Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Each Injured Oklahoma City Thunder Player

No team in the NBA has been hit harder by injuries than the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Just a few weeks into the season, the Thunder's roster has become thinner than a vegetable sandwich. The team has lost half of its roster already to injury, leaving it with just seven able bodies for the foreseeable future. To add depth, OKC used a hardship exception to sign point guard Ish Smith, per Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. 

Oklahoma City's laundry list of battered ballers includes stars Kevin Durant (foot) and Russell Westbrook, (hand) as well as role players such as Jeremy Lamb (back), Anthony Morrow (knee), Perry Jones (knee), Andre Roberson (foot), Grant Jerrett (ankle) and rookie Mitch McGary (foot). 

Some players will return to the lineup sooner than others, but there's still a degree of uncertainty surrounding OKC's walking wounded. As a result, this seems like the perfect time to examine the best- and worst-case scenario for each injured player. 

PF Grant Jerrett

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What Happened 

Grant Jerrett underwent surgery on his left ankle in July. The initial diagnosis had the Arizona product missing four to six months, per Mayberry. That would keep him sidelined for at least the first few weeks of the season. 

According to Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman, the 2013 second-round pick is slowly progressing. He's done some light work on the court but still has a while to go before making his season debut. 

Best-Case Scenario

Despite the Thunder's recent rash of injuries, the one area at which the team is deep is in the frontcourt. Center Steven Adams as well as forwards Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison and Lance Thomas make up the majority of the club's healthy hands. 

With that kind of depth up front, OKC can afford to bring the 21-year-old along slowly. Fortunately, Jerrett was unlikely to see much playing time (if any) in the pros anyway. Once he's 100 percent, he can continue to develop in the D-League. 

Worst-Case Scenario

There's always a ton of risk with big men dealing with injuries to their lower body. After all, a lot of size and weight is being placed on a small appendage that's still on the mend. It's like breaking the stand to your 70" plasma TV and trying to keep it upright by using Scotch tape. 

Nearly five months removed from surgery, Jerrett is nowhere close to returning. If progress continues to be slow, there's always the possibility of going back to the drawing board to figure out what's holding things up. 

The longer Jerrett remains sidelined, the more delayed his development becomes. 

F Perry Jones

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What Happened

In the midst of a breakout season (career-high 15.6 points per game), Perry Jones' momentum came to a screeching halt when he banged knees with Toronto Raptors forward Patrick Patterson. Jones immediately crumpled to the floor in agony. When he got back to his feet, he was unable to put much weight on his right leg. 

After the game, Jones was seen limping out of the arena. It was later revealed that the Baylor product suffered a right knee contusion. While the severity of Jones'  remains unclear, Mayberry believes the Thunder may have "finally dodged a bullet on the injury front". 

Best-Case Scenario

There are a couple of promising signs in the aftermath of Jones' injury. First, despite the limp, Jones was able to walk out of the arena under his own power, per Mayberry. After additional tests, Jones' status for the team's Nov. 7 clash with the Memphis Grizzlies is up in the air, but he hasn't been ruled out just yet. 

The hope here is that Jones avoided structural damage to his troublesome knee, and the time he misses is minimal. 

Worst-Case Scenario

When it comes to Perry Jones and knee injuries, you have to hold your breath. Jones was "red-flagged" by NBA team doctors going into the 2012 draft due to concern over a meniscus issue in his knee, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. 

With this latest incident, the worst thing that could happen is the collision caused more damage than the team initially thought. That would mean the time Jones is sideline becomes a matter of weeks instead of games.

For now, it appears Jones ducked a major injury. However, this was the last thing a man with Jones' frailty needed. 

SG Andre Roberson

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What Happened

In the team's Nov. 3 game against the Brooklyn Nets, Andre Roberson collided with forward Mirza Teletovic and landed awkwardly on the court. The fall bent Roberson's leg back in a weird way, and the second-year man out of Colorado took his time getting back to his feet. 

Despite the angle his leg took, Roberson ended up with only a sprained foot, per ESPN.com's Royce Young. He was seen leaving the Raptors game on crutches and in a walking boot. There is no exact timetable for his return. 

Best-Case Scenario

The best-case scenario for the Thunder is that Roberson escaped with nothing more severe than a foot sprain. When you see the unnatural way Jones lands, he's lucky his injuries weren't a lot worse. According to Mayberry, this doesn't appear to be a long-term injury. 

The Thunder will know more when they re-evaluate Roberson before the Nov. 7 showdown with the Grizzlies. The 22-year-old sat out the team's loss to the Raptors. The hope is the extra rest will work wonders for his ailing foot, and the club will have its best perimeter defender back in the lineup soon. 

Worst-Case Scenario

The Thunder lose Roberson for an extended period of time and are forced to utilize a small backcourt of Sebastian Telfair (6'0", 170) and Reggie Jackson (6'3", 208). That would put the team at a disadvantage defensively, especially against bigger guards. 

Roberson's injury also hurts from a depth perspective. With Jeremy Lamb and Anthony Morrow also out, the only healthy guards on the roster are Telfair, Jackson and the newly signed Ish Smith. Given the team's luck with injuries, there's a huge risk in that trio being forced to play heavy minutes. 

SG Jeremy Lamb

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What Happened

During the Oct. 27 practice, Jeremy Lamb was forced to exit early with a strain in his lower back. He has missed the team's first five games. However, according to Slater, Lamb is expected to make his season debut on Nov. 7 against the Grizzlies. 

Best-Case Scenario

Lamb takes full advantage of a great opportunity to showcase his skills. The team is in desperate need of scoring (90.8 points per game, 27th in the NBA) and depth at guard. Lamb could provide both. He'll benefit from a steady dose of minutes and not having to look over his shoulder. Those two factors should help build his shaky confidence. 

Of course, this is contingent on him playing more like he did in the first half of last season (10 points in 22.1 minutes per game) as opposed to the second half (five points in 13.1 minutes per game). If he can excel while the chips are down, it could go a long way into strengthening his future in Oklahoma City. 

Worst-Case Scenario

Lamb didn't shoot the ball particularly well in the preseason. He went 24-of-79 (30.3 percent) from the field and 4-for-28 (14.2 percent) from three in five exhibition games. If he was struggling to find a rhythm when he was healthy, how much faith can the team put in his jumper as he returns from injury? 

The fear here is that Lamb's struggles continue, which leads to his confidence dwindling. While there's potential for this to be a big year for Lamb, it is just as likely that he shoots his way out of Oklahoma City and the Thunder's offense continues to falter.

SG Anthony Morrow

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What Happened

Anthony Morrow sprained the MCL in his left knee during the team's Oct. 23 practice. At the time, the injury was set to keep Morrow out for four to six weeks. However, there's a chance he comes back sooner than that. Mayberry listed Morrow and Jeremy Lamb as the two "closest to returning."

Morrow was a part-time participant in practice on Nov. 6, per Slater. It's unlikely that he makes his debut against the Grizzlies, but he hasn't been ruled out yet.   

Best-Case Scenario

OKC is currently shooting 27.7 percent from three (28th in the NBA), which means Morrow's return can't come quick enough for Oklahoma City. A proven sniper, Morrow was fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage (45.1 percent) last season. 

With Morrow on the floor, the Thunder will have another threat on the perimeter besides Serge Ibaka. Ibaka has been the team's only healthy and consistent threat from behind the arc this season (43.5 percent). 

Worst-Case Scenario

With so much emphasis on bending your knees, an MCL sprain is especially troublesome for a shooter like Morrow. If there are any lingering effects from the injury, he could have trouble finding a rhythm from the outside. 

While not completely one-dimensional, the three-point shot is a huge part of Morrow's game. Last season, 195 of Morrow's 520 shot attempts came from behind the arc (37.5 percent). If for any reason he struggles to find a groove from downtown, it would limit what he brings to the table offensively. 

PF Mitch McGary

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What Happened

During the preseason opener against the Denver Nuggets, rookie Mitch McGary suffered a fracture in his left foot. It was a tough way to end what was shaping up to be a promising debut. The Michigan man had 14 points and four rebounds before going down.

The injury is expected to keep the 6'10", 255-pound forward out for six weeks, according to ESPN.com's Royce Young. 

Best-Case Scenario

McGary picks up right where he left off. The Thunder's second unit doesn't have a big man with the rookie's blend of speed, athleticism and mid-range touch. Veteran backups Nick Collison and Kendrick Perkins combined for 7.6 points per game last season. 

He could spend the remainder of this season developing into a key contributor off the bench and go into next season with a ton of momentum.

Worst-Case Scenario

Traditionally, head coach Scott Brooks has brought his young players along slowly. Very slowly. Steven Adams barely played as a rookie before seeing his playing time go up (14.8 to 18.4 minutes) in the playoffs last year. Perry Jones needed a Kevin Durant injury to see consistent minutes. 

For McGary, this could end up being a redshirt year. Once they are at full strength, the Thunder will have to play catch-up to get back in the playoff picture. It's hard to see where breaking in a rookie coming off his second major injury (played just eight games last season due to a back issue) in as many years falls in OKC's immediate plans. 

PG Russell Westbrook

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What Happened

During the second quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers, Russell Westbrook broke a bone in his hand while battling for a rebound with teammate Kendrick Perkins. The former UCLA standout had surgery to repair the injury and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, per ESPN.com.

Players such as San Antonio Spurs shooter Danny Green and Dallas Mavericks guard Roddy Beaubois have managed to come back within that time frame in years past. 

Best-Case Scenario

The Thunder feast on a relatively easy November schedule (only four games against 2013-14 playoff teams) and stay afloat in Westbrook's absence. Meanwhile, the star point guard is ready to return in four weeks. The team uses a steady dose of Reggie Jackson and Sebastian Telfair at the point to ease some of the burden off Westbrook's shoulders.

As a result, Westbrook's numbers more closely resemble his stats from last year (21.8 points, 6.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 30.1 minutes). Once Kevin Durant and the rest of OKC's M.A.S.H. unit returns, the club makes a spirited run into the playoffs. 

Worst-Case Scenario

With Westbrook and Durant both out, the team falls behind in a deep Western Conference, despite a favorable early schedule. When they return, the team makes a valiant effort to sneak into the postseason but comes up short. 

There's also the chance Westbrook is a little rusty when he returns. When he came back from his knee injury in late February, he went a combined 21-of-53 (39.6 percent) in his first four games back.

Also, Westbrook's aggressive playing style along with Scott Brooks' penchant for running his stars ragged (Westbrook had a usage rate of 34.4 percent last season) puts the star at a high risk of getting re-injured.   

SF Kevin Durant

What Happened

On Oct. 13, it was announced that Kevin Durant suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot and would miss six to eight weeks. A few days later, the reigning MVP had surgery to fix the injury. In seven NBA seasons, this is the first major injury of his career. 

Several players have dealt with this kind of injury. Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum missed a portion of his rookie year. Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez needed multiple surgeries to fix his foot and missed the last four months of last season.  

On the bright side, Durant is already out of his walking boot, per Mayberry.

Best-Case Scenario

After leading the league in usage (33 percent) and minutes played (3,122) last season, the impromptu six- to eight-week break helps keep Durant fresher down the stretch. As with Westbrook's injury, the Thunder's championship hopes are tied to how the team performs in the absence of its stars. 

If they can play .500 basketball until Durant and Westbrook return, they have a really good chance at making the playoffs and re-establishing themselves as a championship contender. With a stronger bench, the team doesn't need to ride its two biggest stars into the ground to stay competitive.

Worst-Case Scenario

Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com offers this bit of bad news:

"The inherent risk for re-injury is particularly high and surgery can’t guarantee anything."

Gulp. 

A re-injury or any kind of setback in Durant's recovery would be disastrous for Oklahoma City, as it will likely find itself behind the eight ball during his absence. According to Bleacher Report's Will Carroll, Durant's style of play raises some concerns as well (video above): 

"Durant has the explosiveness. He has a lot of lateral motion. He plays so loose and so athletically that I'm worried about this one for him."

If Durant's foot continues to be a lingering problem, that would have an effect on the Thunder beyond this season. Remember, Durant has never had a serious injury as a pro. We don't know if he's a fast healer. He may be Wolverine. He may be Mr. Glass. 

Also, because Durant has never had to deal with this kind of problem before, there's also the uncertainty of how it will affect his play when he returns. Will it make him more tentative? Less explosive?

It's almost impossible to predict.