OKC Thunder Rumors: Andre Roberson may have played his final game for the Oklahoma City Thunder
Despite being widely ridiculed by NBA fans for his poor offensive ability, Andre Roberson was handed a three-year, $30 million contract by the Oklahoma City Thunder during the summer of 2017. While the Thunder were aware of Roberson's offensive shortcomings, Billy Donovan's team were statistically better with the shooting guard on the court, and there is no doubting Roberson's excellent work on the defensive end.
Roberson was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2017, and after a strong start to the 17/18 season, the 27-year-old looked to be a leading candidate for the 2018 NBA Defensive First Team. Nevertheless, Roberson ruptured his left patellar tendon during January of 2018, and the OKC man has not made an appearance for more than a year.
It was initially believed that Roberson would return towards the end of 2018, however, this time scale has now passed, and recent updates on Roberson's condition have not been positive. It is now widely believed that the defensive stopper will not feature before the end of the season, and due to the Thunder's success during his absence, Roberson's future with the team looks increasingly in doubt.
Terrance Ferguson is the man who has replaced Roberson in the Thunder's starting five, and the young guard has slowly developed into a reliable performer on both ends of the court. The 20-year-old has also provided the Thunder with a much-needed threat from beyond the arc, and the Oklahoma native looks to have a potentially huge upside.
Alongside Paul George, Roberson remains the Thunder's best defensive player, although Billy Donovan's team boasts a number of strong defensive options in Steven Adams, Russell Westbrook, and Jerami Grant. Due to this, Donovan may be hesitant to halt Ferguson's development by replacing him in the lineup with the offensively limited Roberson, and this makes Roberson's route back to the starting lineup difficult.
The Thunder's payroll could also play a major factor in Roberson's future as OKC will be looking to shed salary during the upcoming offseason. Roberson is currently the teams fifth highest earner, and along with Dennis Schroder, the guard looks to be among the most likely players to be sacrificed.
Ultimately, the Thunder have flourished without Roberson this season, and with long term concerns regarding his fitness, it is possible that Roberson has played his final game in Oklahoma City.
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