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Musketeers

The Oklahoma City Thunder have acquired Derrick Favors and a future first-round pick from the Utah Jazz in exchange for a future second-round pick, according to ESPN's <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421079624092733447" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski</a>. These trade talks were first reported by <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1421015459017732098" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic</a>.
Favors will earn $9,720,900 in 2021-22 and he has a $10,183,800 player option for 2022-23, so the Jazz were willing to package a first-round pick with Favors in order to free up some cap space.
By now, every team knows that Thunder GM Sam Presti is who to call if you want to dump salary and are willing to attach a pick. This is how Oklahoma City has added many of the draft picks they've stockpiled; counting last night's selections, they could have as many as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/when-nba-teams-have-hoarded-draft-picks-has-it-paid-off" target="_blank" rel="noopener">41 picks over the next seven drafts</a> (including 21 first-rounders).
It's possible that the Thunder could get an additional pick out of this, if they're able to flip Favors to a playoff team prior to the trade deadline. Presti has pulled this off with several veterans recently.
In the meantime, Favors could provide some much-needed veteran leadership for this young Thunder team. In last night's 2021 NBA Draft, OKC acquired 20-year-old big man Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (No. 32) from the New York Knicks by sending out picks No. 34 and 36. Oklahoma City also has young bigs such as Aleksej Pokusevski (age-19), Darius Bazley (age-21) and Isaiah Roby (age-23).
Back in April, Rudy Gobert <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told BasketballNews.com</a> that facing off against Favors in practice helped him become the player he is today.
&ldquo;In my first year, when I first got here, I remember being in practice against Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, and I knew I was going to have to get stronger because those guys were pushing me around," Gobert said. "I was fighting back because I had some heart, but I needed more than that! (laughs) I really spent a lot of extra time in the weight room [after that], and my body became an emphasis; every year, I tried to get stronger. And it not only helped me increase my impact on the court, but also to stay healthy."
The 30-year-old averaged 5.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and a block for Utah in 15.3 minutes per game last season. Between the regular season and playoffs, Favors appeared in 79 contests in 2020-21.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz have agreed to trade involving the 30-year-old big man and future picks.

Thunder acquire Derrick Favors, future first-rounder from Jazz

Anfernee Simons scored 27 points on nine 3-pointers, one shy of Damian Lillard's franchise record, and the Portland Trail Blazers routed the Indiana Pacers 133-112 on Tuesday night to end their five-game losing streak.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Anfernee Simons TIES AN NBA RECORD ‼️ He hits his first 9 from beyond the arc and finishes with a season-high in PTS (27) and FPTS (43.8). Automatic. 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/yt0LW4EKuo">pic.twitter.com/yt0LW4EKuo</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1387215627186737161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Lillard added 23 points and the Blazers shot a season-best 57.1% from beyond the arc to end their longest skid of the season. Simons was 9 for 10 on 3-pointers.
Malcolm Brogdon and Oshae Brissett each finished with 18 points for the Pacers, who had a three-game winning streak end.
With the Trail Blazers going 20 of 35 from 3-point range, Indiana never really had a chance.
Portland broke open the game in the second quarter by taking advantage of a 13-5 discrepancy in offensive rebounds and, of course-, the long-range shooting.
The second of Lillard's four 3s broke a 50-all tie and spurred 21-5 run that gave the Trail Blazers a 71-55 lead late in the first half. A flagrant foul against CJ McCollum in the final minute allowed the Pacers to claw their way back within 11 and a technical foul on Lillard after the first half ended got Indiana within 73-63 before the start of the second half.
But Portland prevented the Pacers from making a serious challenge and used its second 3-point barrage to close the third quarter with a 113-78 lead.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: McCollum had 20 points and four assists. Lillard had six assists. ... Robert Covington finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Enes Kantner had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic had 11 points and 10 rebounds. ... Carmelo Anthony scored 13 points. ... Portland has 10 games this season with 20 or more 3s. ... The Trail Blazers avoided being swept by the Pacers for the first time since 2007-08.
Pacers: Brissett also had 10 rebounds, his second double-double in three home games since signing a three-year contract with Indiana. ... Brogdon added four rebounds and four assists. ... Caris LeVert finished with 16 points and Doug McDermott had 13 points. ... Indiana went 10 of 30 on 3s and was outrebounded 57-37. ... Indiana played again without three injured starters &mdash; Domantas Sabonis (back), Myles Turner (right foot), T.J. Warren (left foot) as well as backups Goga Bitadze (left ankle) and Jeremy Lamb (left knee).
THE STREAK
Indiana fell to 11-18 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season and with only seven home games remaining, the Pacers' 31-year streak with a winning record at home ended. It was the longest active streak in the NBA, and tied for the third-longest in league history.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Will try to avoid a three-game sweep at Memphis on Wednesday.
Pacers: Hopes to rebounds Thursday when Brooklyn visits Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
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