Alex Caruso was cleared from day-to-day status on Tuesday, clearing the way for him to play Oklahoma City's season opener against the Pacers. He returns to the rotation for the Thunder's first game of 2026-27.
What happened
The injury report listed Alex Caruso as cleared on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 6:55 p.m. ET, lifting the day-to-day tag he had carried since Saturday, Oct. 10, when he was held out for rest. The report gave no detail on an issue and no comment beyond the status change. It is the second time this month Caruso has cycled through the day-to-day designation: he was cleared on Wednesday, Oct. 7, then listed day-to-day again for rest on Monday, Oct. 5, before Saturday's repeat entry. No expected return date applies now that he is cleared.
What it means for the Thunder
Caruso is available for Oklahoma City's season opener against the Pacers on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Last season he played 56 games for the Thunder, averaging 18.2 minutes, 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The Thunder are 0-0, since the 2026-27 season has not started, so there is no record with or without him to cite yet. During Caruso's recent day-to-day stretches, the rotation shouldered extra minutes, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33.2 minutes, 31.1 points), Jalen Williams (28.4 minutes, 17.1 points) and Cason Wallace (26.6 minutes, 8.6 points). His clearance restores him to that mix for the opener.
What to watch
Oklahoma City's next injury report will show whether Caruso's clearance holds through the opener and beyond. No expected-return timeline applies, since he is no longer sidelined. The Thunder's Tuesday report also lists Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Thomas Sorber and Jared McCain as day-to-day, so the report is worth checking again before the Pacers game tips off at 8 p.m. ET.
Is Alex Caruso playing vs the Pacers?
Yes. The injury report cleared him on Tuesday, Oct. 13, removing the day-to-day tag he had carried since Saturday.
When will Alex Caruso be back?
He is already back. Caruso was cleared Tuesday and is available for Oklahoma City's season opener against the Pacers, with no expected-return date needed.