​The calendar has flipped to August. Which means we’re in the dog days of the NBA’s year-round calendar. Little will happen over the next two months as teams across the league prepare for the 2026-27 season. Before we move on, though, let’s reflect one last time on last year.The Oklahoma City Thunder had a league-best 64-18 regular-season record. Juggling injuries all year, they overcame notable absences all year. Alas, they fell short of a second NBA championship with a 2026 Western Conference Finals exit.To reflect on their 2025-26 season, Thunder Wire will conduct player grades for all 20 players who suited up for them this past year. Tenth up is Jaylin Williams, who had a career year across the board:2025-26 statistics:7.2 points5.5 rebounds2.4 assists42.3% shooting36.0% 3-point shooting66.7% free-throw shootingAdvanced stats:True-shooting percentage: 59.7%Usage rate: 15.6%Win shares: 4.1VORP: 1.5Significant Percentile Finishes:Transition scorer: 80.4 percentileSpot-up scorer: 72.2 percentileContract:2026-27: $7.8 million2027-28: $7.8 million (team option)Thoughts:Once just a positive vibes guy only, Williams has graduated into being one of OKC’s more reliable role players. It’s flown under the radar on a national scale, but he’s sneakily been one of their better developmental stories. Injuries forced the 24-year-old to do more than in any previous season. Not only did he swim with the tide, but he surfed on it. He gladly added more responsibilities to his plate. With them, he turned in a career-best year across the board.Entering the year slimmed down, I admittedly had questions about the physical change. Sure, Williams upped his speed and stamina. But at what cost? Especially in a Western Conference loaded with All-NBA frontcourt talent. Turns out, he made the right choice to lose weight. Not only did it keep him light on his feet, but it provided positional flexibility. He could seamlessly play all three frontcourt positions. That catapulted him up the rotation. Technically the third-string center, his actual role was much more important than that.Williams showed that he could be the ultimate utility guy. Need him to drop 30 points as the offensive engine? Sure. Is he cool with seldom playing some nights? Yeah. His range of impact provided the Thunder with a luxury. His outside jumper has turned into his top-scoring weapon. He increased his volume with his percentage still high. Throughout the year, he’d hit some big-time outside jumpers to energize his team and swing momentum in OKC’s favor.Williams’ playmaking also remained a cog in their machine. His DHO actions kept the second-unit offense alive. He also excelled as an offensive hub with his top-of-the-key passes. The 24-year-old might be OKC’s most daring passer on the roster. There’s a reason why he has the last handful of triple-doubles for the Thunder. Alongside Isaiah Hartenstein, that’s quite the two-man tag team to have as your big-men facilitators.One of the reasons why the