The much-anticipated deal between Al Horford and the Golden State Warriors has finally come together.
Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Horford’s agent confirmed on Sunday that the 18-year veteran has agreed to a multi-year deal to join the Warriors in free agency.
Horford was able to capture the first championship of his career with the Boston Celtics during the 2023-24 season. He has been a staple in Boston for most of the past decade, with the exception of one-year stints with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019-20 and Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020-21.
There was a lot of uncertainty about what might happen to Boston’s roster and some of its free agents this summer with a new ownership group set to take over if the franchise’s sale is approved by the NBA.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks noted the Celtics could have more than $500 million in salary commitments in 2025-26 between payroll and luxury tax.
Horford was the only notable free agent the Celtics had to worry about this summer. His salary alone wasn’t going to break the bank, but combined with what it would add to their tax bill, perhaps the new ownership would look to cut costs.
While there are potential trade options for the Celtics to consider if they also want to cut costs, letting Horford walk suggests they might be looking to cut costs wherever possible given the uncertainty around Jayson Tatum playing next season.
Tatum had surgery on May 13 to repair a ruptured Achilles suffered in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens started the offseason making two notable moves, trading away both Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday to save the team $260 million.
Horford, who turned 39 on June 3, has found his niche as a role player next to Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He averaged 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in 60 appearances last season.
Despite being one of the oldest active players in the NBA, Horford remains a very good defensive player. He turned in a terrific performance in the Celtics’ 111-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on March 8.
The Celtics’ loss is going to be the Golden State’s gain because Horford remains a versatile player on both ends of the court. He’s still a good three-point shooter and can play stifling defense against high-level scorers.
Horford isn’t a cornerstone piece for a championship contender at this stage of his career, but he’s a role player who can push a team at that level over the top.
After finishing last season playing a small-ball lineup in part because it was the best five-man unit and in part because there were no viable starting centers on the roster, the Warriors get a much-needed infusion of size with Horford agreeing to a deal.
Even though Horford is unlikely to be a major presence in the paint, he’s still a disruptive defensive player. The Florida alum also has the shooting touch to make for a perfect fit in an offense with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler commanding a lot of attention.
The Warriors were already thin in the frontcourt before losing Kevon Looney to the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency. Horford is a better player than Looney at this point in their careers and brings the same veteran leadership into the locker room that Looney did throughout his 10-year run with the organization.
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