The Warriors have been in search of adding some size to their team ever since the departure of Kevon Looney in free agency. And now, they seem to be locked in on bringing Al Horford, the former NBA champion and 18-year veteran in the league, to the Bay Area.
According to Marc Grandi, the host of 95.7 The Game, a Bay Area Sports Radio Show, the Warriors have had a handshake deal with Al Horford and will likely only finalize the terms of the contract after they decide on what to do with Jonathan Kuminga.
While refuting a Warriors analyst claiming the holdup on their confirmation of Al Horford’s signing is his retirement decision, Grandi said that the Warriors want to gauge how much money they can offer Horford based on what happens with Kuminga.
“I don’t think the holdup on Al Horford is him deciding whether he wants to retire or not. My read is that GSW has a handshake agreement with him in place, but it could be slightly edited depending on how much extra money they have to play with based on the Kuminga outcome.”
Al Horford is one of the top available free agents at the moment who could fulfill the Warriors’ requirements. Last season, Horford averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 42.3% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range. As a 6’9″ center with a 7’1″ wingspan, Horford is a perfect center for a small-ball lineup.
While he doesn’t have the size to provide elite shot blocking inside the paint, his shooting skills make him a threat to stretch the floor and open more space for his teammates to work with.
According to Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ General Manager, they made offers to both Al Horford and Luke Kornet, but both of them are unlikely to return to the Celtics. Kornet joined the Spurs on a four-year, $41 million contract, and Horford is assessing offers from multiple teams while also considering retirement.
With Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and now Al Horford’s imminent exit, we will likely see a whole new look of the Celtics next season. Meanwhile, the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga are reportedly nearing an agreement on a partial value contract that will make him eligible to be traded after December 15.
Once the terms of that contract are decided, the Warriors will have the right to make minor alterations to their potential final offer to Al Horford. When these two situations are resolved, the Warriors can then look to make other additions to their roster, like De’Anthony Melton or potentially Bradley Beal.
The Warriors have a lot of holes to fill, and landing Horford would be the first step in temporarily fixing those issues for a potential championship run. It will be interesting to see what moves the Warriors have planned for the summer.
