The Thunder's 2017 Roster: How Oklahoma City Built a Contender Around Durant's Departure

The 2016-17 season marked a turning point for the Oklahoma City Thunder, one defined not by what the franchise lost but by what it chose to build with the salary cap space created when Kevin Durant left for Golden State. This roster, assembled over the offseason and refined through the season, tells the story of how a front office pivoted from a "Big Three" model to a deeper, more resilient construction centered on Russell Westbrook's historic season.

The Core Shift: Westbrook as Centerpiece

When Durant departed in the summer of 2016, the Thunder faced a choice: rebuild or retool around Westbrook. The organization committed to the latter, investing heavily in complementary talent. Westbrook entered the 2016-17 season as the undisputed leader, and what followed was unprecedented: he averaged a triple-double for the full regular season (31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists), becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to achieve that feat over a complete campaign. For Oklahoma City specifically, this meant the roster was constructed entirely around ball movement, transition speed, and spacing that could maximize Westbrook's ability to operate in open floor and halfcourt sets.

The Thunder's front office, led by General Manager Sam Presti, made two critical decisions that shaped the roster composition. First, they committed significant salary to depth rather than pursuing a single max-level star. Second, they targeted players with positional versatility and defensive capability, understanding that elite offense would flow through Westbrook regardless. This philosophy determined every transaction from June through February.

The Wing and Forward Group

Paul George's acquisition in a trade with the Indiana Pacers represented the marquee offseason move. Acquired alongside a first-round pick, George provided the scoring punch and perimeter defense the team needed alongside Westbrook. The 6'9" forward could defend multiple positions, a critical requirement in a league increasingly dependent on wing versatility. Carmelo Anthony arrived in a separate trade from the New York Knicks, bringing a left-wing offensive option and mid-range scoring capability that actually fit better with Westbrook's style than observers expected. Anthony's willingness to play power forward at times gave the Thunder size and spacing simultaneously.

The bench forward rotation included Jerami Grant, a young, athletic 6'8" player acquired the previous year who was still developing but offered defensive length on the wing. Grant's contract was moveable and his role remained flexible, ideal for a team experimenting with lineups. Patrick Patterson provided shooting from the power forward spot, a specific need when the team went small to maximize spacing around Westbrook's penetration.

The Backcourt Below Westbrook

The Thunder's success depended partly on whether the second guard could coexist with Westbrook's ball-dominant style. Andre Roberson, a 6'7" defensive specialist acquired in a draft-day trade with the New York Knicks in 2013, was the primary option. Roberson's value proposition was narrow but genuine: he was one of the league's elite perimeter defenders, capable of checking guards and small forwards. His offensive limitations, particularly his poor free throw shooting (47% from the line in 2016-17), were accepted trade-offs given his defensive impact. When the offense stalled, however, his presence became a liability in crucial moments.

Backing up Roberson was Kyle Singler, a career role player signed to a four-year, $25 million deal in 2014 who provided secondary ball handling and wing depth. Later in the season, the Thunder added Anthony Morrow, a sharpshooting guard on a veteran's minimum contract, to address three-point spacing off the bench.

The Defensive Anchor Inside

Steven Adams, the 7'0" Kiwi center acquired in the 2013 draft, was the team's lone true big man. Adams' role was precisely defined: set screens, finish lobs, and defend the rim. Against the spacing and pace-and-space philosophy of modern NBA offenses, Adams' willingness to anchor the paint without demanding offensive touches made him invaluable. The Thunder rarely asked him to shoot from distance, and he rarely attempted it, but his screening and roll-man efficiency were among the league's best. His contract, a four-year, $50 million extension signed before the season, reflected the team's confidence in his fit long-term.

Enes Kanter, acquired in a trade with the Boston Celtics, served as the backup center and provided offensive rebounding when the team needed second-chance points. Kanter's defensive limitations against mobile big men were a known liability, but his offensive energy off the bench occasionally shifted games.

Depth and the Development Gamble

The Thunder's roster carried a development component that reflected Presti's historical approach. Alex Abrines, a 6'7" Spanish forward drafted in 2014 but overseas until the 2016-17 season, finally joined the NBA rotation and provided floor spacing and secondary playmaking. Domantas Sabonis, the 11th pick in 2016, appeared in limited minutes as he developed from a European game to the NBA's pace and physicality. Both represented long-term bets alongside immediate roster needs.

What This Roster Revealed

The 2017 roster was philosophically coherent: maximize Westbrook's historic individual performance while surrounding him with versatile defenders and floor spacers. Paul George and Carmelo Anthony provided scoring depth that allowed the team to survive nights when Westbrook's efficiency dipped. Steven Adams provided the pick-and-roll anchor that historically effective offenses require. Andre Roberson's defensive value meant the Thunder could pressure opponents' wings without reserve.

The specific trade-off, however, was reliability on defense against spread offenses and in clutch situations when shooting became paramount. The roster excelled in isolation and pick-and-roll settings, exactly the environment Westbrook thrived in. It struggled against three-point volume and teams comfortable with pace-and-space basketball. These limitations appeared most sharply in the playoffs against Houston, where the Rockets' volume three-point shooting and pace overwhelmed Oklahoma City's defensive strengths.

For those tracking the Thunder's evolution post-Durant, the 2016-17 roster exemplified a front office choosing depth and system fit over star-power accumulation. The season's outcome—a 47-35 record and a first-round playoff exit to Houston—validated neither approach entirely but did establish the framework Oklahoma City would build on for the following year.