Thunder's Andre Roberson: Starts at small forward in preseason opener

Roberson started at small forward for the Thunder in their 142-137 overtime loss to Spanish club Real Madrid in the preseason opener. He scored six points (2-3 FG, 2-2 FT) and added two rebounds, two steals and an assist across 21 minutes.

Analysis:

Roberson started 70 games at shooting guard a season ago, earning his spot on the top unit thanks largely to his strong work on the defensive end. While regularly sharing the court with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Roberson was frequently an afterthought on the offensive end, which was reflected in his averages of 4.8 points and 0.7 assists per game. The offseason departure of Durant will result in Roberson moving over to small forward this season and may open up a few more minutes and shot attempts for the 24-year-old, though it's more likely that new shooting guard Victor Oladipo picks up most of the scoring void. Roberson's defense-first reputation won't lend itself to great fantasy production, and he could end up surrendering playing time as the season wears on if rookie Alex Abrines proves to be NBA ready sooner than expected.