The Oklahoma City Thunder will never stop going in when it comes to acquiring first round draft picks. After getting first-round picks for Dennis Schröder and Chris Paul — along with a quality young player in Kelly Oubre Jr. — the Thunder weren’t done flipping veterans for picks and using their ability to absorb some longterm money to their advantage.
On Wednesday, word broke from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Philadelphia 76ers were trading Al Horford, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick to Oklahoma City in exchange for Danny Green — who the Thunder just landed in the Schröder trade.
The Sixers are sending a lightly-protected 2025 first-round pick and the 34th overall pick in tonight's draft, sources tell ESPN. The Thunder are also sending Terrance Ferguson to the Sixers with Green. https://t.co/sDCfPo4T4L
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 18, 2020
The Horford signing in Philadelphia failed to pan out, as he struggled to find anything close to the form he had in Boston while trying to fit in alongside Joel Embiid and company. With three years and just north of $81 million left on his deal, they had to use a first-round pick to unload him, but managed to do so while also bringing in a perimeter shooter and quality defender in Green. A player of Green’s profile feels like a snug fit for the Sixers, as Daryl Morey is moving swiftly to undo some of the roster mess that was created last offseason by some big swings and misses. Terrance Ferguson is also an interesting wing player to give the Sixers a bit more regular season depth.
For the Thunder, they continue to bring in some quality players that will allow them to remain fairly competitive, even if maybe not a playoff team in the West, while stockpiling picks and assets that they can potentially move down the road for a star or to move up in a draft. The No. 34 overall pick tonight is, effectively, a late first rounder that they could package together with 25 and 28 to move up, and the lightly protected 2025 pick could end up being valuable depending on the trajectory of the Sixers.
