NBA Rumors: Celtics Could Get Al Horford & George Hill From OKC Thunder In Two Proposed Trades

In a recent article, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report suggested two trades that the Celtics and the Thunder could explore before the 2021 trade deadline. In the first scenario, the Celtics would get Hill, the Thunder would receive Carsen Edwards, Romeo Langford, Tristan Thompson, and a 2022 second-round pick, and the Orlando Magic would acquire Jeff Teague. In the second scenario, the Thunder would send Al Horford back to the Celtics in exchange for a 2021 first-round pick. To acquire Horford without giving up more players, the Celtics would be using their $28.5 million traded-player exception in the second deal.

Despite how things ended between them in 2019, trading for Horford before the 2021 trade deadline would still make a lot of sense for the Celtics. Though he's already on the downside of his career, Favale believes that he's still better than the Celtics' offseason acquisition, Tristan Thompson.

"The Celtics might be desperate enough to initiate a reunion," Favale wrote. "He isn't exactly what they need, but they could use him. He is a far more dynamic offensive option than Tristan Thompson and the better body to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo in a potential playoff series."

Meanwhile, Hill would be a great addition to the Celtics' second unit. Though he's two years older, Hill is clearly an upgrade over Teague at the Celtics' primary backup point guard position. This season, he's averaging 11.8 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. Giving up two talented prospects in Edwards and Langford for Hill would definitely be worth it for the Celtics. Though he's mostly expected to come off the bench in Boston, he's also capable of starting when Kemba Walker needs to rest or suffers an injury.

If the two proposed trades would push through, it wouldn't only be beneficial for the Celtics, but also for the Thunder. Horford and Hill may be establishing an impressive performance this season but with the team currently in the initial phase of the rebuilding process, keeping them on their roster no longer makes any sense for the Thunder. By sending them to Boston, they would be receiving two young and promising players in Edwards and Langford who could further solidify their young core and future draft assets that would enable them to add more talented prospects to their roster.