The Philadelphia 76ers definitely do not have fond memories of the 2019-20 NBA season. Of course, that is not a hot take given that it was the exact campaign disrupted by COVID-19 which led to the infamous Bubble, but for the franchise, it was also a marker of how the Al Horford experiment was a tremendous mistake on their part.
Horford, whom the 76ers puzzlingly signed in the summer of 2019, quickly proved that he was not a good fit in Philly. He got traded after just one season and found himself back to the Celtics where he won a ring. Now, he is in Golden State — and boy, that decision might have just guaranteed that his otherwise impressove career ends sourly.
The Warriors did not bring Horford in to be a world-beater — that was never the rationale for signing him. They went after him to be their resident stretch five. Unfortunately, exiting Boston in the first place swiftly proved to be a huge mistake on Horford’s part.
Former 76ers big man Al Horford made a huge mistake leaving the Celtics
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People probably expected the 76ers [to have a much better campaign](https://thesixersense.com/76ers-just-made-their-biggest-addition-this-season-without-making-single-move) than the Celtics, but that has not been the case. Boston, despite not having Jayson Tatum due to injury and losing three other key players last summer, is in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Dubs are firmly entrenched in the play-in picture out West with a 25-21 record, which is pretty disappointing. To make matters worse, they just lost Jimmy Butler for the season (and then some) due to a torn ACL. The script could not have been worse for Horford.
The former 76ers big man is inching closer to 40, but age has never really been a defining factor in his game, which is built on basketball IQ. [He has simply not panned out in Golden State](https://bluemanhoop.com/warriors-perfect-al-horford-replacement-awaiting-free-agency-nikola-vucevic), and his numbers (6.8 points, five rebounds, and two assists per game on 39.1 percent shooting from the field) present a compelling case for him to hang his sneakers up.
Having Horford never worked out for the 76ers, but that is one that can be tossed up to Philly being the ones who made the miscalculation, But now, leaving the Celtics for an eventually worse situation with the Warriors is clearly on Horford. There is no arguing that.
Now, this mistake will not leave an indelible stain on his remarkable career, but Horford — who is definitely not a fond figure for the 76ers fanbase — could have been in a much better situation had he just stayed in Boston.