"For me, it's not new but for the other guys it's new," Mason said. "It's fun, though, having the guys come back and seeing them figure out how to live. I've had some talks about tornadoes and I told them to get to know somebody that has a basement or a storm shelter or a basement just in case."

Being in an unfamiliar place could be a distraction for the Thunder, but it can also have its positives. When the Hornets had to suddenly move from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the early days in Oklahoma City wound up being a team-building exercise. That first season brought a 20-win improvement

"I think it'll be good for us as a team because none of us really know anybody. I think it'll make us closer, we'll hang out more together and talk about the transition and things like that," Collison said. "In the past, everyone's kind of got their own circles of people. Well, here, we're kind of on our own."

The former SuperSonics need all the positives they can get after a franchise-worst 20 wins last season. They brought in Mason and Joe Smith to provide veteran leadership for the young core that features Durant and fellow first-round picks Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and D.J. White.

After wondering about the franchise's future for the past two years, just having a little stability could make a big difference for the players. And distancing themselves, quite literally, from a disappointing past few seasons doesn't hurt either.

"I think that's the best thing about it: That we're brand new," Durant said. "It's like we're starting over."