The Oklahoma City Thunder have been playing great basketball this 2019-20 NBA season, so great that players out injured have been forgotten. One player is Andre Roberson, someone who the Thunder turned to when they wanted to shut down the best player of an opposing team.
The 28-year-old cager remains out of action after suffering a ruptured left patellar tendon back in the 2017-18 NBA season. It seems his recovery from the injury is at a snail's pace, and he has yet to rejoin Thunder practices. According to a Thunder Beat writer, head coach Billy Donovan could not provide an update on the 6-foot-7 swingman although he is doing through individual workouts.
Roberson is not exactly the guy that most will remember. Before his injury, he played a total of 39 games and averaged 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per Basketball-Reference.com. The numbers hardly deserve attention, but his role was really more of as a defensive player. In fact, this earned him a place in the 2017 NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
With the Thunder rolling on offense, having Roberson around to help on the other end could be a boost to Donovan's charges. It may even help them place better than where they are now. Either way, most have forgotten about the 26th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft and what he brings. And if he does not get the chance to suit up this NBA season, he could be returning but with a different team.
Roberson is in the final year of his contract and will become a free agent in the summer. Considering he is coming from an injury, interest in him will likely be low. The Thunder could at least offer him a short-term contract to see if he can still recall his old form. But if OKC passes, the future of Roberson is not looking good.
For now, the Thunder seems to have all bases covered with key players in their right positions. Their miraculous run is astounding, although the scenario could be different in the playoffs. After proving they have can keep in step with powerhouse teams, OKC will likely try to push themselves further in the postseason wars. They have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. If they are not rewarded now, the next NBA season could be another story for them. And if this is how they perform while rebuilding, critics want to see what they can do with a competitive roster composed of old and new NBA stars.
