The Boston Celtics face a summer of difficult decisions. Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tendon injury has changed the calculus regarding the current roster composition.
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One of the tougher decisions will be whether to try to bring Al Horford back for next season. The veteran big man is heading into unrestricted free agency. At his age, Horford may want to continue contending for championships, should he opt against retiring. Boston is unlikely to give Horford that opportunity until Tatum is back, which will be at least a year.
As such, Horford may test his market around the league. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps believes a move to the New York Knicks could make sense for the veteran center. His comments came via a June 1 episode of “The Hoop Collective” podcast.
“Al Horford is a free agent,” Bontemps said. “I don’t think at this point it makes a lot of sense for Horford to be back in Boston. Maybe he will be, but given where things are with the Celtics, I think he’s now much more in play than he might have been a month ago…Horford is a longtime friend of Karl-Anthony Towns and has played with him with the Dominican National team for a long time.”
Bontemps continued.
“If they (the Knicks) go get Al Horford this summer, … I think (he) would be an unbelievable fit on this Knicks roster…That’s a team that could beat the Pacers next year. That’s a team that’ll be in the mix in the East.”
Horford is the ideal backup for Towns. He would ensure Tom Thibodeau’s team could continue to run a five-out offense, even when the second unit is on the floor. Horford is also adept at playing as part of a double-big lineup, which would give the Knicks much-needed versatility.
Horford Hasn’t Decided on His Future
When speaking to the media shortly after the Celtics’ season was cut short at the hands of the Knicks, Horford was non-committal on his future. He noted how he would take some time to assess his next steps along with his family and support system.
“It’s just too soon to talk about that stuff,” Horford said. “I’ll take some time here with my wife, with my kids. There’s still a lot for me to process, just feeling everything out from last night.”
If Horford does decide to return for another season, there’s no guarantee it will be with the Celtics.
Celtics Also Have a Decision to Make on Jrue Holiday
Another member of the Celtics roster who could be heading to a new team this summer is Jrue Holiday. The veteran guard is reportedly drawing interest from multiple teams around the NBA.
In a May 28 report, Masslive’s Brian Robb noted that the LA Clippers as the latest team to show interest in acquiring Holiday.
“Holiday is expected to be pursued by several teams on the trade market. A league source tells MassLive that the Los Angeles Clippers are one team expected to show interest in the 34-year-old guard this offseason,” Robb reported. “Holiday is also from Los Angeles. and played college basketball at UCLA before the 76ers drafted him in 2009. If the Celtics elect to move on from the guard this offseason, sending him to a team in LA would potentially soften the blow of dealing him just one year after signing him to a four-year extension.”
Holiday, like Horford, is an elite veteran capable of playing a significant role on a championship team. Unfortunately for Boston, Holiday’s contract and the associated luxury taxes make little sense for a team that won’t be contending next season.
