Celtics trade Kemba Walker to Thunder for Al Horford, Moses Brown: Sources The Boston

Celtics trade Kemba Walker to Thunder for Al Horford, Moses Brown: Sources
The Boston Celtics have traded point guard Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Al Horford and Moses Brown, sources tell The Athletic.

As part of the trade package, Oklahoma City also will receive Boston's No. 16 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and a 2025 second-round draft pick. The Thunder will send a 2023 second-round pick to the Celtics.

During two seasons with the Celtics, Walker averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 99 games. The four-time All-Star struggled with a bone bruise during the Celtics' first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, missing the final two games.

Walker, 31, has two years and more than $73 million remaining on his contract.

Horford, 35, returns to Boston after previously playing for the franchise from 2016 to 2019. He has two years and $53.5 million remaining on his contract, with a partial guarantee of $14.5 million for the 2022-23 season. Horford was sent to the Thunder from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade for Danny Green last November.

Brown, 21, averaged 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds in his second season and signed a multi-year deal with Oklahoma City in March.

Why Boston made the move now
Jay King, Celtics beat writer: Though Walker was still productive when healthy, the Celtics gave up a first-round pick to move off his big contract and acquire a player in Horford who should provide a better fit. The move, which helped Boston clear some salary, could also help the team afford to keep free agent Evan Fournier.

The Celtics added a young center prospect in Brown, but old friend Horford will likely play a bigger role on next season's team. It's not great Boston needed to dump a first-round pick to move Walker, but a recent history of knee issues drove down his value and convinced the team to move on.

What do the Celtics get in Horford and Brown?
King: The Celtics know Horford's game well, of course. He bounced back with a productive season in Oklahoma City after struggling with a weird fit on the 76ers.

Horford will give Boston a pick-and-pop layer it didn't have last season. He should make the game easier for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, bolster the defense and serve as a good example for young big man Robert Williams.

Brown, 21, is a young center prospect with upside and had one huge game against the Celtics this past season.

CELTICS TRADE KEMBA WALKER, 16TH PICK TO THUNDER FOR AL HORFORD, MOSES BROWN
In what’s been a busy week for the NBA, the Boston Celtics have continued to make significant changes.

According to ESPN’s Adrian’s Wojnarowski, the Celtics have agreed to trade Kemba Walker, the 16th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and a 2025 second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-round pick.

Walker, a four-time All-Star who’ll be heading into his 11th season in the NBA in 2021-22, has had a trying time in Boston.

Despite both he and the Celtics’ obvious desires to succeed together, Walker’s on the court production has been substandard when compared to the eye-opening performances he put up with the Charlotte Hornets in recent seasons.

Add on top of that an uncharacteristic stroke of misfortune in regards to injuries (Walker’s missed 56 games since joining the Celtics), and one can say that moving on from the promising partnership is best for both parties.

That said, the Thunder in rebuild mode, as they continue to stockpile picks. Interestingly enough, many of the prospects projected to go in the range of the 16th overall pick play in the backcourt.

The 31-year-old veteran may desire to explore his options—whether it be a trade, an eventual buyout, or playing out the remainder of the season before making a decision on his 2022-23 player option—with Oklahoma City, as Wojnarowski notes Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Al Horford had.

While uncharacteristically streaky, Walker still averaged 18.6 points and 4.9 assists per game while playing next to a pair of volume-scoring wings in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. He could turn a season with nice numbers on an intriguing team into a longer-term deal, should he stay with the Thunder.

Meanwhile, Boston’s decision to trade Walker signals a strong inclination to bring back guard Evan Fournier, who they acquired at the trade deadline from the Orlando Magic. After reclaiming his starting role, Fournier played quite well for the Celtics, including a postseason performance that saw him averaging 15.4 points and 1.2 steals per game while shooting .433 percent form 3-point range.

Their acquisitions of Horford and Brown also have significant implications, as Tristan Thompson (who they signed in the 2020 offseason) could lose his starting role to either of the two.

Horford, who played for Boston from the 2016-17 to 2018-19 season, became a fan and organizational favorite in his time there. On the court, his versatile skillset—primarily his combination of floor-spacing and playmaking—could open up an offense that struggled with ball-movement last season.

The 7’2″ Brown could provide the second unit with a strong interior presence on the interior for the Celtics after averaging 8.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.4 points per game for the Thunder last season (with 32 starts), opening the door for a potential Thompson trade.

Walker, a four-time All-Star who’ll be heading into his 11th season in the NBA in 2021-22, has had a trying time in Boston.

Despite both he and the Celtics’ obvious desires to succeed together, Walker’s on the court production has been substandard when compared to the eye-opening performances he put up with the Charlotte Hornets in recent seasons.

Add on top of that an uncharacteristic stroke of misfortune in regards to injuries (Walker’s missed 56 games since joining the Celtics), and one can say that moving on from the promising partnership is best for both parties.

That said, the Thunder in rebuild mode, as they continue to stockpile picks. Interestingly enough, many of the prospects projected to go in the range of the 16th overall pick play in the backcourt.

The 31-year-old veteran may desire to explore his options—whether it be a trade, an eventual buyout, or playing out the remainder of the season before making a decision on his 2022-23 player option—with Oklahoma City, as Wojnarowski notes Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Al Horford had.

While uncharacteristically streaky, Walker still averaged 18.6 points and 4.9 assists per game while playing next to a pair of volume-scoring wings in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. He could turn a season with nice numbers on an intriguing team into a longer-term deal, should he stay with the Thunder.

Meanwhile, Boston’s decision to trade Walker signals a strong inclination to bring back guard Evan Fournier, who they acquired at the trade deadline from the Orlando Magic. After reclaiming his starting role, Fournier played quite well for the Celtics, including a postseason performance that saw him averaging 15.4 points and 1.2 steals per game while shooting .433 percent form 3-point range.

Their acquisitions of Horford and Brown also have significant implications, as Tristan Thompson (who they signed in the 2020 offseason) could lose his starting role to either of the two.

Horford, who played for Boston from the 2016-17 to 2018-19 season, became a fan and organizational favorite in his time there. On the court, his versatile skillset—primarily his combination of floor-spacing and playmaking—could open up an offense that struggled with ball-movement last season.

The 7’2″ Brown could provide the second unit with a strong interior presence on the interior for the Celtics after averaging 8.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.4 points per game for the Thunder last season (with 32 starts), opening the door for a potential Thompson trade.

Kemba Walker's days with the Boston Celtics appear to be over after just two seasons.

Sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the Celtics are trading Walker and their 2021 first-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a package that includes Al Horford.

The report from Wojnarowski said the Celtics are also sending a 2025 second-round pick to the Thunder in exchange for former Celtics star Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-rounder, sources said.

Walker missed the final two games of the Celtics' first-round loss to the Brooklyn Nets with a bone bruise in his left knee.

The Celtics trade is the first big move for former head coach turned president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who replaced Danny Ainge in the role following the end of a disappointing 2020-21 season.

The Celtics are one of seven teams still in search of a new coach after Stevens was promoted to team president.

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Report: Celtics trading Kemba Walker to Thunder for Al Horford, Moses Brown, 2023 pick
Kemba Walker's time with the Celtics is over. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojanrowski, the Boston Celtics are trading Walker, plus the No. 16 overall pick in the 2021 draft and a 2025 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In return, the Celtics are getting Al Horford, Moses Brown, and a 2023 second-round pick. 

The Celtics are trading Kemba Walker, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2021 draft and a 2025 second-round draft pick to Oklahoma City for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-round pick, sources tell ESPN.

Walker, 31, came to the Celtics in 2019 via sign-and-trade deal. Prior to that, he'd spent his entire career with the Charlotte Hornets (who were the Charlotte Bobcats when they drafted him ninth overall in 2011).

Walker experiment didn't work out for Celtics
It took just two seasons for Boston's experiment with Walker to end. At the start, the Celtics were a team looking toward the NBA Finals. Walker, a four-time All-Star, was supposed to help them get there, and they got close in 2019-2020 (they lost in the Eastern Conference finals) despite Walker's injury issues. 

But things changed drastically after that. The Celtics were a mess this past season, and Walker's injuries continued to be a problem. They finished 36-36 and lost in the first round of the playoffs, with Walker missing the final two games of the series due to a bone bruise in his knee. 

Longtime director of basketball operations Danny Ainge retired in early June, signaling a change in direction, but Walker and the Celtics may have been ready to end their relationship before then. According to Bleacher Report, a rift developed between Walker and the Celtics when Ainge tried to t