The Philadelphia 76ers had some big expectations entering the season. With Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Al Horford, they were supposed to be the crown jewel of the East.
Instead, the Sixers are the 5th seed in the Conference with drama and controversy headlining their campaign.
Alongside reports of a rift between Simmons and Embiid, Horford’s play has been a big disappointment for them this season. His numbers have seen a pretty concerning dip from last season, going from 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4,2 assists on 53% shooting to 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.98 assists on 43% shooting.
All of this begs the question: what is in store for Horford’s future?
The Sixers have shown no public interest in trading the star center, but things appear to be different behind the scenes.
(via Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports)
Though the Sixers did not try to move Al Horford at the trade deadline, that might be a possibility in the off-season – if they can send that contract to another team and get shooting in return – a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
The Sixers are on the fast-track to disaster and it seems inevitable that a roster shakeup will happen at some point this summer.
Considering Horford’s struggles, he could be the first one to go if it means addressing their biggest need: shooting. While the free-agent market is thin this summer, the Sixers could dangle a guy like Horford to acquire some shooting on the trade market.
Even in the midst of his struggles, at the age of 33, Horford still holds a lot of value. Expect his name to pop up frequently in the weeks and months to come.
