Like the other 21 teams competing in Orlando this summer, the Oklahoma City Thunder are counting down the days until they have the opportunity to square off against another team.
For Billy Donovan’s club, that first opportunity will come on July 24 when they square off against the Boston Celtics in their first exhibition game.
As we know, the Thunder were one of the few NBA teams to not register a single positive coronavirus test, so the 16-man roster heading to Orlando more or less mirrors the roster that the team had when play was suspended back in March.
The most interesting storyline here continues to be Andre Roberson, who’s been actively participating with the team and, in all likelihood, will see his first live action at some point during the team’s exhibition games.
Along with Roberson, both Dennis Schroder and Nerlens Noel will enter play in Orlando with some questions regarding their participation. Noel has been nursing an ankle injury which coach Donovan doesn’t seem too concerned about, while Schroder will be leaving the confines of the Orlando campus after his wife gives birth to the couple’s second child in the coming weeks.
In case you need a reminder, though, below is the 16-man roster that will enter play in Orlando:
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With Schroder and Noel’s availability in question, Darius Bazley and Andre Roberson — both of whom can provide some minutes in the front court and on the wing — are worth watching.
The Thunder will begin their schedule of eight seeding games on Aug. 1.
