Why the Trade Benefits the Oklahoma City Thunder
George Hill and Trevor Ariza are players who do not serve a purpose in Oklahoma City. It is clear that the Thunder are looking to get younger and adding NBA Draft capital. If picks are important to Sam Presti, and it is clear that they are, then a deal like this would help out big-time.
The Thunder would have to take on the contract of Harris but would get two first-rounders in exchange. This would continue to bump their number of picks up over the next five years. They already have a plethora of first-round picks from deals including Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
This is a chance for the Thunder to gain more. Harris would reunite with Horford and give the Thunder some sort of a core to help them compete, but that is not what this deal is about.
This deal is mainly about the Sixers dumping the contract of Harris and clearing up cap space for the future while keeping their stars in place. The Thunder are looking to the future using their NBA Draft capital.
