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Celtics Deliver Kemba Walker, 16th Choose to Thunder to Get Horford

The Celtics are attracting Al Horford back, trading point shield Kemba Walker into Oklahoma City for its five-time All-Star on Friday at Brad Stevens' first big move since he transferred from the Boston seat into the front office.

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Celtics Deliver Kemba Walker, 16th Choose to Thunder to Get Horford

Boston will even send the No. 16 overall draft pick and a 2025 second-rounder into the Thunder and get 7-footer Moses Brown along with a 2023 second-round select in return.

Oklahoma City currently holds 19 first-round draft picks over the next seven decades.

Horford yields to Boston and provides the Celtics that the frontcourt presence they have lacked since he abandoned two seasons past. The 6-foot-9 was ahead was a part of their NBA All-Defensive team together with the Celtics at 2017-18 while also posting the very best help amounts of his profession.

Stevens trained Horford for 3 seasons and states that he played with a"critical function" while at Boston.

"His capacity to elevate teammates together with his expertise and direction make for a fantastic improvement," Stevens explained. "We also need to welcome Moses into Boston.

Walker joins a group that ended with the second-worst album from the West last season but showed possible with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the Thunder with 23.7 points per match, also Lu Dort, who averaged 14 points and was among the league's best defensive guards.

But after helping the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference finals at the NBA bubble season the four-time All-Star that he was restricted by knee injuries to 43 matches in 2021; he missed the past two matches of this first-round playoff loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

Walker's passing means Boston will rely heavily on All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for scoring. Without additional moves, it would also render Marcus Smart and Payton Pritchard since the team's major choices at point guard.

But swapping his wages for Horford's will save yourself the Celtics $9 million.

"Kemba is a real professional and a fantastic teammate and participant," Stevens explained. "I wish to thank him for his enormous impact, along with the positive contribution he has made to the Celtics and the town of Boston."

But he picked out after three seasons to visit Philadelphia, then the 76ers switched him into the Thunder after a single year.

Horford, 35, averaged 14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds this year, but he played only 23 matches before Oklahoma City closed down him in late March to have a look at younger players -- such as Brown.

"Thanks to... that the total Thunder organization due to their professionalism throughout my period in Oklahoma City," Horford tweeted. "While it was brief, it was first class all the way and my family are incredibly thankful and respectful."

Brown, 21, was a first-team All-G-League choice this year, along with the Thunder saw to phone up him and grant him a multiyear deal.

"When he got his chance, he actually embraced it," Horford said during the group's exit interviews. Playing with this league isn't simple, night in night out to need to prepare, everything it requires, and that I felt like he had been up for the struggle "

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