Boston Celtics: 3 realistic Kemba Walker trade options
By Jack Simone
Al Horford makes his return to the Boston Celtics
This is the one trade rumor that actually makes a ton of sense for both sides. Al Horford returns to Boston while the Thunder add to their never-ending draft pool.
Horford spent the latter half of last season away from the team. Oklahoma City wanted to prioritize playing their younger players, so they announced that he would be benched for the rest of the season.
Before sitting out, Horford played 28 games with the team. In 27.9 MPG he averaged 14.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 3.4 APG. He shot 45.0% from the field and 36.8% from three.
Boston loved Horford while he was with the Celtics, as the big man earned two of his three All-Star appearances while wearing the green and white. He remains good friends with most of the players on the team and would fit right in with the team’s culture.
The one slight issue with bringing back Horford is where he would slide into the rotation. With Robert Williams solidifying himself as the go-to starter, Horford and Tristan Thompson would be fighting for backup center minutes. The trade would also likely lead to the end of Luke Kornet’s time in Boston.
Regardless, Horford makes less money than Walker, and the last year of his deal is not fully guaranteed. Making this deal makes lots of sense from a cap space perspective.
As for the Thunder, this move would simply help them add to their stock of draft picks. They are in full rebuild mode, so any picks they can get are a win in Sam Presti’s book.