Thunder Face Cavaliers Without Caruso, Five Others
Oklahoma City will be missing six rotation players for Monday's game against Cleveland after a run of injuries.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Basketball
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without Alex Caruso, who is out with a sprained right ankle suffered in a win over the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 26, when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. The Thunder will be missing six rotation players in total, and they are coming off a 119-98 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Why it matters
The absences leave Oklahoma City thin in its rotation, with head coach Mark Daigneault shifting players into new roles to cover the losses. Gilgeous-Alexander said he does not have an answer for the team's injury situation.
Caruso is averaging 9.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists across four appearances this season, while the Thunder lost 119-98 to Houston, their second straight defeat. Caruso's ankle recovery timeline and the Thunder's answer for the lineup remain unresolved in the available reporting.
The players
Alex Caruso
Caruso is a veteran guard known for his defense and playmaking who is out with a sprained right ankle.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder's star guard and the team's leading figure on the court, who said he has no answer for the injury situation.
Mark Daigneault
Daigneault is the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder who has reshuffled the lineup by moving McCain and Mitchell into the backcourt and Williams and Hartenstein into the frontcourt.
The details
Chet Holmgren is sidelined after biological treatment for a small patellar tendon tear in his right knee and is out for at least eight weeks. Jalen Williams is out indefinitely following surgery to repair a fractured left fibula and reconstructed ankle ligaments, while Cason Wallace recovers from surgical repair on a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Nikola Topic is sidelined after low back surgery, and Thomas Sorber is out following a right knee procedure.
Timeline
Oct. 26: Caruso injured in a win over the Phoenix Suns.
Monday: Thunder play the Cleveland Cavaliers without Caruso and five other rotation players.
Before the end of the regular season: Wallace and Williams are slated for re-evaluation.
Season Trajectory
Six rotation players out at once tests whether Oklahoma City can hold its position in a competitive Western Conference race before the regular-season stretch tightens. The Thunder's recent two-game losing streak raises the stakes for how quickly its reserves can absorb minutes.
With six rotation players out, fantasy managers holding Thunder reserves should expect expanded minutes for those stepping into larger roles, particularly in the backcourt and frontcourt. Caruso's absence removes a reliable source of assists and rebounds from the Thunder's lineup for the Cavaliers matchup.
The takeaway
Depth injuries across a roster rarely resolve on a single timetable, so fans and fantasy managers should track each player's re-evaluation dates rather than assume a quick return. The Thunder's ability to absorb minutes from reserves will shape how the team handles the stretch ahead.
What happens next
Wallace and Williams are slated to be re-evaluated before the end of the regular season.
Further reading
For more on the team's roster moves and season outlook, see Oklahoma City Basketball coverage.
