From Tyler Conway of B/R:
A year after inking him to a four-year, $109 million contract, the Philadelphia 76ers are moving on from Al Horford.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sixers traded the 34-year-old, along with a “lightly-protected” 2025 first-round draft pick and the No. 34 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Danny Green and Terrence Ferguson.
Wojnarowski added that Oklahoma City will also receive the rights to Vasilije Micic, who currently plays in Turkey and was drafted No. 54 overall by Philadelphia in 2014.
This will mark the second time this week Green has reportedly been traded.
Wojnarowski reported on Sunday that the Thunder intended to acquire Green from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Dennis Schroder and the No. 28 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Horford was an awkward fit in a Sixers lineup that already included Joel Embiid. A center for the first 12 seasons of his career, he started at the 4 alongside Embiid as the Sixers attempted to punish teams with length defensively.
While the defensive strategy mostly worked, the Sixers have been an inconsistent mess on offense. Horford and Embiid had to play away from the basket more than they probably like in part because of each other and also because Ben Simmons remains a non-shooter.
Philadelphia ranked 14th in the NBA in offensive efficiency, and Horford griped about his role publicly.
“I’m out [there] for the team and doing what I can to help us,” he said, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But offensively, I’m very limited with the things that I can do. So I can’t control that stuff. So all I have to do is make sure I’m there for the team, trying to do everything I can to help us win.”
Trading Horford already is nonetheless a bit of a surprise. His value is at a low point, and moving off of his deal is the first major move under new president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
Morey is looking to reshape the roster to maximize their window. Horford’s contract and poor performance last season made it hard to envision a scenario in which he would be back to play with the team as currently constructed.
Green gives Philadelphia a much-need three-and-D wing presence. He’s no longer in the prime of his career, but the 33-year-old has shot over 36 percent from behind the arc in each of the past four seasons.
