Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge recently said the team is looking to acquire “shooting with size” with the $28.5 million traded player exception (TPE) they own. The Celtics received the TPE in the sign-and-trade with the Charlotte Hornets after Gordon Hayward inked a four-year contract this offseason with his new club. Looking for a big man who can shoot, could the Celtics target old friend Al Horford?

Horford spent three seasons with the Celtics—earning one All-Star bid in the process—after signing with the franchise back in 2016. He helped lead Boston to consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference Finals from 2017-18. After opting out of his Celtics contract in the summer of 2019, he signed a massive, four-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was not a fit in Philadelphia—unable to successfully play next to superstar center Joel Embiid—and was jettisoned to the Oklahoma City Thunder after one mere season in the City of Brotherly Love.

The Celtics are underachieving with an even 14-14 record. They have lost six of 10, including defeats to the lowly Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. Bringing Horford back to Boston could reignite a struggling team with championship aspirations.

Horford is familiar with Brad Stevens’ system. The five-time All-Star has previously played next to Daniel Theis as the team’s center. Horford could also serve as the power forward alongside Robert Williams in the frontcourt.

Williams shined in an expanded role the past two contests with Theis (sprained right index finger) sidelined. Williams posted eight points, eight rebounds and a career-high five steals in 20 minutes during Tuesday’s win over the Denver Nuggets.  The ultra-athletic 23-year-old followed that up with eight points, three rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 19 minutes against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

Capable of playing the four and five for the Celtics, Horford provides a strong threat from the outside. He is shooting 39 percent from 3-point range, his highest mark since his 2017-18 All-Star campaign with the Celtics. Horford has even increased his scoring, producing 14.7 points per contest—his highest mark since his final season with the Hawks.

In addition to his scoring, Horford is averaging 6.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists despite seeing a career-low 28.2 minutes across 19 games. He was dominant during a recent five-game stretch, four of which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed due to a left knee sprain. Gilgeous-Alexander returned to action on Wednesday evening.

The rebuilding Thunder (11-17) does not have much use for Horford, despite his strong play with the club. Oklahoma City is looking to bottom out this year, and that is going to plan thus far, as it sits in 14th place in the Western Conference standings.

Flushed with plenty of future first-round draft picks, the Thunder is looking towards further enhancing the long-term outlook of the franchise. It would love to rid itself of Horford’s contract, which runs through 2023.

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What could a Horford-centered trade between the Celtics and Thunder look like? The Celtics could send Tristan Thompson, a 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 second-rounder to the Thunder in exchange for Horford. The first-round pick could be an issue for Boston unless they are truly desperate. Because Boston holds a $28.5 million TPE, the trade works despite the significant salary discrepancies between Thompson and Horford’s respective contracts.

Thompson has been unable to find consistency in his first season with the Celtics. The center has struggled to play next to Theis in the frontcourt, a lineup Stevens has utilized—with little success—far too frequently this year. Part of Stevens’ motivation to play Thompson and Theis together is providing backup center minutes to Williams. However, the Theis-Thompson combination has failed miserably and the Celtics can no longer afford to roll that lineup out there.

The Thunder’s motivation for making this deal is simple: it lands yet another first-round pick and sheds itself of Horford’s expensive contract. Acquiring Thompson, who signed a two-year, $18.9 million pact with Boston this offseason, is not a major financial constraint for Oklahoma City. Furthermore, Thompson has one less year on his current deal—which runs through 2022—than Horford.

With the NBA’s March 25 trade deadline approaching, Danny Ainge has a month left to make a season-altering move. The Celtics need a drastic change to their current roster, which has proven to be far from elite. Trading for Horford would give the Celtics a major spark, one that could propel them back into title contention.