Al Horford’s upcoming free agency decision is a big one for the Celtics. And with NBA free agency opening up at 6 p.m. Monday, it doesn’t sound like a decision is imminent. Per the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, Horford is still going through his potential options for next season and “appears unlikely to have a final decision on the first day of free agency.”
At least on the Celtics’ side, there’s no doubt they want to bring back the 39-year-old big man. Just listen to C’s president Brad Stevens talk last week about Horford and Luke Kornet.
“There is no question our priorities would be to bring Al and Luke back,” Stevens said last week. “Those guys are huge parts of this organization. They’re going to have, I’m sure, plenty of options all over the place, and that’s well-deserved, but I think that would be a priority. At the same time, I don’t want to put pressure on them. It’s their call ultimately. But, yeah, we would love to have those guys back."
Horford will have his options in free agency. The big man was still a playoff contributor for the Celtics last season. While he can’t play effectively in as many minutes as in the past, he can still be a key piece for a playoff team.
It sounded like Horford returning to the Celtics next season was a strong possibility. But Jayson Tatum’s ruptured Achilles tendon likely changed the equation. The C’s are unlikely to be a title contender next season without their best player. Considering Horford’s age, he could choose to sign with a different team in free agency. Or, perhaps, he could choose to retire.
So those are all decisions Horford will have to make in the coming days. The Celtics would welcome their veteran back in a flash. But considering the C’s are looking to cut payroll, costs are another factor that must be part of the equation.