Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, celebrates with center Al Horford, center, as the Celtics lead the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Basketball Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)AP
BOSTON — One month ago, Al Horford publicly announced his intention to continue his career beyond this current season.
“I know that I’m gonna be playing against him next season in the pros,” [Horford told John Fanta of Fox Sports at the Final Four when asked about Florida star Walter Clayton Jr.](https://x.com/John_Fanta/status/1909463020989821320) ”Maybe he’ll be with us,”
In the wake of a stunning Celtics’ second-round loss to the Knicks, Horford struck a different tone on Saturday afternoon.
Horford will be the most valuable of Boston’s unrestricted free agent this summer but he declined to address his future amid Celtics exit interviews at the Auerbach Center.
“I’m going to take some time here with my wife and my kids and just that,” Horford said. “But it’s not even been a day, so there’s still a lot for me to process and just feeling everything out from last night, that was difficult.”
When pressed about whether he planned to play next season, Horford remained noncommittal.
“Yeah, I’m just not ready to talk about that right now,” Horford said. ‘I just need some time with my wife and my family, and that’s what I plan on doing these next few weeks.”
Beyond the unexpected second-round loss that concluded with the biggest playoff win in Knicks franchise history in Game 6, a lot about the Celtics next season has changed as well since Horford’s remarks last month. Boston will be without Jayson Tatum for a large chunk of next season at minimum after he suffered a torn Achilles. That absence could have an impact on Horford’s future as he weighs his best chance to compete next year.
“I just think everything is just still very fresh for me,” Horford said. “Those are all things that I’ll be thinking about these next few weeks.”
The Celtics already have $227 million in salary committed to 11 players next season, without including free agents Luke Kornet or Horford. If Boston trims the payroll significantly as expected with Tatum sidelined, it may be hard to build a case to Horford that Boston is still positioned to contend.
Brad Stevens and his staff had a lot to figure out this summer already, but Horford’s change in tone presents a new level of uncertainty for the future amid an already challenging offseason.