The 2016 Oklahoma City Thunder were a great basketball team, as they were the last team in franchise history to make the Western Conference Finals before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led his side to the NBA Finals this season. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook played like co-MVPs, Serge Ibaka erased shots, and a sneaky-deep supporting cast gave the Golden State Warriors a 3-1 scare that should have formed a decade-long rivalry.
- Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns
- Russell Westbrook – Free Agent (Player Option With Denver Nuggets)
- Serge Ibaka – Real Madrid (Spanish Liga ACB & EuroLeague)
- Steven Adams – Free Agent
- Andre Roberson – LDLC ASVEL (LNB Elite & EuroLeague)
- Dion Waiters – Retired
- Enes Freedom – Media Member (Human Rights Advocate)
- Anthony Morrow – Retired/Media (Podcaster)
- Randy Foye – Retired
- Cameron Payne – Free Agent
- Nick Collison – Special Assistant (OKC Thunder)
- Kyle Singler – Retired
- Nazr Mohammed – GM (Oklahoma City Blue) & Pro Scout (OKC Thunder)
Instead, it detonated the franchise completely. Durant bolted to Golden State after they blew their series lead, Westbrook chased triple-double history, and the Thunder’s would-be dynasty abruptly ended. Nearly a decade later, the core of that team might be gone, but not forgotten.
As we trace where every key figure landed since that year, with 13 NBA players scattered across the league (if at all), one question hovers: Did Oklahoma City’s front office lose a crown, or did the basketball gods simply refuse them? Let’s revisit the most interesting“what-if” OKC Thunder season in 2016.
Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant, the headliner of this team, made the most seismic move in modern NBA history just weeks after the Thunder collapsed in the 2016 WCF. He joined the very team that beat him, Golden State. There, he secured two rings (2017, 2018) and two Finals MVPs, validating his choice with historic efficiency and unmatched offensive dominance.
Injuries derailed a potential three-peat in 2019, and Durant moved on to Brooklyn, forming a failed superteam experiment with Kyrie Irving and James Harden. As of 2025, Durant is with the Phoenix Suns, still chasing that elusive third title.
Now 36, his scoring touch remains elite; he averaged 27.1 points per game this past season. But concerns over durability and Phoenix’s flawed roster construction have clouded his twilight, and he is well involved in never-ending trade rumors right now as he is likely set to join his 5th NBA team.
Legacy-wise, Durant is a top-15 all-time talent, but for Thunder fans, he’s forever the one who got away, and there are still those in Oklahoma City who feel strongly about the player’s decision to leave them hanging.
Russell Westbrook – Free Agent (Player Option With Denver Nuggets)
Russell Westbrook stayed loyal after Durant’s departure and produced a historic 2016-17 MVP season, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double (31.6/10.7/10.4). He repeated the feat two more times in OKC and once with Washington.
Though his stat-stuffing drew criticism, it remains one of the wildest stretches in NBA history. After shuffling through a few NBA teams, including the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, LA Lakers, and LA Clippers, Westbrook was a veteran role player for the Denver Nuggets this season. He embraced a bench role with veteran leadership, averaging 13.3 points and 6.1 assists off the pine.
His explosiveness has waned, but the fire remains. As he mulls over a $3,468,960 player option to return to the Nuggets or possibly a shot at competing overseas, Russ’s impact can’t be forgotten. Thunder fans are still grateful for what Westbrook brought to the franchise because one thing can be said for certain: the point guard gave his all when he wore the jersey.
Serge Ibaka – Real Madrid (Spanish Liga ACB & EuroLeague)
Once the Thunder’s defensive anchor, Serge Ibaka, eventually became a stretch big and an NBA champion with Toronto in 2019. After stops in Orlando, Toronto, and the Clippers, injuries began catching up with him, and his minutes declined sharply.
Ibaka last played in the NBA during the 2022-23 season with Milwaukee, appearing in just 16 games. Now 35, he’s still involved in basketball in Europe, occasionally suiting up for international play with Spain.
Fluent in multiple languages and rich in global appeal, Ibaka’s post-NBA career is shaping up to be as multifaceted as his defensive prime. Hopefully, we can see more of Ibaka appearing on podcasts because he always has stories to share with the NBA world.
Steven Adams – Free Agent
The Kiwi enforcer has carved out a long, lucrative career as one of the league’s most reliable centers. After OKC, he played key roles in New Orleans and Memphis, anchoring the paint and mentoring young talent like Ja Morant, and this season, a young Rockets core featuring Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun.
His screens, toughness, and rebounding have become his trademarks, even as he has aged. Unfortunately, Adams missed the entire 2023-24 season due to knee issues, but he returned with force in 2024-25 for the Rockets.
His old-school style of play makes him a key free agent for Houston, and even if he leaves, many NBA teams will be clamoring for a chance to snatch up the backup center. Adams isn’t the same bruiser who averaged 10.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game for the 2016 Thunder in the WCF, but he is still very impactful at 31 years old.
Andre Roberson – LDLC ASVEL (LNB Elite & EuroLeague)
Roberson was a defensive ace in 2016, capable of guarding 1-4, but his offensive limitations and brutal patellar injury in 2018 derailed his career. He attempted a comeback in 2020 with Brooklyn and OKC but never regained his footing.
He’s been out of the NBA since 2021, but Roberson has still found a basketball job in Europe. His high-IQ defensive mindset makes him a capable player overseas, as he most recently dropped 13 points and 15 rebounds against Monaco this week.
Dion Waiters – Retired
Waiters was a volatile sixth man with undeniable talent and irrational confidence. After OKC (averaging 10.9 PPG), he had a brief renaissance in Miami, averaging 15.8 PPG in 2016-17. But injuries, suspensions, and off-court issues, like the infamous gummy incident on a team flight, cut his prime short.
He last played in the 2020 NBA Bubble with the Lakers, winning a title, albeit in a limited role. Now out of the league, Waiters occasionally teases a comeback on social media, but he’s mostly faded from the spotlight. Few players packed as much drama into so few years.
Enes Freedom – Media Member (Human Rights Advocate)
Enes was the Thunder’s bench scorer and post-up machine, known for soft hands and even softer defense. After OKC, he bounced between the Knicks, Blazers, and Celtics, carving out a productive, if limited, NBA role.
In recent years, however, Freedom has become a polarizing political figure, using his platform to speak out on global human rights, especially criticizing the Turkish government, which revoked his passport. He hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022 and is now a frequent guest on U.S. political talk shows. His basketball career ended early, but his voice only grew louder.
Anthony Morrow – Retired/Media (Podcaster)
A deadeye shooter, Morrow’s role diminished after 2016, and he was out of the NBA by 2017. Known for his catch-and-shoot precision (41.7% % career from three), he never quite adapted to the faster, switch-heavy modern NBA.
Morrow stayed close to the game through clinics and youth training before legal issues in 2023, related to a domestic violence case, tarnished his post-career image. It’s a sad turn for a player once beloved for his work ethic and locker-room presence. Morrow now appears on podcasts every once in a while as he hopes to get a media career going for himself.
Randy Foye – Retired
Former No. 7 overall pick Randy Foye was the veteran stabilizer on that 2016 squad, though he was clearly on the tail end of his career. After that season, he played one more year with Brooklyn before retiring.
Post-retirement, Foye has been active in philanthropy and business. He founded the Randy Foye Foundation to support education initiatives and youth mentoring in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey. Though his OKC run was brief, his post-playing life reflects leadership that transcended the hardwood.
Cameron Payne – Free Agent
Then, just a quirky backup point guard with flashy dances and promise, Payne’s early career faltered due to injuries and inconsistency. After bouncing out of the NBA and into China and the G League, Payne resurrected his career with Phoenix during their 2021 Finals run, providing big playoff minutes behind Chris Paul.
Competing this season with the New York Knicks, Payne remained a capable backup, averaging 6.9 points and 2.8 assists per game this season. His resilience and revival are a testament to persistence in a league quick to discard older point guards.
Nick Collison – Special Assistant (OKC Thunder)
The ultimate Thunder lifer, Collison retired in 2018 after spending his entire career with the Seattle/OKC franchise. Known as “Mr. Thunder,” he was less about stats and more about culture, leadership, and grit. That is the main reason why his No. 4 jersey hangs in the rafters as of 2019.
Since retiring, Collison has stayed with the Thunder in a front office role, currently serving as Special Assistant to the GM. His fingerprints are all over OKC’s rebuild culture, and his jersey is the only one retired by the team, a quiet legend whose impact was always bigger than the box score.
Kyle Singler – Retired
Singler never lived up to expectations after a promising rookie year in Detroit (8.8 PPG). His role in OKC dwindled, and by 2018, he was waived and soon left the NBA entirely. Singler only averaged 3.2 points per game on 30.6% from three in four seasons with the Thunder.
He played briefly overseas in Spain before retiring in 2019. Since then, he’s stayed out of the NBA spotlight for as much as he could. Singler is one of the more curious flameouts from a college champion and first-round pick, especially since he shared concerning messages and videos on Instagram earlier this year.
Nazr Mohammed – GM (Oklahoma City Blue) & Pro Scout (OKC Thunder)
Mohammed was already near retirement during that WCF run, playing in only 5 regular-season games in 2015-16. A respected veteran and locker-room guy, he retired directly after in 2016.
Since then, he’s worked in front office roles, including with OKC and the NBA’s Basketball Operations team. As of 2025, Mohammed is a Pro Scout for the Thunder, continuing to serve the game from the executive side.
