With the preseason just about to start, the Rockets suddenly completed a deal.
According to ESPN, the Rockets will trade Nwaba, Burke, Chris, Sterling Brown, to the Thunder.
For the Thunder, they sent Favors, Jerome, Hacles, Maledon, a second-round pick.
Two teams, up to eight players and one draft pick.
What is the purpose at this juncture when the game is about to start?
Most of the deals on the NBA's free market are created to strengthen the team.
But there are some exceptions, such as today's five-for-four game.
The purpose of Thunder's transaction is purely to avoid taxes.
Through the deal, Russia got rid of Favors's tens of millions of contracts, allowing the luxury tax to succeed in less than $10 million.
The Rockets, on the other hand, got a second round in the deal, which is conducive to accelerating the rebuilding of the team.
And in Stone's view, Favors is a high-quality insider who can also provide combat effectiveness, and may be able to sell for a good price in the future.
It is worth mentioning that Maurice Harklis, now 29, has once again been reduced to a chip and has been tragically traded.
This is the eighth team he has changed in the past four years, and the other seven are: Blazers, Clippers, Knicks, Heat, Kings, Hawks, Thunder.
The Hawks and Thunder, both of whom got Harklis this offseason, immediately sent him away.
When he joined the Hawks, Harkless said confidently that he could help Trae Young and look forward to the new season.
When he joined the Thunder, he also said for the first time that the future of the team is very bright and will work together with young players.
Unexpectedly, both times they were just after showing loyalty, and a few days later they were sent away by the team's original chips, which was extremely embarrassing.
After the deal was struck, the Rockets' draft picks for the next six years came to 14.
Seven first rounds, seven second rounds, along with the Thunder and Jazz, almost monopolized the draft.
The Thunder Rockets have been working together for years now, and this offseason has once again completed mutual help.
As the old saying goes, as long as there is no direct competition, everyone can be a friend...