NBA Free Agency rumors: Andre Roberson re-signs with the Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to add pieces around Russell Westbrook, now re-signing free agent Andre Roberson to a three-year contract.
General manager Sam Presti is having one helluva summer so far. The Oklahoma City Thunder traded for Paul George, giving up role players in exchange. They added Patrick Patterson on a three-year deal and continue to get better.
Andre Roberson was a key defensive piece, taking the pressure off of Russell Westbrook on the defensive end of the floor. His offense was still a question mark, but that didn’t stop Presti from bringing Roberson back.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder have re-signed Oklahoma City’s best defensive player to a three-year deal that’s worth $30 million.
Andre Roberson has agreed to a new three-year, $30M deal with Oklahoma City, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2017
That’s a very reasonable yearly average — $10 million — for a rotational player who’s really become vital for the Thunder. Wojnarowski also went on to add that Roberson preferred the three-year deal over a longer four-year pact.
The Thunder would love for Roberson to develop into a “Three-and-D” player, but the “three” part of it is still missing. This past season with Oklahoma City, Roberson averaged 6.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
He shot 46 percent from the field, but he only shot 25 percent from three-point range. In today’s NBA, spacing the floor is extremely important, with ball-dominant players like Westbrook and George.
Next: Ben McLemore signs with Memphis Grizzlies: 5 big questions
Billy Donovan and the Thunder shouldn’t expect Roberson to reliably hit the three-point shot next season, but there will be less pressure, as more defenses will hone in on Westbrook and George. What Roberson gives Oklahoma City on the defensive end is crucial on a nightly basis.
It continues to show what kind of summer Presti is having. He wasn’t satisfied with their first-round exit and is trying to develop a roster around Westbrook. They’re bringing the band back together, with their key defender in the fold for another three seasons.