Free agency begins at 6 p.m. today as the the Celtics will await what offers rivals can submit to **Luke Kornet** and **Al Horford**. Not every roster fits the centers, however, and those rivals need cap flexibility to draw them away from Boston. The Celtics hold Bird rights on both, allowing for an advantage in years offered and Boston faces no limit in how much salary it can offer. However, the team currently sits roughly $7 million beneath the second apron line — a de-facto hard cap as they reportedly explore re-trading **Anfernee Simons** and **Georges Niang** for additional cap relief.
Other teams need to manage their apron totals more carefully, since offering Horford or Kornet either taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7 million) or the full MLE ($14.1M) would actually hard cap those teams at the second or first apron, respectively. The Celtics have access to their MLE after sliding below the second apron line, but don’t need to use it on either player since they have Bird rights.
_Here’s where potential Kornet/Horford suitors stand._
**Brooklyn Nets:** They still have significant cap space after acquiring **Terance Mann** in the **Kristaps Porziņģis** trade, drafting five first-rounders along with re-signing **Ziaire Williams** and **Day’Ron Sharpe**. That heavily bit into their expected $50 million in cap space and re-signing **Cam Thomas** could eliminate most of the rest. This isn’t a Horford or Kornet destination anyway, but they’re worth watching as the Celtics try to create additional flexibility. They have the full mid-level as long as they stay over the cap and own a $23 million trade exception from the **Mikal Bridges** trade. Their roster is full at the moment, and they commanded a first round pick to absorb Mann, so I’d bet on Boston and Brooklyn being done with business for now.
**LA Clippers:** They have a starting center in **Ivica Zubac** but haven’t had great backup play in recent seasons. They have about $25 million in room under the first apron when they officially sign **James Harden** to his new deal. That’s a tight squeeze to sign 3-4 players, or five if they would waive **Drew Eubanks** ($5M). They don’t strike me as a Kornet team. They’re definitely worth watching on the Horford front, due to their ability to contend for a championship, Horford’s likely lower average annual value and positional versatility to play with Zubac and others.
**Chicago Bulls: Nikola Vučević** enters his contract year alongside **Zach Collins**, so they’re all set at center for now. Would the Celtics trade for either in the case that they lose Horford and/or Kornet? They have five guards, so I don’t see a Simons deal here, and even combining **Sam Hauser** and **Georges Niang’s** contracts doesn’t work. The Bulls also rarely make trades. Don’t see anything happening here despite Chicago have mid-level room.
**Memphis Grizzlies:** Hard-capped at the first apron but have plenty of room beneath it. Don’t see this as a destination for Horford, and **Jaren Jackson Jr.** and **Zach Edey’s** presence probably make Kornet an excessive addition too.
**Detroit Pistons:** Have their centers between **Jalen Duren** and **Isaiah Stewart**. The **Malik Beasley** situation freeing up their full mid-level exception at least creates some intrigue here. Horford’s family resides in Michigan, making this move easier, and the Pistons have at least an outside chance of winning the east. I’d still put them lower down the Horford list, and Detroit appears focused on using its full MLE on a wing like **Nickeil Alexander-Walker** to replace Beasley.
**Atlanta Hawks:** They have center filled between **Onyeka Okongwu** and **Kristaps Porziņģis**, so don’t picture Kornet landing here. The Horford fit is highly intriguing though. He can play the four full time here, load manage alongside Porziņģis like he did in Boston and potentially close out his career full circle where it began. The Hawks have a legitimate chance to win the east, and Horford remains close with Atlanta and even owns property there. Atlanta needs to re-sign **Caris LeVert** with $44.3 million in room beneath the first apron. Even his projected $17 million salary would leave them with $26.6 million for 4-5 players. Plenty of room for the MLE.
**San Antonio Spurs:** The most dangerous Kornet suitor by far. They have the full mid-level exception, a need at center next to **Victor Wembanyama** and cap flexibility for three years before Wembanyama and **Stephon Castle’s** extensions begin in 3-4 years, respectively. They have $31.6 million in room beneath the first apron between 12 players once they sign their rookies, and could easily offer Kornet three-years, $44 million. That would be an impossible contract for the Celtics to even approach without making other moves first. This isn’t a Horford destination, given how young they are and the location.
**Dallas Mavericks:** They have plenty of centers, are tight against the second apron and will likely address their guard shortage by signing **D’Angelo Russell** to the taxpayer MLE. Consider them out of business with Boston.
**Utah Jazz:** That **Collin Sexton-Jusuf Nurkić** swap raised my eyebrows. The Jazz have three centers between **Walker Kessler**, **John Collins** and Nurkić. Forget the Kessler dream, a favorite among Celtics fans for some reason, but would Utah have interest in Simons for either Collins or Nurkić should Horford or Kornet leave Boston? I’d bet against that given how many young guards they have under contract. They pursued Porziņģis in 2023 and Kornet last summer, offering him one-year, $7 million that he declined to take less in Boston. Their current front court takes them out of the center market, but stay tuned here. Their roster looks incomplete at the moment. This isn’t a Horford destination.
**Charlotte Hornets:** The Nurkić trade left them without a starting-caliber center. They have $33.7 million in first apron space between 13 players, so they could easily offer Kornet a starting role and the full mid-level exception if they like him. Kornet’s familiarity with **Charles Lee** and several of his assistant coaches adds to the possibility he could land here. San Antonio is closer to where he grew up and a better team, but this basketball fit is strong.
**Milwaukee Bucks:** They’re an interesting fit for Kornet if **Brook Lopez** departs in free agency. They have about $30.5 million in room beneath the first apron between nine players after re-signing **Bobby Portis**. It would be a tight squeeze to offer the full MLE, but they do have some need at center. It appears **Giannis Antetokounmpo** will stay for now. Uncertainty there could keep Kornet away. This isn’t a Horford fit.
**Houston Rockets:** Still assessing **Jock Landale’s** team option, but this isn’t a Kornet fit regardless for money and role reasons. **Steven Adams** and **Alperen Şengün** will split the center minutes. Horford could fit in here in a depth role if they move on from Landale, probably with Houston offering the taxpayer MLE. They only have $16 million in space beneath the first apron, so a full MLE offer isn’t feasible while filling out the roster. **Ime Udoka** and Horford’s relationship stemming back to their 2022 Finals run together could be a factor here. The geography and role don’t make sense to me for Horford, however.
**Golden State Warriors:** They have to address **Jonathan Kuminga’s** future before they explore anything else. Signing him for around $20-24 million would squeeze their first apron space completely, as would most sign-and-trades. That probably keeps them out of the running for Kornet. Horford makes far more sense here anyway, with just enough room at roughly $12 million over the second apron to squeeze in a taxpayer MLE and several minimum exceptions. They could simply keep **Kevon Looney** in his depth center role, but they went away from him last season.
**Miami Heat:** Will list them for Horford simply due to his extended friends and family often attending games in Miami in droves, their significant minutes available in the front court alongside **Bam Adebayo** and **Kel’el Ware**, the full mid-level exception’s availability and the Heat’s routine interest in attracting stars. It’s a lesser case than the others, but would earn Horford significant money and at least one year away from the winter.
**Los Angeles Lakers:** A team in the mix for a starting center that’s a tight squeeze to offer the full MLE. **Deandre Ayton’s** release from Portland could fill that spot, and they may need to pay **Dorian Finney-Smith** roughly $20 million, which would eliminate their full MLE. Unless one of Ayton or Horford would accept the minimum at that point while the other receives the taxpayer MLE, then it’s difficult to imagine both here. Horford’s relationship and desire to play with **LeBron James** could be a swing factor here, along with his confidence in winning a championship. I’d lean toward the Clippers as an option more than the Lakers for him.
**Oklahoma City:** With **Isaiah Hartenstein**, **Chet Holmgren**, **Jaylin Williams** and **Thomas Sorber** here, I’d cross them off the list despite Horford playing here preciously. They could offer the taxpayer MLE.
**Orlando Magic:** A taxpayer MLE team should Horford believe in their championship capabilities. They have **Wendell Carter Jr.**, **Jonathan Isaac** and **Goga Bitadze**, though they declined **Moe Wagner’s** team option as he continues to recover from ACL surgery until midway through next season. Orlando isn’t Miami, so I’d bet against this option.
**New York Knicks:** Ian Begley reported that the Knicks will explore a Horford addition. They’re $11.5 million under the second apron between 10 players, so even the taxpayer MLE is a tight squeeze. Would Horford take closer to the minimum to compete for a championship, stay close to Boston and compete alongside fellow Dominican star and friend **Karl-Anthony Towns**?
**Denver Nuggets:** If Horford believes in the Nuggets’ championship contention ability, they’ve long needed backup center minutes behind **Nikola Jokić** and have roughly $10 million in room beneath the second apron, enough to comfortably offer a full MLE. **Russell Westbrook** might command that, Horford might need to take a minimum here as well.