The Toronto Raptors had been keeping a very sharp eye on their neighbors in Massachusetts, as the Boston Celtics looked ready to make some big moves this offseason after the Danny Ainge ouster, and a Kemba Walker trade was clearly high on the priority list after last season.
Walker remains one of the better offensive point guards in the East, but he struggled with health and consistency last year, and his two-year stint in Boston felt underwhelming to some due to the fact his production was inferior to that of the departed Kyrie Irving.
The two sides seemed destined for a breakup, with the former Hornets star reportedly frustrated with Boston’s earlier attempts to get rid of his contract. Oddly enough, this deal came back to bite the Raptors in the butt by taking away some of their more intriguing offseason targets at the center position.
Walker was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder, along with the No. 16 pick, in exchange for center Al Horford, young big Moses Brown, and a second-round pick. The Raptors were one of the few teams that could’ve absorbed Horford’s deal, but now they have to watch him provide his usual brand of veteran savvy in Boston.
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.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2021
Toronto Raptors target Al Horford went to Boston in the Kemba Walker trade.
14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game might not sound like earth-shattering production, but Horford doing that in his age-34 season in Oklahoma City is a testament to his quality. Still a quality interior defender, Horford would’ve been able to immediately fix Toronto’s biggest issue in their lack of interior muscle.
The Raptors would’ve had to get somewhat creative with regards to how to take on his contract, but they have the money and front-office know-how to perhaps get a third team involved if they really wanted him. Instead, not only did they miss out on Horford, but they saw a rival in the east pick him up.
Brown is far from just a throw-in with regards to this deal. A G League stud who was so promising that the Thunder de-activated Horford in order to get him more minutes, the 7-2 Brown averaged 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Boston’s player development system could have a grand time getting him to improve his game.
The Raptors might just re-sign Khem Birch and call it a day, but some of their division rivals have instead chosen to make some impact additions while shedding one of the ugliest contracts in the game. Looking at the swap like this makes it a real kick in the teeth for the Raptors.
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