Which Former Thunder Players could Help OKC's Current Roster?

There aren't many holes in the Oklahoma City Thunder's current roster.

The team is fresh off an NBA championship and a historic regular season, but even after claiming the franchise's first title, there are still a few areas where OKC could improve its roster. The Thunder struggled to connect on shots from beyond the arc during its most recent playoff run, and instead had to defeat teams using a strong defensive effort.

If the group was able to add a player from one of the Thunder's previous rosters, the Mark Daigneault's team could be even stronger in 2025-26. Of course, this experiment is impossible in practice, but it is interesting to analyze which former role players would help Oklahoma City today.

For this exercise, players like Kevin Durant, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and James Harden are excluded, as each player would obviously be a boost to the Thunder's current roster. Additionally, players on the list will be judged using stats from their time in the Modern Frontier.

Danilo Gallinari

A 6-foot-10, 233-pound forward with perimeter skills, Gallinari would add a jolt to the Thunder's offense.

Playing alongside MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, well-rounded wing Jalen Williams and standout interior defender Chet Holmgren, Gallinari's perimeter shooting touch would shine.

During his lone season in OKC, Gallinari helped the Thunder to the postseason by averaging 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 40.5% from 3-point range on more than seven attempts per game. Gallinari's size, rebounding skill and high-level shooting could help take Oklahoma City's roster to the next level.

While the now 36-year-old was never an outstanding defender, Gallinari would be covered by a team filled with players who star on that end of the court.

Jerami Grant

Another player who's time in Oklahoma City was relatively short-lived, Grant's skill set is similar to Gallinari's.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds, the veteran forward is a strong perimeter shooter with good size who would theorhetically add another shooter off the bench. While Grant was not as consistent from deep as Gallinari, he was more athletic, and offers more versatility.

In 239 career games with the Thunder, Grant averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 50.3% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc in 24 minutes per game.

Serge Ibaka

A fan-favorite from the Thunder's early days, Ibaka's theoretical fit on OKC's current roster is obvious.

The three-time All-Defense honoree was a stalwort on the interior, and would add another talented option to the Thunder's center rotation of Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.

In his seven seasons with Oklahoma City, the 6-foot-11 big man averaged 11.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.3% from the field and 35.5% from beyond the arc.

Playing alongside Holmgren, Cason Wallace and All-Defense honorees Williams, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso, Ibaka would make the Thunder's defense even more formidable than last season's unit, which boasted one of the best defenses in recent memory.

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