Celtics trade Kemba Walker to the Thunder

Kemba Walker (Google Images)

There was a blockbuster trade in the National Basketball Association on Friday between the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder. According to Rogers Sportsnet, the Celtics have traded point guard Kemba Walker of New York City to the Oklahoma City Thunder with the first round draft pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and the second round draft pick in the 2005 NBA Draft for centers Al Horford and Moses Brown, along with a second round draft pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Walker will be joining his third NBA team. In addition to two seasons with the Celtics, he spent eight seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets franchise. In the 2020-21 season, Walker averaged 19.3 points per game, 4.9 assists per game, and 4.0 rebounds per game, He also had a field goal percentage of .420, a three-point percentage of .360, and a free throw percentage of .899. In three seasons with the Hornets in 2017, 2018, 2019, and his first season with the Celtics in 2020, Walker was a NBA All-Star.

Horford is rejoining the Celtics as he previously played with them from 2016 to 2019, and was an All-Star with them in 2017-18. He also played with the Atlanta Hawks from 2007 to 2016 (an All-Star in 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016), and with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019-20, before one season with the Thunder.

This past season, Horford only played 28 games as the Thunder moved toward a rebuilding stage in their long-term philosophy. He did average 14.2 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game, and 3.4 assists per game, along with a field goal percentage of .450, a three-point percentage of .368, and a free throw percentage of .818.

Brown meanwhile is 7’2″, 245 pounds. The Celtics will be Brown’s third team in three years as he played 2019-20 with Portland. This is the first move Brad Stevens has made in Boston since becoming their president of basketball operations on June 2. 

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