Sixers Trade Al Horford, Picks to Thunder for Danny Green

NBA veteran Al Horford had played his final minutes with the Philadelphia 76ers last season. 

On Wednesday, just hours before the 2020 NBA Draft, the Sixers sent Horford and several draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for former Los Angeles Lakers veteran Danny Green and shooting guard Terrance Ferguson, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Per Wojnarowski, the Sixers are sending a “lightly protected” first-round pick for the 2025 NBA Draft and the 34th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In addition to the two picks, the Thunder will also receive Serbian point guard Vasilije Micic, who is currently playing overseas. 

Just last offseason, the Sixers looked for ways to upgrade their roster in preparation for the 2020 NBA Playoffs. At the time, the front office figured another experienced big man like Horford could help the Sixers defeat teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks in the postseason.

However, the experiment of having Joel Embiid play alongside another big like Al Horford didn’t go as planned. Horford might still have some gas left in the tank, but his struggles with the Sixers made it hard to justify the $109 million contract he signed last summer.

After Horford’s first year on the Sixers ended with the team getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs, it was becoming clear the Sixers were going to try and move him. Now, the Sixers will get another experienced veteran with Danny Green and a former first-round shooting guard Terrance Ferguson in return for Horford.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_