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Many NBA analysts expected the Oklahoma City Thunder to fall out of contention after the team lost All-Star Kevin Durant back in 2016. The franchise was losing one of the best players in the league, and their other star player (Russell Westbrook) was also set to become a free agent just 12 months later.
Despite this, Westbrook committed his remaining peak years to the franchise that drafted him in 2008, and the Thunder have since added a second All-Star in Paul George. Despite being located in one of the least desirable markets in the NBA, Sam Presti and the Thunder have managed to stay relevant, and after making an impressive start to the 18/19 season, the team now believe that they have a shot at defeating the Golden State Warriors.
While the Thunder roster has its fair share of bad contracts, the franchise has also acquired some talented players that are signed to great deals. So here are the best three contracts currently on the OKC roster.
#3 Narlens Noel
During a breathless 2018 offseason, Nerlens Noel's move to the Thunder went under the radar. The center was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Pelicans, although his rights were later traded to the Philadephia 76ers. Noel immediately became a starter on a struggling Sixers team, and he almost averaged a double-double in his first two seasons.
Despite this, Noel's career has recently been derailed by injuries, and the 24-year-old played just 52 times in his final 18 months with the Dallas Mavericks. The young center joined the Thunder this summer on a contract worth just $1,757,429 for the season. While playing backup to Steven Adams, Noel has been excellent from the bench, and he looks to be one of the biggest steals of the 2018 NBA offseason.
#2 Andre Roberson
The OKC Thunder currently have one of the best defenses in the NBA, so teams should be terrified by the impending return of Andre Roberson. The 27-year-old has missed nearly a year due to a serious injury, although the player looks set for a return to action in February.
Before sustaining his injury towards the end of 2017, Roberson was in contention to win the Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, when the Thunder had a starting lineup of Russell Westbrook, Andre Roberson, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, and Steven Adams, the team posted a huge +14.5 net rating, although this figure dropped drastically in the absence of Roberson.
The small forward is earning $10,000,000 for the current season, and this figure will only increase slightly for the 19/20 campaign. Ultimately, it is a small price for the Thunder to pay, as Roberson is one of the NBA's most dominant defensive forces.
#1 Paul George
Back in 2017, the Oklahoma City Thunder managed to convince Russell Westbrook to sign the biggest guaranteed contract in NBA history. The Thunder's ability to retain Westbrook was applauded around the league, although the franchise managed to outdo themselves a year later.
In the same summer that Westbrook signed his extension in Oklahoma City, Paul George turned down his own extension offer from the Indiana Pacers. The All-Star made it clear that he wanted to return to his native California in 2018, so the Pacers opted to trade him to the Thunder.
The deal was expected to be a one-year rental before he joined forces with LeBron James, although the Thunder shocked the NBA once again, and convinced George to stay in Oklahoma City. While George's four-year, $137 million contract may not appear to be among the better deals in the NBA, it holds the priceless value of allowing the Thunder to compete during Russell Westbrook's remaining peak years.
