Al Horford was offered a new contract this summer by Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, but Horford turned Stevens down. Instead, Big Al chose to take his talents to the Bay Area and join up with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Horford’s deal with Golden State — made official on October 1 — was for two years and $12 million. It’s highly likely that Boston’s offer was a cheaper one. So if Horford simply followed the better deal, no one should blame him for doing so.
What’s curious about the ongoing Horford story is that Al recently came out and said that one of the main reasons he left Boston was that he wanted to compete for a championship, implying that he has a greater chance to do so in Golden State in 2025-26.
The problem with Horford’s plan is that it’s far from foolproof, and even now, about a week out from the start of the regular season, it’s not outlandish to suggest that the Celtics could advance closer to a title in 2025-26 than the Warriors.
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Golden State’s core of Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Horford is flat out old, with all due respect. And while this foursome might have one more postseason run left in them, it’s just as plausible that injuries or fatigue will derail the Warriors from advancing deep into the West playoffs.
Speaking of the West … it’s a gauntlet, and far tougher of a road to the NBA Finals than the East. To compete for a title, as Horford envisions in Golden State, the Warriors will have to overcome multiple teams in the playoffs that are younger and hungrier than they are, and in some cases, just as talented.
Meanwhile, in Boston, whispers have already begun circulating that the Celtics might not be far from contention in a severely weakened Eastern Conference in 2025-26. After all, Boston still has guys like Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser to rely on, plus an injection of offense from Anfernee Simons.
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Sure, the Celtics are not without their questions marks (particularly in the frontcourt), but there’s no denying that, if healthy, this Boston team can make the playoffs. Once there, anything can happen, and a Celtics team with the aforementioned core has as good a chance of advancing in the East as Horford’s Warriors do in the much tougher West.
Oh, and there’s one, final kicker that must have made Horford’s stomach drop when he realized it. Jayson Tatum — due to a miraculous recovery from his torn Achilles — may end up returning to the court at some point late in the 2025-26 season.
In essence, the very premise convincing Horford that the Celtics weren’t contenders … actually might not be much of a premise at all.
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If Horford followed the money to Golden State, good for him. But if he gave up the chance to retire in Celtics green because he thought he’d have a better chance of contending with the Warriors, he might be in for a rude awakening and a healthy dose of regret.