Al Horford was among the first major free agents to choose to join the Boston Celtics when he signed a max contract with the team in the summer of 2016. He has spent a total of seven seasons with the C’s, including each of the last four.
Horford has been instrumental in helping the Celtics go from a contender in the Eastern Conference to NBA champion last season.
He turns 39 on Tuesday, and with his contract soon expiring, what does Horford’s future in Boston look like? It’s one of the most interesting questions to begin the offseason.
His teammates very much want him to come back.
“You can’t replace Al,” Celtics guard Payton Pritchard told reporters at a press conference May 17. “So, I definitely hope we can get that figured out, because just his locker room presence alone is crucial. And then having him on the court, just for all the young guys to see how he goes about his business how professional he is, he’s just a leader. We definitely need him back.”
As Al Horford faces an uncertain future in Boston, both Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet had nothing but praise for him
As we continue our “Celtics Player Spotlight” series, let’s recap Horford’s 2024-25 season and analyze how he fits into Boston’s lineup for 2025-26:
2024-25 Season Recap
The Celtics have managed Horford’s minutes in recent seasons, and that process has largely worked, because he’s been pretty durable for a big man in his late 30s. Horford averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.9 blocks per game, while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from 3-point range this past season. His 3-point percentage has decreased in each of the last two seasons, but he’s still a good shooter.
Horford ended up playing in 60 regular season games, and he started in nine of Boston’s 11 playoff matchups as Kristaps Porzingis battled a mystery illness.
Horford also remains a good one-on-one defender who can guard multiple positions and provide a shot-blocking presence inside. His defense in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers in March was a great example. Horford did a great job defending Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Horford isn’t an All-Star player anymore, but he’s very much a starting-caliber and versatile big man.
Contract details
Horford’s two-year contract (with a $9.5 million salary cap hit, per Spotrac) is set to expire, which will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Potential roles for 2025-26
Scenario 1: Horford re-signs with Celtics, remains backup center
Horford is best suited coming off the bench at this stage of his career. And if the Celtics have a healthy Kristaps Porzingis on their roster going into next season, it would make sense to have Horford be the first center off the bench.
Scenario 2: Horford re-signs with Celtics, starts at center
If Porzingis is traded in the offseason, Horford would be the best option to start at center. In this scenario, it would be beneficial for the Celtics to sign a free-agent center and/or re-sign Luke Kornet. The C’s cannot afford to have Horford be their only non-rookie center who’s capable of playing 20-plus minutes per game.
Horford actually played a little better offensively as a starter last season. He shot 37.2 percent from 3-point range in those minutes.
Scenario 3: Horford departs as free agent
Any contending team, especially one that’s close to a title but hasn’t won yet, could use a veteran like Horford who can shoot 3-pointers, defend at a high level and provide excellent leadership. Any team desperate for frontcourt depth would be wise to make a free agent pitch. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps recently made the case for the Knicks pursuing Horford in free agency, noting that he’d be an “unbelievable fit” for New York.
However, the last time Horford left Boston as a free agent following a disappointing playoff run was 2019 when he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a disaster, and the Sixers ended up trading Horford after only one season.
Final thoughts
Horford is still a very good player. He’s an above average 3-point shooter and a strong defender. His leadership is fantastic, and his teammates and coaches love him. He is, in many ways, the perfect veteran to have on your roster.
In addition to Horford, veteran center Luke Kornet is also able to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Celtics should try to bring back at least one of them, because if they don’t, their frontcourt depth will be pretty rough.
Bringing back Horford on a team-friendly contract would be the best-case scenario for the Celtics, who must work around the constraints of being a second-apron team.
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