Kemba Walker + 2021 First Round Pick to OKC for Al Horford, Moses Brown

[Dr. Gonzo]

View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1405875739434573828?s=20


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.

 

[the1andonly3003]

did Presti fleece Brad?

 

[The Big Red Kahuna]

I need one of our more in the know experts on cap, contracts, etc... to explain this one to me.

 

[RedOctober3829]

It’s basically an even swap of bad contracts. C’s get a promising big in Moses Brown for a 1st

 

[Red Averages]

Hopefully this ends the era of short point guards that cripple the defense come playoff time.

Interesting that the first move Brad makes is to bring back in Al (ultimate floor extender, defender, leader) and jettison the small PG who can't help on both sides of the floor. Oh and adds a young center in Brown who can grab a ton of boards.

Wonder what this means for TimeLord...

 

[nattysez]

I'm afraid this could signal the end of Tacko Time in Boston. Not sure how many raw bigs you can have at the end of the bench.

Also, I wonder if taking last season off will give Al a bit more pep in his step next season. His deal has 2 years left.

 

[lovegtm]

I need one of our more in the know experts on cap, contracts, etc... to explain this one to me.

They're getting out of around 1 year of Kemba at 37M (when you net out Horford), and a mid-1st is not a terrible price for that.

Horford is overpaid, but he's a better backup C than TT while doing the same thing, which frees up TT as a salary that can be moved. If someone attractive comes up, TT+Smart matches just about any salary.

Have to imagine Fournier is back at this point, since he's way more playable defensively in non-Kemba lineups.

My immediate reaction is that I like this move.

 

[jose melendez]

Never seen Brown play, but his #s look decent.

 

[cmaxwell's silver hammer]

So who will play point? A free agent incoming?

 

[lovegtm]

...
Wonder what this means for TimeLord...

TT much more likely to be the one on the way out imo.

 

[jose melendez]

Who the hell plays point for us now?

 

[lovegtm]

So who will play point? A free agent incoming?

Pretty much anybody on the taller side for a guard who can bring the ball up the floor and then stand on the perimeter and shoot 3s/attack closeouts.

Kemba wasn't really playing point by the end anyway--they were moving him off-ball more and more, which is a waste of his skills (what's left of them).

 

[cmaxwell's silver hammer]

Never seen Brown play, but his #s look decent.

Based on highlights, he seems like an active rebounder and decent rim protector.

 

[ManicCompression]

At first glance, I'm a fan and I don't think it's a fleecing. We don't need another rookie fighting for minutes on this team right now and Moses Brown is better big depth over Fall, Kornet when we get rid of Thompson. Horford is a good vet to have around and his contract is way more moveable if we want to go after a guy like Beal (not much guaranteed money next year). I think this frees up room under the tax as well, but I'm no cap expert.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

My gut feeling is that this is good, maybe very good.

The Celtics needed to pay a price to get out from under Kemba’s contract, that is the first round pick and Horford’s money.

Their first round pick is the asset the give up, but they have 2 similarly drafted players (Langford, Nesmith) who will be vying for time next year, so they can do without the pick.

They bring back a guy who was a veteran leader here and who can play C and hit the pick and pop 3. He might be in a late career overpaid lesser role, but he can be a positive

I know nothing about Moses Brown.

This surely opens up some additional possibilities for deals, such as moving Thompson.

The Celtics are, and have been for a long time, their best defensive selves with Smart at the point.

 

[mikeford]

Does this free up another max slot for us or is this money just going to Jaylen Brown in a year when he needs to be extended again?

 

[lovegtm]

Thinking out loud: I bet they keep Horford, but he's a great salary match now for a big name if they don't want to give up Smart for whatever reason.

 

[Ed Hillel]

This is a GREAT trade. Opens title possibilities back up in 2023.

 

[Ale Xander]

Is this addition by subtraction? (Someone else to defend at the 1?)

interesting move
Don’t hate it don’t love it

 

[lovegtm]

...
Their first round pick is the asset the give up, but they have 2 similarly drafted players (Langford, Nesmith) who will be vying for time next year, so they can do without the pick.
...

Yeah, one way you can think of this is that getting that Kings pick in the Tatum deal gave them the ability to get out of Kemba without crippling young roster depth.

 

[bigq]

I think I like this deal as well. Have to hope that TL can stay on the court. Otherwise Horford will be quickly worn down to a nub forcing big minutes to Moses Brown.

edit - I assume this means TT is moved

 

[Jakarta]

Never seen Brown play, but his #s look decent.

Bill Belichick approves of Brown being included in this trade. He had a monster game in OKC against the C’s this year.

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

Strictly from a message boarding perspective, having two players named Brown on the Celtics will suck for everyone involved.

 

[Ale Xander]

They can also play really big now with Horford at the 4 and Smart at the 1 against Philly and other big teams

Horford is a good match for Tatums game too I think

if they keep him (Horford)

 

[HowBoutDemSox]

Who the hell plays point for us now?

Until we see the rest of the off-season moves, looks like Smart starting, Pritchard off the bench, but Tatum as the main ballhandler a lot of the time.

And if they bring Fournier back, he can bring the ball up some too.

 

[lovegtm]

Strictly from a message boarding perspective, having two players named Brown on the Celtics will suck for everyone involved.

We always call him Jaylen

 

[128]

Never seen Brown play, but his #s look decent.

He had an absolutely monstrous game (first half) against Boston in which he posted close to 20/20, if memory serves.

 

[Sille Skrub]

I'm glad and surprised to be rid of the Kemba contract. This alone makes it a win for me.

 

[Mooch]

Anything that opens up flexibility by getting rid of Kemba is a positive.

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

We always call him Jaylen

I know, but still. (I'm sure you'll start just calling the other guy "Moses" as well, but really, there's only one NBA Moses.)

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvwI2xiNWCY

 

[HomeRunBaker]

I'm afraid this could signal the end of Tacko Time in Boston. Not sure how many raw bigs you can have at the end of the bench.

Also, I wonder if taking last season off will give Al a bit more pep in his step next season. His deal has 2 years left.

Tacko gone was already a given imo. When you’re a two-way prospect you typically have 1-2 years to develop into something relevant. He never did nor did he show any hope that he could.

 

[128]

View: https://twitter.com/AnnaHorford/status/1405878249733906434

 

[BillMuellerFanClub]

For those who maybe bailed on the 2020-2021 Celtics and didn't see this game, this was my personal introduction to Moses Brown. He can be an absolute force against a team without a top-flight 5.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Dz4wBbdz0


I like this trade, but how much will be a function of the dominos that fall from there. I'm not really concerned about who plays point with Tatum and Brown on the floor so I won't be devastated to see Smart stapled to Thompson for more roster improvement.

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

Bill Belichick approves of Brown being included in this trade. He had a monster game in OKC against the C’s this year.

Monster first half, if I recall. Then Coach Stevens found a way to put the clamps on him and Moses disappeared in the second half.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Have read that Al would be excited to get back to Cs. Wonder if Sam did Al a solid by sending him back there.

I also don't think that KW wanted to end ip in Siberia, I mean OKC, but maybe he can dog it for a year while he figures out how to get to a title contender.

 

[cmaxwell's silver hammer]

looks like Smart starting,

If Fournier returns and Smart comes back improved, that seems like a more balanced and better defensive starting lineup

 

[RedOctober3829]

Actually, per Spotrac only $14.5 million of Horford's salary in 2022-2023 is guaranteed. Not sure if this is true anymore since he's not on Philly anymore but Spotrac notes it would jump to $19.5 million if Philly makes the Finals either of the next 2 years and would fully guarantee if Philly wins the title.

 

[lovegtm]

Have read that Al would be excited to get back to Cs. Wonder if Sam did Al a solid by sending him back there.

I also don't think that KW wanted to end ip in Siberia, I mean OKC, but maybe he can dog it for a year while he figures out how to get to a title contender.

Yeah, I know people will disagree, but I don't see any way he is willing to play out the last year of that deal. It's going to be him rehabilitating himself in another Presti special, or he'll pull a Blake.

 

[BaseballJones]

I love Kemba so this makes me sad. But I love the Celtics more so this makes me happy.

 

[the moops]

They can also play really big now with Horford at the 4 and Smart at the 1 against Philly and other big teams

Horford is a good match for Tatums game too I think

if they keep him (Horford)

This is key. Al is way easier to move than Kemba due to the partial guarantee and the fact that he fits in on many teams

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Big first move for Stevens.

 

[OurF'ingCity]

It's kind of an obvious trade to make - many people on this board have been talking about this possibility for a while now. Sucks that they had to staple a first-rounder to Kemba to get rid of him but it's definitely the case that they are better off trading this year's #16 as opposed to, say, some future protected first-rounder when we have much less visibility into what the team's needs will be at that point. So I don't know if it's a "good" trade, per se, but it was probably a necessary one.

 

[Cellar-Door]

It’s basically an even swap of bad contracts. C’s get a promising big in Moses Brown for a 1st

I don't read it that way at all... Brown is a throw in, he's too raw to be worth much, he's just the incentive to pay 16 for the future $ savings.

 

[mauf]

I wouldn’t trade the 16th pick for Moses Brown. MB is probably better than the median outcome for that pick, and we don’t have to muddle through his rookie year, but I’d take the 1% chance of stumbling onto the next Giannis.

That said, giving up that lottery ticket to swap Kemba for Al makes sense. I didn’t see Al play this year, but unless he’s totally cooked, he’s a better roster fit.

From an OKC perspective, having a diminished Kemba jack up 20 shots a night like he did in Charlotte is a sublime way to tank while still fielding a likable and somewhat entertaining team.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Actually, per Spotrac only $14.5 million of Horford's salary in 2022-2023 is guaranteed. Not sure if this is true anymore since he's not on Philly anymore but Spotrac notes it would jump to $19.5 million if Philly makes the Finals either of the next 2 years and would fully guarantee if Philly wins the title.

I believe it’s the team Horford is on, not Philly.

 

[lovegtm]

It's kind of an obvious trade to make - many people on this board have been talking about this possibility for a while now. Sucks that they had to staple a first-rounder to Kemba to get rid of him but it's definitely the case that they are better off trading this year's #16 as opposed to, say, some future protected first-rounder when we have much less visibility into what the team's needs will be at that point. So I don't know if it's a "good" trade, per se, but it was probably a necessary one.

Also between RL and AN and the (likely) mandate to get some vets, there just wasn't going to be playing time. Yanking the bandaid now makes sense, and I don't know that Ainge would have made this move.

 

[amarshal2]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvwI2xiNWCY

If this game is basically his career highlight then I think it's safe to say he's probably just the Embiid body. A capable and cheap third center who is tall and young enough to plausibly blossom into more.

 

[BigSoxFan]

I love this trade. Kemba is a nice dude but he just wasn't the right fit and needed to go. Moses Brown is raw but he's not Tacko raw. He can be useful. Had some really good moments in very low leverage games for OKC. He then kind of sputtered down the stretch so I'm not expecting too much from him but he's decent depth and size is size.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Celtics can move Al for a smaller expiring and then move that expiring for a smaller expiring and maybe save 30 millionish or so in 2023. Throw in some 2nds to get it done.

They should be able to make a max work in 2023, and that has to be the goal. Find that guy that completes the trio with Tatum and Brown, Take 4. Or trade Brown for a max caliber and sign another max, so Tatum with two other stars.