Oklahoma City Thunder Roster 2019 Thunder Roster

The Oklahoma City Thunder failed to live up to the lofty expectations that were set for them last season when they brought in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in the offseason. Thankfully for the Thunder, they have extricated themselves from the walking disaster that is Carmelo Anthony and continued to improve the roster this past offseason. Thanks to heady personnel moves, the Thunder are much more than Russell Westbrook and George. This will reduce some of the burden on Westbrook and make for a much more rounded team. This season, expectations for the Thunder have been scaled back, taking some of the pressure off of the team. The Thunder are a much different team than they were supposed to be at the start of last season, relying on defense to win games. Provided that Westbrook returns to health in short order, the Thunder have a chance to slot in behind Golden State and Houston.

Oklahoma City Thunder Roster Top 3 Questions

Will Westbrook Recover Quickly?

Westbrook underwent a minor knee procedure in the offseason. This will cause him to miss some time at the outset of the season. Normally this is not a cause for tremendous concern. However, a player with Westbrook's explosiveness who is nearing the age of 30 can show lingering effects from the injury. Westbrook missed the preseason, and for a team that has had chemistry issues in the past, that can be an issue. Still, Westbrook thrived with some of the pressure on him to do everything alleviated last season. The addition of George had benefits for Westbrook in more ways than one. This season, the Thunder can lean on George until Westbrook is fully reintegrated.

How Will Schroeder Fit?

Dennis Schroder showed tantalizing flashes in Atlanta, but never quite developed into an efficient player. Schroder's scoring average was high because he took plenty of shots with a high usage rate. There is some uncertainty as to how that will play in Oklahoma City where he is the clear third wheel in the offense behind Westbrook and George. He will presumably play some minutes with both Westbrook and George, and Schroder will have to show that he can contribute when the ball is not in his hands as much. There is clearly a reason that the Hawks shipped Schroder out of town for pennies on the dollar. For the Thunder's sake, hopefully that reason does not become apparent.

When can Roberson Return?

Given that Westbrook's injury does not appear the be long-term, the more critical injury for the Thunder was that sustained by Andre Roberson. When Roberson is on the floor, the Thunder become an entirely different team in a good way. Roberson was almost solely responsible for the Thunder's elevation to the top of the league's defensive rankings last season. Reports are that Roberson will miss the first two months of the season. The Thunder will have to lean on Steven Adams to anchor the team's defense until Roberson returns and hope that they are not too far out of contention by then.