Alex Caruso was listed day-to-day on Monday's injury report with a rest-related issue, and the Thunder confirmed he will not play Tuesday's preseason opener against the Pelicans. His next chance to play lines up with his expected return date of Oct. 7.
What happened
Oklahoma City listed Alex Caruso as day-to-day on Monday's 2:02 PM ET injury report, with the issue marked as rest and categorized as other. No previous status was attached to the entry. Clemente Almanza of USA Today reported that Caruso will not play in Tuesday's preseason opener against the Pelicans. The report lists an expected return date of Oct. 7. No further detail on the rest issue is announced.
What it means for the Thunder
Oklahoma City opens its preseason Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET against the Pelicans, and the 2026-27 record sits at 0-0 since the season has not started. Caruso averaged 18.2 minutes, 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 56 games last season. With him out, backcourt minutes figure to lean on Cason Wallace, Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins, all part of the rotation group tracked in last season's box scores. There is no with-or-without record to cite yet, since no regular-season games have been played.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Caruso's rest designation changes before Oklahoma City's following preseason outing. His expected return is listed as Oct. 7, which is not an announced game date in this report. Several other Thunder players, including Cason Wallace, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, also carry day-to-day rest designations, so the full preseason rotation picture remains unsettled.
Is Alex Caruso playing vs Pelicans?
No. Caruso is day-to-day with a rest issue and will not play in Tuesday's preseason opener against the Pelicans, according to Clemente Almanza of USA Today.
When will Alex Caruso be back?
His expected return date is listed as Oct. 7, 2026. No further timeline is announced.