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Kevon Looney of the Golden State Warriors battles with Al Horford and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics for a rebound in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals.
Veteran center Al Horford is expected to join the Golden State Warriors once the situation surrounding restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga is resolved, per multiple reports.
Horford, 39, is among several veteran free agents—including De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II and Seth Curry—slated to sign with Golden State this offseason. But according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Horford is likely to receive more than the veteran minimum.
“Al Horford’s situation is a bit different because, depending on where the Warriors land in a cap tax situation, I believe he could make upwards of the full taxpayer mid-level ($5.7 million) exception,” Fischer said on Bleacher Report’s Insider’s Notebook on Aug. 20. “There’s also discussion of a potential two-year deal with a player option, which would be beneficial for Horford, who was considering retirement following Boston Celtics‘ championship run in 2024.”
The Warriors expect Horford to play a key role in the rotation, especially with longtime veteran Kevon Looney departing for the New Orleans Pelicans and younger frontcourt players Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post rounding out the roster.
Warriors’ Starting Center
ESPN’s Anthony Slater called Horford the “presumed starting center” next season.
“Horford would slide in as the presumed starting center, lessening the regular-season load on Draymond Green,” Slater wrote. “His ability to pass, defend and shoot from the center spot fits well into the Warriors’ system.”
Last season, Horford averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while making nearly two 3-pointers per game on 36.3% shooting from beyond the arc. During Boston’s championship run the previous year, he averaged 8.6 points with a 41.9% mark from three-point range.
With Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry on the floor, Horford is expected to see more open looks than in Boston.
“Those around the league continue to ticket Horford to the Warriors when free agency dust settles,” Slater said. “The Kuminga situation continues to hold up business for them, keeping Horford in a holding pattern.”
Old But Gold?
Adding Horford would make Golden State’s starting lineup one of the oldest in the NBA next season, with Horford, Green, Butler and Curry all in their mid-to-late 30s—a contrast to the league’s trend toward younger rosters. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder was the second-youngest team to win a title since the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers.
“Horford hasn’t been playing both sides of back-to-backs,” Slater wrote. “The Warriors can’t rely on him to be an every-night 25-minute option. But the plan is to have him in the lineup when it matters and open up space for five-man combinations, which would especially benefit a downhill driver like Kuminga.”
Golden State faces 15 back-to-back games in 2025-26, tied for second-most in the league alongside Toronto, Portland, New Orleans, Miami and Utah. Horford’s presence will provide experience and stability in the frontcourt while managing the team’s rotation and veteran workload.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
