While not the ideal fit in Philadelphia or the ideal situation in Oklahoma City, Al’s numbers the last two years still look basically like his previous two years in Boston. And he’s always had an old man’s game. This trade accomplishes a number of short-term goals simultaneously without creating any long-term problems:
1) Obviously, it creates financial flexibility both this offseason and next, allowing Stevens to make decisions about guys like Fournier and Thompson.
2) It gives the team an opportunity to rediscover its defensive identity by subtracting Kemba and replacing him with a bigger backcourt while the wings assume more of the playmaking responsibilities.
3) It fills a leadership vacuum that was evident on last year’s squad, which can be difficult to pull off when bringing in someone from outside of the organization who is not going to be the best player.
