NBA opening night finds OKC Thunder well represented

The OKC Thunder may only have only been established in 2008, but, throughout their 17-year tenure in Bricktown, they've rostered a bevy of high-quality talents, many of whom are still in the league today.

From All-Stars and future Hall of Famers to quality role-players, Oklahoma City has served as the home for many notable names, and Tuesday's NBA season opener is slated to see several of them take to the hardwood for the league's 77 year.

Former OKC Thunder players on NBA opening night rosters

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Starting off the opening night festivities is a matchup between the rising New York Knicks and the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics. In this contest, we find both ball clubs coming in equipped with one former Thunder player on their respective roster.

New York Knicks

Cameron Payne

Cameron Payne was selected 14 overall by the Thunder back in the 2015 NBA Draft. He was a part of the ill-fated Western Conference Finals run that saw OKC squander a 3-1 lead to the Golden State Warriors and, ultimately, served as Kevin Durant's final season with the organization.

Payne spent one and a half years with the team, revolving in and out of the G League, before being traded to the Chicago Bulls in February of 2017. He would finish his tenure with averages of just 5.1 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game.

Boston Celtics

Al Horford

Al Horford spent one season in Oklahoma City back during the tankathon 2020-21 campaign.

Following a lackluster first season with the Philadelphia 76ers the year prior, one where he averaged just 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds after inking a lofty four-year, $97 million deal, the Thunder opted to absorb his high-end payday during the summer of 2020 in exchange for young talents and a 2025 first-round pick.

What ultimately transpired was a semi-renaissance of a campaign for the veteran big, as he seemingly turned back the clocks with his on-court production by dropping stellar all-around averages of 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and just shy of a block on 45.0 percent shooting from the floor and 36.8 percent shooting from distance.

His play and overall impact on the team was so successful, in fact, that the Thunder opted to shelf him from March of that season onward. Their aim was primarily to contend for a top selection in that June's NBA Draft, where they snatched up the now-departed Josh Giddey with the sixth overall pick.

Horford would be traded to the Celtics during the 2021 offseason, where Sam Presti once again managed to snag yet another first-round pick, which wound up becoming Alperen Şengün at 16 overall (though they traded his rights on draft night for 18 pick Tre Mann and future capital).

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The situation for the second game on the opening night docket is a bit different when it comes to past Thunder players, as only one team possesses such an individual.

Minnesota Timberwolves

PJ Dozier

PJ Dozier signed a two-way contract with the Thunder back in 2017 after going undrafted during that June's NBA Draft.

Though he spent the majority of his time in the development league with the OKC Blue -- where he averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steals on 46.2 percent shooting from the floor --, the wing did see some time spent logging minutes on the varsity team, though saw just two games played and posted just 1.0 points and .5 rebounds.

He would only spend one year with the organization before signing with the Boston Celtics the following offseason.