Thunder Should be Healthy When Season Resumes

We are looking at some of the biggest questions surrounding the Thunder during the NBA's break. Today we look at how healthy they should be once the season gets back underway.

The NBA hiatus is not all bad news. If the league returns by mid to late June, then the Thunder should be more than ready to go with their full roster or at least close to it. 

Let's start with Darius Bazley. Bazley suffered a right knee bone bruise after playing just 3:13 against the Celtics on February 9th. He's sat on the shelf for 11 games and is due to be reevaluated in a few days. 

The latest update we have from Billy Donovan came before the Thunder's postponed game with the Jazz. Donovan says Bazley was "able to walk through some things and do some spot shooting." The medical team will "stay right on the plan."..."Even if he felt like he could do more, they're not going to rush him."..."Everything they've put him though he's responded really, really well to."

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By the time Oklahoma City tips off again, Bazley should be well-rested, healthy, and able to play his 17.2 minutes per game. Abdel Nader is filling in nicely during Bazley's absence. Nader is averaging six points and shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc. 

The other significant injury the Thunder is dealing with is Andre Roberson's left knee, which has been bothering him since rupturing his patellar tendon in 2018. It's hard to know precisely where Roberson is in the rehab stage. 

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In December, he went out to Los Angeles to work with Olin Simplis, who's helped Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deal with knee pain of his own. In recent weeks Roberson has come back to Oklahoma City, but there is no timetable for his return. 

Donovan won't take away Roberson's hope of returning, but he is quick to point out that Roberson hasn't had any basketball contact in two years. "He hasn't had to go over screens; he hasn't had to go in a block out, he hasn't had to drive the ball against contact." 

 If the season returns, don't count on Roberson being in the mix. Donovan will have the final call, and since there isn't going to be any team practices for the foreseeable future, it's hard to see Donovan giving him the green light with no real way to see how physical Roberson can be. 

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