It’s finally happened, OKC Thunder fans: the full-fledged youth-movement has officially begun.
Late last week, ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that Oklahoma City would be sitting veteran big Al Horford for the remainder of the season in an effort to develop their youth.
When speaking to the media about the matter, General Manager Sam Presti had nothing but glowing words to say about the 34-year-old:
"“We’ve talked with Al from the time he became a member of the Thunder this offseason about the many ways in which he would be able to help us as we entered the early stages of the necessary transition of our team,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in a statement Saturday. “From day one Al has been a consummate professional and has had a tremendous influence on the team on and off the floor with his work ethic and total commitment to his teammates. “Our conversations have been open and ongoing about how to maximize this season for him personally as well as the development of our team. Al has been nothing short of spectacular and will remain a part of the team as we build on an approach and mentality that we have taken for some time.”"
The OKC Thunder will look to make an offseason trade involving Al Horford
Though the idea of sitting out when in the midst of a solid season — 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists — may not sit well for everyone, with a consummate professional like Al Horford, he has opted to look to this situation in a positive spin and, ultimately, will continue to be a part of this team and bestow his mentorship to the youngsters while on the sidelines.
"“… I know what it’s like to be a young, aspiring player, and at this point in the season I understand how important playing meaningful minutes is for their careers and their development,” Horford said in a statement. “I also understand how important it is for the organization to give them that opportunity. “I’m looking forward to supporting the guys who supported me, watching them continue to play the right way and play together as we have throughout the season, while still being around the team and continuing my training.”"
Now, moving forward, both parties will look to the offseason, where Presti will work with Horford and his agent, Jason Glushon, in an effort to find a trade that lands the center on a team better suited for his skillset and late-stage of career phase.
Though there are still 20+ games remaining on the schedule, we at tI believe it’s never too early to discuss future plans.
Today, we present to you 3 optimal trade destinations for OKC Thunder big man Al Horford this offseason:
Al Horford trade destination No. 1) Golden State Warriors
The team that defined the latter part of the last decade, the Golden State Warriors have found themselves in a bit of an odd situation since entering the 2020s.
Having won three championships in five years from 2015-2019, the Dubs missed out on the postseason entirely during their first year without the likes of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston on the roster.
Obviously, they also found themselves without Klay Thompson for the entirety of the season (recovery from torn ACL) and Stephen Curry & Draymond Green for a large chunk of the season as well.
Now, with Curry and Draymond back in tow — Klay’s still out due to an offseason Achilles tear — the Warriors are once again looking to make a run at a postseason berth in 2021, though things have been relatively tough through 47 games as they hold a sub-.500 record of 23-24 and are currently in the 10th seed out West.
This Warriors core is certainly not getting any younger, which means their championship window is beginning to look smaller and smaller as the years go by. Making “win now” moves will be key to keeping guys like Steph, Draymond, and Klay (when he hopefully returns next season) happy, and a trade for the OKC Thunder big could be right in line with such a mindset.
With ample experience on his resume, high-class leadership, and a skill set that perfectly fits the team’s style of play, Horford could be a great grab for a Golden State team looking for more veteran help and an improvement in talent down at the pivot.