Oklahoma City Thunder: Previewing the 2020 offseason

Andre Roberson

The last time André Roberson played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, only two of his current teammates were on the roster. What hasn’t changed is their need for his defense on the wing, if he can still provide it.

Twenty-six months away from basketball is an eternity in the NBA. Especially for a player with injuries like Roberson’s. Defense drops off first, they say, and the 28-year-old is about as offensively limited as they come. After a ruptured patellar tendon and a fractured knee, it would be a small miracle for him to return to the form that earned him All-Defensive Team honors just three years ago.

The good news for Andre is that he was so effective in his role, and the Thunder need his skill set so much, that they’ll at least consider giving him a chance (probably on a minimum contract). The bad news for Andre is that younger players are coming for his spot.

OKC has club options on three young wings for 2020-21: Abdel Nader, Hamidou Diallo, and Deonte Burton. Nader is the oldest at 26 but, any way you slice it, he’s been the best of the three this season.

The decisions on Diallo and Burton may depend on what happens with everyone we’ve discussed thus far (particularly Roberson and Nader). It helps that they’re young (21 and 26, respectively) and the Thunder have roster spots to fill on the cheap.

They haven’t been great and could have two incoming draft picks to compete with as well. They certainly won’t have leverage, but one or both could end up returning on minimum deals.

Mike Muscala was supposed to be OKC’s best bench shooter and, in the event of another injury, a Gallo impersonator. Luckily that wasn’t necessary. Still, he’s tall and he can still shoot pretty well. He won’t kill you on either end against opposing benches, and OKC’s bench needs spacing more than anything.

He has a player option for just over $2 million. Unless someone in dire need of shooting comes calling, expect him to pick up his option and return to the Thunder as an end-of-the-rotation guy.

Terrance Ferguson is just 21. He starts because the Thunder don’t need him to shoot much and he’s a better defender than Schröder. You’d rather have him as your 10th-best guy than your 8th-best guy.

The 2020-21 Thunder will have the exceedingly rare opportunity to focus on the short-term without dimming their bright future. Between the key players they can re-sign and the flexibility afforded by their draft picks (which includes trading them for more veterans), they should try to thread the needle.

Unless someone calls them with an irresistible trade proposal for Paul OKC should try to run it back once more with their current core. If SGA and Noel improve more than CP3 and Gallo decline, they’ll be a headache for anyone in the Western Conference playoffs.