How Andre Roberson Can Fill OKC Thunder's Massive Void at Shooting Guard

I would have said you're nuts if you had told me back in 2012-13 that Andre Roberson would be competing for a starting shooting guard position as an NBA sophomore. And for a contender like the Oklahoma City Thunder, no less. 

He played mostly power forward during his three years at Colorado. And you just don't typically see any players transition from the 4 to the 2. 

One of the reasons that Roberson's draft stock never really took off was skepticism surrounding his ability to move to the NBA wing.

That's because his ball skills are limited and haven't really improved since his sophomore year in college.

In terms of what the Thunder are working with, he's essentially the anti-Jeremy Lamb, for better and worse. 

To play Roberson at the 2, you have to be more interested in maxing out what he can do and less concerned with what he can't. And there's just no questioning where his strengths and weaknesses lie. 

Roberson is your classic hustle-and-energy guy—the one who makes plays at both ends of the floor without needing the ball or his number called. 

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First and foremost, he should be able to help replace some of the defensive versatility and lockdown tools that were lost when Thabo Sefolosha signed with the Atlanta Hawks. 

With that 6'7" size, 6'11" wingspan and effortless athleticism, Roberson's ability to cover three positions on the floor might give him an edge over Lamb and Anthony Morrow for the starting spot.

And though I normally wouldn't overreact or put too much stock into backcourt rebounding, Roberson is somewhat unique. He finished top five in the country in rebounding back-to-back seasons at Colorado despite weighing in around 210 pounds. 

As Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman notes: "In his limited playing time last season—16 starts, 400 minutes—Roberson ranked first among all NBA guards in offensive rebounding percentage. He creates extra possessions."

Tip-ins, tap-backs, out-of-area chase-down boards—to justify starting minutes with the Thunder, these are the types of plays the coaching staff will be looking to see from Roberson routinely. 

That's just what he does well, and that's what allows him to stand out. What he doesn't do is create or generate offense one-on-one. And the good news is that he won't be asked to. Alongside superstars like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Roberson will be able to play to his strengths as a slasher and finisher on the move. 

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He's a terrific athlete who can catch and attack in one fluid motion with long strides and explosive lift. Whether he's slicing in from the wing, making a line drive down the baseline or sneaking backdoor for a lob, almost all of Roberson's buckets come on the way to the rack—usually off two dribbles or fewer. 

However, shooting remains an issue. And if Roberson can't knock down the outside shots that find him within the offense, he could have trouble effectively filling the void at the 2-guard position. 

In 105 college games, he hit just 50 three-pointers, never making more than 19 in a season. Last year in the D-League, he hit just 10 of 32 shots from downtown. The fact that he shot a career 58.2 percent from the line at Colorado, 45.9 percent with the Tulsa 66ers and 32 percent in summer league (8 of 25) only further enhances the ugliness tied to his jumper and touch. 

“It’s a work in progress,” head coach Scott Brooks said of Roberson’s shot, via Slater of The Oklahoman. 

Last season with the Thunder, Sefolosha's shooting numbers fell well below average, and in turn, his role would eventually be reduced.  

While Roberson improves the lineup defensively—Slater of The Oklahoman points out that the combination of Roberson, Westbrook, Durant, Serge Ibaka and either Kendrick Perkins or Steven Adams gave up five points below the league low last year—his inability to threaten as a shooter can hurt the offense's spacing and potency.

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Still, it's pretty clear what the Thunder coaching staff likes about Roberson. He complements the other 2-guards by excelling in areas they don't, while his strengths as a defender, rebounder and finisher aren't ones that can necessarily be taught. 

Roberson actually offers the lineup a whole different dimension of basketball services altogether. The question is whether or not his offensive limitations will hold the lineup back.

Can the Thunder get away with playing two guards that both shoot below 32 percent from downtown?

For Roberson to really earn the trust of teammates and coaches, we'll have to see his athleticism and instincts lead to nonstop off-ball activity. But to solidify a priority spot in the rotation, he'll need at least to threaten defenses as a shooter and capitalize on as many open looks as possible.