Oklahoma City Obtained the Higher Draft Choice
The July 8, 2010 draft-rights trade sent Kansas center Cole Aldrich, selected eleventh, and veteran wing Morris Peterson from the New Orleans Hornets to the Oklahoma City Thunder. New Orleans received the rights to forwards Craig Brackins at No. 21 and Quincy Pondexter at No. 26. The Thunder wanted a young defensive center and experienced perimeter presence around Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. New Orleans traded down to acquire two distinct first-round rights. The site's old Charlotte Hornets franchise key refers to the historical New Orleans club, not a 2010 trade with the Charlotte Bobcats.
Aldrich Provided Limited Thunder Playing Time
Aldrich appeared in eighteen Oklahoma City regular-season games during his 2010-11 rookie season and twenty-six more in 2011-12, totaling forty-four Thunder appearances before he moved elsewhere. His defensive and rebounding potential made him a reasonable prospect to obtain, but he never developed into a major Thunder starter. Peterson did not become a long-term veteran cornerstone either. In February 2011 Oklahoma City included Peterson and D.J. White in a separate trade for Nazr Mohammed. That transaction demonstrated the veteran contract's utility, although Mohammed's entire contribution cannot be credited solely to having acquired Peterson the previous summer.
New Orleans Turned Two Picks Into Separate Roster Options
The Hornets had two first-round selections instead of one higher pick. Pondexter went on to record NBA appearances for New Orleans, establishing a direct playing return from the draft-night agreement. Brackins did not remain with the Hornets for the season. The club later packaged his rights with Darius Songaila and sent them to Philadelphia for Willie Green and Jason Smith. Those incoming veterans were obtained through an additional agreement requiring Songaila, so crediting both entirely to this exchange would overlook the later price. The original return is best described as two movable first-round assets with different developmental outcomes.
The Slight Edge Is an Asset-Chain Judgment
Both organizations received usable options but neither produced a star directly from this one transaction. Oklahoma City got a frontcourt prospect who played forty-four Thunder games and a movable veteran contract. New Orleans collected a pair of first-round rights that supplied some playing time and separate trade flexibility. Comparing only eventual NBA careers without checking ownership changes would give misleading credit for Pondexter's later teams or Mohammed's full Thunder service. The old high grades are more generous than those direct returns justify. A modest Thunder edge recognizes the higher selection and Peterson's later flexibility without transforming either into a franchise-defining acquisition.
Final Verdict
Slight Oklahoma City Thunder Edge. Oklahoma City earns B for Cole Aldrich's forty-four regular-season Thunder games and the ability to include Morris Peterson in a subsequent deal. The historical New Orleans Hornets receive B- under the site's Charlotte franchise identifier for Quincy Pondexter's playing contribution and Craig Brackins's transferable rights. Nazr Mohammed and Willie Green arrived through later packages that required additional assets, not directly in the original July 2010 exchange.