As the Golden State Warriors have attempted to find a solution to their desperate need at the position of center this offseason, veteran Al Horford has been the most likely candidate to join the team from the outset of free agency.
Yet, as NBA Insider Jake Fischer has confirmed, it is very possible that Horford commands both more than the veteran minimum and more than just one year on his deal: a fact that reveals how badly the team needs the veteran’s services.
As they attempt to give themselves as much financial flexibility as possible in the coming seasons, the Warriors would typically be adverse to this kind of deal for a veteran, but, in this case, they might not have a choice.
The details of Al Horford’s likely deal signify a desperate need for the Warriors
Horford, who has played 18 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2024, most certainly has earned the right to dictate the terms of his contract were he to decide to further his career with another organization. Yet, as the offseason has gone and his initial suitors have all found their positional solutions, he has been essentially left with the options of either signing with the Warriors or entering retirement.
Still, according to Fischer, Horford’s deal will be more complicated than those of the other veterans with whom Golden State has had negotiations this offseason: “Al Horford’s situation is a bit different because, depending on where the Warriors land in a cap [or] tax situation, I believe he is slated to potentially make upwards of the full taxpayer mid-level exception, and there is some discussion about whether or not he could be receiving a two-year deal with a player option…”
Last season, through 60 games with Boston, Horford averaged nine points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists, shooting 26.3% from 3-point range and starting 42 games throughout the campaign.
Although the Warriors have found a rare talent with the ascension of Quinten Post from the G-League last year, the steps he still needs to take in his defensive and rebounding game make it difficult to rely on him in high-leverage situations. Horford, as the team’s sole option to rectify this problem this offseason, likely has significant leverage heading into negotiations with Golden State.
Still, a player option on a two-year deal would take away a significant amount of flexibility from the front office as they enter the final year of Stephen Curry’s contract: a season in which contention will be the all-important goal.
Therefore, Horford, who otherwise may have retired this offseason, will now command a significant, and possibly problematic, contract from the Warriors as they attempt to fill this massive hole in their roster.
