz Dort and bringing in three rookies from the 2026 NBA Draft as it continues to sort through a fresh set of lineup questions.
One of the biggest is who fills Dorts spot in the starting group, and the early signs point toward Cason Wallace being a central part of that conversation. Head coach Mark Daigneault has made it clear he trusts Wallace, and executive Sam Presti has also signaled confidence in him since the trade, giving the Thunder a clear direction even as camp work continues to determine how the pieces fit together. [Read more 🡒]
Bennett Stirtz Faces A Thunder Role Change Right Away
Bennett Stirtz is already adjusting to life as a rookie with the Thunder, and the shift starts with how he will be used. At media day, the guard talked about adapting to a different playing style and embracing a catch-and-shoot role, a far cry from the kind of ball-handling burden he carried in college. He also stressed that confidence and repetition will matter as he settles into the teams system.
The opening comes with a clear opportunity, too, because Oklahoma City has a spot to fill after Isaiah Joe was moved to the Detroit Pistons. For Stirtz, that creates both pressure and a lane to carve out minutes quickly, especially if he can translate his shotmaking into the role the Thunder need. What remains to be seen is how fast he can make that transition look natural once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]