Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 keys to contending in 2017-18

5. Will Carmelo Anthony be able to play the 4?

As of now, Carmelo Anthony is projected to play the power forward position. At 6’8″, Anthony has the height to be able to be able to rebound at that spot. He is also 240 pounds, which helps him bang bodies. Anthony is a perimeter player though, so will the Thunder lose something in terms of rebounding without a traditional power forward? That will be big.

Steven Adams will have to pick up the rebounding slack with four perimeter players out there. Westbrook averaged more rebounds per game than Steven Adams when he averaged a triple double last year. It will be interesting to see if the Thunder lose something when they insert Anthony into the 4-spot.

That position is different than it has been in the past. The league is going in a direction where players are position-less. The 4 is now out around the perimeter more instead of on the block with his back to the basket. Even the 5 is around the 3-point line now.

This will bode well for the isolation style the Big Three likes to play. Also, Andre Roberson, who is in the starting lineup, likes to cut to the basket. The fact that the paint is not clogged up will help Westbrook and Roberson connect on slashing plays.

Westbrook is a beast with the ball in his hands. George is one of the best one-on-one players in the league. Anthony has been one of the best pure scorers in the league for his entire career. The offense should be efficient enough with Carmelo at the 4 to hide the weaknesses.