Warriors are reportedly eying Al Horford as a ‘high goal’
Celtics
The Warriors are reportedly on the lookout for a stretch middle. May Horford be that man for them?
May Al Horford go away the Celtics once more?
The 39-year-old middle turned a free-agent Monday night, and one Western Convention contender has reportedly been eyeing him as a “high goal,” in accordance with NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.
In accordance with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors are available in the market for an enormous man and like Horford’s potential match with them.
“Group sources have recognized a stretch middle as a excessive precedence,” Slater wrote in a current piece. “Many within the league proceed to hyperlink Al Horford to the Warriors as a most well-liked goal.”
Horford stated throughout his exit interview final month that it was too early to determine about his future. However now, free-agency is underway and several other offers involving different gamers have been introduced.
Horford, who spent the majority of his early profession with the Atlanta Hawks, is on his second multi-year stint with the Celtics. He signed with Boston as a free-agent in 2019 and left for Philadelphia in 2019. After temporary stints with the Sixers and Thunder, the Celtics swung a commerce in 2021 to deliver Horford again. He helped them win their file 18th championship in 2024.
The five-time All-Star has settled right into a reserve position with the Celtics, averaging 9 factors per recreation off of the bench. His 3-point capturing numbers took a dip this previous season (36.3 p.c vs. 41.9 p.c in 2024), however his protection in clutch conditions has been helpful in current playoff collection.
The Celtics have already made a pair value chopping strikes, buying and selling Jrue Vacation to the Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks. They’re nonetheless within the luxurious tax thanks largely to hefty salaries for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White.
However, they’ve all of a sudden change into fairly skinny on the middle place with the absence of Porzingis. Horford and Luke Kornet are each free brokers.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens stated bringing each gamers again is a precedence, however the shift within the Celtics’ title possibilities following Jayson Tatum‘s achilles’ harm could trigger gamers like Horford to rethink whether or not Boston offers them the very best likelihood to win subsequent 12 months.
There are different components that go into free-agent selections, comparable to cash, location, having to relocate a household, and so on. Horford has had success in Boston and reportedly appears pleased within the space.
However, it’s too early to inform precisely what he’ll do as soon as different groups come calling.
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