The Sixers, Thunder, and Knicks agreed to a three-way trade this afternoon. The terms are as follows:
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Tony Bradley, Austin Rivers, a 2025 Second Round Pick (via Sixers), and a 2026 Second Round Pick (via Sixers)
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: George Hill and Ignas Brazdeikis
New York Knicks Receive: Terrance Ferguson
The Thunder's Point of View
The rich get richer as the Thunder get even more draft assets to add to their tool chest. Sam Presti has a more tradeable picks than anyone GM has ever had in the history of NBA basketball. From 2021 to 2027, the Oklahoma Thunder have 34 total picks, 17 in the first round and 17 in the second.
Oklahoma City now has a projected 34 draft picks over the next 7 years.
17- First
17- Second— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 25, 2021
Austin Rivers and Tony Bradley are hardly assets in the deal and work more as salary ballast, but they are both solid offensive players and Bradley is young. Tony Bradley has proven to be a capable offensive center in his time with the Sixers while Joel Embiid was out with injury. Rivers will be a free agent in the offseason and he should fill in well without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expected to miss significant time with Plantar Fasciitis in his foot.
The Sixers Point of View
George Hill can do a lot of things as a backup or starting point guard and he's spent time on great teams before. Hill is a really good spot-up shooter, a smart and physical defender, and can run a solid pick & roll. Getting Ignas Brazdeikis is a smart, buy-low pick-up too. He can shoot and score and is still really young.
The Sixers were able to get these guys without having to give up any significant value. Tony Bradley has been very good filling in for Joel Embiid, but hoping for Embiid to come back soon, his loss shouldn't be too mourned. The two second-round picks have some upside if the 76ers fall completely off, but second-round picks are only second-round picks in the end. Terrance Ferguson has hardly played for Philly this season but he still has some upside as an athletic, 3-and-D wing.
The Knicks Point of View
This trade exists almost solely for the Knicks to get off of Austin Rivers' contract. Rivers' doesn't make an abhorrent amount or anything but he has fallen out of the Knicks guard rotation and New York didn't want to pay him for the remainder of the year. Getting rid of Ignas Brazdeikis doesn't make a ton of sense in this move. He could be an excellent scoring wing and giving up on him before he really gets a chance at the NBA level is short-sighted.
Terrance Ferguson is a solid bet for the Knicks to make. Tom Thibodeau is the perfect coach to unlock Ferguson defensively. Ferguson has smooth hips and long arms and should play perfectly as a wing defender in Thibodeau's ice-system.
The Grades:
Oklahoma City Thunder: B
The Thunder continue pooling assets together and getting young players to fill out the roster. There was a chance George Hill was worthy of a first round pick, but this isn't a bad haul for him. Tony Bradley could be a good back-up center and Austin Rivers helps fill a gap for the Thunder in the short term. The two second-round picks are simply more assets that the Thunder have to work with in the long term.
Philadelphia 76ers: A-
The Sixers are a great team trying to get themselves to be a championship and George Hill helps with that. He spaces the floor for Joel Embiid, will help the offense flow, and doesn't give back too much defensively. Ignas Brazdeikis is a solid young bet to make too and he could be a potential piece for the future.
New York Knicks: C-
There is not much here for the Knicks. It's mostly a small move for the Knicks to clear some extra cap-room and take a bet on a different young player. Giving up Ignas Brazdeikis is a part of this deal that doesn't make a ton of sense but taking a bet on Terrance Ferguson mostly makes up for that.
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