Isaiah Roby’s third season in the NBA will be a big one for the 23-year-old. But it comes with a catch.
The lengthy 6-foot-8 big man will see his third season of action, but truthfully it should play out more like a sophomore campaign.
Roby was drafted 45th overall by the Pistons in the 2019 NBA Draft and promptly traded to the Mavericks.
As a rookie with the Dallas, Roby failed to see any time before being shipped off in a G-League swap. Roby played in just three games for OKC, averaging just 3.7 minutes per contest and failing to score in any time.
With no real outlook on his game through an entire season, the former Cornhusker impressed in year 2.
Roby averaged 8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in 61 games played last season. He played in 23.4 minutes per game and shot 48 percent from the field.
While his numbers are solid for a second-year role-player, they’d be all the more impressive for a rookie.
Of course, time spent in and out of practice and a full season under his belt could be a sign he’s already matured on the court, but he could also still rookie to sophomore level jump in his third season.
If Roby fails to make a massive jump, it will be no harm no foul for Oklahoma City or Roby, who will both benefit from his solid small-ball play.
But any significant jump for Roby could catapult him into another echelon for the Thunder: a keeper.
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