After just one season with the Philadelphia 76ers, 5x All-Star Al Horford is being sent packing in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the draft-day trade will see Horford head to OKC for two first-round picks and the rights to Serbian guard Vasilije Micic.
Horford, 34, did not play up to standards for the Sixers last season, averaging just 11.9 points per game on a 4-yr/$109M contract. Amid his shortcomings, and the Sixers’ disappointing season, Al was the subject of many criticisms and slander from fans throughout the season.
Now that he’s gone, some folks close to the Dominican big man have already expressed relief on his escape from the franchise, including his brother and sister, who called out fans for spreading their toxic rhetoric on Twitter…
Al Horford’s sister* calls out Sixers fans after he gets traded to OKC. https://t.co/rY7rQiYEgn
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 18, 2020
Looks like Al Horford’s brother is happy with the trade… 😅 pic.twitter.com/7vaoNHRmqV
— Top Ball Coverage (@TopBallCoverage) November 18, 2020
Philly sports fans are known for being rather hard on their players/teams. For the 76ers specifically, the team hasn’t brought home a title since 1983. Fans are desperate to see their team succeed.
Unfortunately, it’s too often that the NBA community can cross ethical lines and take things too far on social media. The Horford situation proved as much, and now many are wondering what effect it may be having on players who still call Philly their home.
