Training camp has begun around the NBA, and in Oklahoma City there will still be a lot of getting to know new teammates going on by the end of Week 1.
After making a deal with the Hawks on Wednesday, sending Vit Krejci to Atlanta for Moe Harkless, the Thunder made their second trade of the week in a rather bizarre eight-player deal with the Houston Rockets that sees the two presumptive lottery teams swap four players each on their benches, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN Sources: The Oklahoma City Thunder are trading Derrick Favors, Ty Jerome, Moe Harkless, Theo Maledon and a 2025 second-round pick via Atlanta to the Houston Rockets for David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke and Marquese Chriss.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 30, 2022
If you are wondering why these teams would make this trade, which feels like something you’d do on NBA 2K out of boredom more than an actual basketball trade, it comes down to money, as always, with the Thunder getting well below the tax line while the Rockets get a second rounder for their troubles in adding a bit of salary.
Cap-centric deal for both teams: Thunder gain two trade exceptions and drop about $10M under luxury tax. Rockets get a second-round pick for taking on $1M in salary. Favors will have value as a backup center, or elsewhere on a trade in marketplace too. https://t.co/k8zpgthwOh
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 30, 2022
As Woj notes, Derrick Favors figures to be on the move once again as the veteran center doesn’t really provide any value to a Rockets team looking to play its youngsters. As for the others involved in the deal, the most excited I can get about this is we now might see David Nwaba and Lu Dort share the floor in OKC which will be fun on the defensive end.