3 reasons the Oklahoma City Thunder should trade Andre Roberson this summer
Back in 2013, Andre Roberson was selected with the 26th overall pick of the NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, although the then 21-year-old was quickly signed by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
At this point, Roberson was seen as a player for the future, although the youngster was handed a number of opportunities in his rookie year due to injuries, and by 2014, Roberson had firmly established himself as a starter.
During his five years in the league, Roberson has become well known for his ability to make defensive stops, and the Thunder boast one of the best defensive records in the NBA when he is on the court.
Nevertheless, Roberson has missed more than a year through injury, and the Thunder have successfully managed to compete without their defensive star. Evidently, Roberson could still have a future in Oklahoma City, although, here, we will look at three reasons why the organization should consider trading him this summer.
#1 Lack of cap space
While the Thunder's move to sign Paul George to a long-term deal last summer was a masterstroke, it also left the franchise with one of the largest payrolls in NBA history. Due to this, the Thunder will have issues paying free agents the salaries that they desire, and the organization's prospects of adding any major additions in the summer currently look bleak.
The Thunder won't be willing to move their highest earners such as Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, and Paul George, however, Andre Roberson falls into the expendables category.
The defensive stopper will earn more than $10 million for the 19/20 season, an amount of money that if freed up could allow the Thunder to target a reliable three-point shooter. Ultimately, Roberson's salary may be better served being distributed to other areas of the roster, and Sam Presti will have a tough call to make in the summer.