The Oklahoma City Thunder are getting some season-altering news on star big man Chet Holmgren.
The Thunder announced late Sunday night that Holmgren has been diagnosed with a right iliac wing fracture. Though the team noted that Holmgren is still expected to return this season, it will be 8-to-10 weeks before his return-to-play protocol is provided.
The former No. 2 overall pick Holmgren, 22, was injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s 127-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Holmgren leapt high to contest an Andrew Wiggins drive to the rim, got knocked off balance, and fell very hard on his right hip (video here). He could not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the floor by teammates and was later ruled out for the rest of the game.
An 8-to-10 week timetable means that it will not be until January that the team provides an update on Holmgren’s return. Factoring in both rehab and conditioning, it could still be much longer than that before we see Holmgren play again this season.
That is disastrous news for both the Thunder and Holmgren. The seven-footer looks like he was taking a real leap this year, averaging 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.9 blocks per game on 52/40/78 shooting splits in the early going. But now Holmgren, who also missed the entirety of his first NBA season due to a right foot injury, will now have another key year of his development derailed by injury.
As for the Thunder, who are 8-2 this season and looked like they had the makings of a legitimate title contender, they will have to go into scramble mode at the center position. Isaiah Hartenstein, a seven-footer who was brought in over the summer to back up Holmgren, is out for at least another few weeks with a fractured hand, and Jaylin Williams, who was Holmgren’s undersized backup last season, is also in the middle of an extended absence due to a hamstring issue. With Holmgren himself now out of commission too, Oklahoma City may have to trot 6-foot-9 Ousmane Dieng out there at center or otherwise bring in an outside addition to help hold down the fort.
