NBA veteran Al Horford finds himself at a major crossroads after 18 years in the NBA. At nearly 40 years old, the NBA big man is considering a position for multiple teams, as he also contemplates retirement from the game. According to NBA Insider Marc Spears, the future is still relatively uncertain for Horford after allegedly ghosting the Warriors last week.
“The one everybody’s worried about is Al Horford. What’s gonna happen with Al Horford? Golden State expected him to sign last week, but he didn’t,” said Marc Spears. “Lakers, Milwaukee, Atlanta I believe are also interested in nearly 40 year old year old guy who still has retirement on the table.“
Horford isn’t your typical 39-year-old big man. Over a long and successful career, split mostly between the Hawks and Celtics, he established himself as a high-impact player with his shooting, scoring, and steady leadership in the locker room. The peak of his career was in 2024, when he helped the Celtics win the championship with averages of 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 51.1% shooting.
Horford was the odd man out, and now he’s a free agent with full control over his next move. Initially, it was reported that Horford was on his way to joining the Warriors, and it was even seemingly confirmed by Stephen Curry himself just a few days ago.
Horford would have made a fine addition in Golden State, but for whatever reason, the deal never went through, and his future has never been more uncertain. As a 5x All-Star and NBA champion, Al could choose to retire after accomplishing so much, but why walk away now when you can still play a meaningful role on a championship team?
In the case of the Lakers, he could feast off passes from Luka Doncic and may be able to extend his career by several years by playing with stars who could elevate his talent. At the very least, he could spend his twilight years in Hollywood, living out every child athlete’s dream of repping the Lakers.
There’s also the situation in Milwaukee. While they may have waived Damian Lillard, they did get back Myles Turner in a shocking addition. With Giannis, Kuzma, and now Myles Turner, the Bucks could be a threat in the East again, and Horford could add to that as a scoring threat/floor spacing off the bench.
A full-circle moment could happen in Atlanta if Horford were to return. He had some of his best seasons ever with the Hawks and achieved considerable success as a regular force in the Eastern Conference. They look a lot different today with Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis running the show, but it might be the perfect conditions for an emotional and effective reunion.
Whether Horford decides to hang it up or give it one more go, the league still sees value in his experience and poise. With multiple teams still in pursuit, the ball is in his court. And for a player who’s made a career out of doing the little things right, it wouldn’t be surprising if his final act turns out to be one of his most impactful yet.
