Even before the optimism of the …

Even before the optimism of the Thunder’s first scrimmage, players who had never taken the floor alongside Roberson were adamant the veteran was impacting practices. It was as if the Thunder were keeping him a secret – few photos or video of Roberson leaking out of the Orlando bubble – but a secret can be kept only for so long. “First thing I noticed about Dre is he’s the smartest defensive player I’ve been around,” Thunder guard Shai Gilgeouos-Alexander said. “He’s always in the right spot. He knows where the next pass is going to be. It’s like he’s always doing the right thing defensively.”