Brad Stevens is already making big changes to the Celtics roster. Shipping Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City gives Boston much-needed flexibility.
Celtics fans occasionally criticized Danny Ainge for failing to pull the trigger on big deals. The same can’t be said for Brad Stevens. Boston’s new president of basketball operations has wasted no time in making his first big transaction.
The Celtics are shipping veteran point guard Kemba Walker, a 2021 first round pick and a 2025 second rounder to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Al Horford, Moses Brown, and a second rounder in 2023. The move permits the Thunder to continue to accrue massive draft capital to accelerate their total rebuild. From Boston’s perspective, moving Walker alleviates a great deal of financial pressure facing the team in future seasons.
It’s a complicated deal that will have ripple effects throughout the NBA for years to come. Now it’s time to grade each team for their work on the surprising transaction.
Who won the Kemba Walker Walker Thunder-Celtics trade?
Celtics Get
Al Horford
Moses Brown
2023 second round pick
Thunder Get
Kemba Walker
2021 first round pick
2025 second round pick
Boston Celtics grade: B
The Celtics are going to be criticized for dumping Walker as bad salary, but that’s what he is at this stage of his career. Short point guards on the wrong side of 30 years of age with checkered injury histories just don’t have a ton of trade value.
Taking Horford back in the deal commits the Celtics to big money for the next two seasons, but it will save the franchise over $20 million compared to what Walker would have cost. That’s why Boston needed to part with the No. 16 pick in this year’s draft to get the deal done.
Celtics fans shouldn’t write off the idea that Moses Brown can find a way to become a meaningful contributor. He showed flashes of being a quality scorer and rebounder off the bench in Oklahoma City this year.
Horford should give Boston a quality starting center they lacked this season and Brown can boost their bench. In the context of a Walker salary dump, that represents a pretty strong return for the Celtics. Credit Stevens for making the best of a bad situation.
Oklahoma City Thunder grade: A
The Thunder always knew they were going to use Horford as a trade chip at the earliest opportunity. Shipping him back to Boston allowed them to absorb Walker’s bloated salary and pocket a first rounder for the privilege. That’s a big win for Sam Presti and his front office.
The question facing the Thunder now is whether or not they can find a way to flip Walker for something of value. He’s a more intense negative asset than Horford was last season which makes that a big challenge for Oklahoma City. Even if they’re forced to buy him out without ever receiving anything in return for him it’s a deal worth making from the Thunder perspective.
The chances of the Thunder staying at No. 16 and making that exact selection are pretty low. Oklahoma City now owns three first rounders. That should allow them to move up the board if they identify a guy they believe is a true potential superstar.
This trade is a win for both teams, but the Thunder got the better end of things. Credit Presti and his staff for staying patient and pouncing when the time was right to cash in on Horford and their cap space.