September 23, 2024

Thunder’s Updated Roster, Lineup, Draft Picks After Reported Al Horford Trade

Thunder #Thunder

Ashley Landis/Associated Press

After dealing Dennis Schroder to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Oklahoma City Thunder received Danny Green, but the team has sent Green packing again in a deal that brings Al Horford to OKC from the Philadelphia 76ers.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal, which also includes a 2025 first-round pick and the No. 34 pick in Wednesday’s draft, along with Vasilije Micic, going to the Thunder. Terrance Ferguson will head to Philadelphia in the deal.

Oklahoma City has been the catalyst of major deals since the trade window opened Monday, also dealing Chris Paul and Abdel Nader to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for four players and a first-round pick in 2022.

A projected first-round draft order for the next few seasons might be all OKC (h/t Tommy Beer of Forbes):

  • 2020: two first-round picks (via Denver, Los Angeles Lakers)
  • 2021: two first-round picks (own, via Miami)
  • 2022: three first-round picks (own, via Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns)
  • 2023: two first-round picks (own, via Miami)
  • 2024: three first-round picks (own, via Los Angeles Clippers, Houston)
  • 2025: two first-round picks (own, via Philadelphia)
  • 2026: three first-round picks (own, via Los Angeles Clippers, Houston) 
  • But for now, here’s a prediction at what their depth chart could look like once the NBA season kicks off on Dec. 22: 

  • PG: Ricky Rubio, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque
  • SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hamidou Diallo, Andre Roberson, Luguentz Dort
  • SF: Kelly Oubre Jr., Luguentz Dort, Andre Roberson, Hamidou Diallo
  • PF: Danilo Gallinari, Al Horford, Kelly Oubre Jr., Darius Bazley, Andre Roberson, Mike Muscala
  • C: Steven Adams, Al Horford, Nerlens Noel, Mike Muscala, Darius Bazley
  • In his 13th season in the league and only campaign in Philadelphia, Horford added 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, averaging 30.2 minutes on the court while shooting .450 from the field and .350 from beyond the arc. 

    The former third overall pick in 2007 was drafted as a power forward, but he played center for his entire career before joining the 76ers and All-Star big man Joel Embiid. The Thunder pick up a hefty contract with the 34-year-old, who signed a four-year, $109 million deal this past offseason. 

    The Thunder have looked to Steven Adams at center in almost every year since they drafted him with the 12th overall pick out of Pittsburgh in 2013. The 27-year-old is coming off of a season in which he posted 10.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists on .592 shooting (.333 from three). He will become a free agent in 2021 as he is in the last year of a four-year, $100 million deal, with $27.5 million on the books for the upcoming season.

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