It’s no secret that Warriors are interested in Al Horford. Amid his unrestricted free agency, several reports have stated that the veteran Center remains their “top target.” Media veteran Bill Simmons even claimed on his podcast, “Horford’s going to Golden State… It’s happening.” But while the entire hoop community is certain about the move, a deal is yet to be finalized between Horford and the Bay Area franchise. And the Celtics star’s recent behavior has sparked major concerns about his potential union with Stephen Curry.
Turns out, the eighteen-year NBA veteran is reportedly considering hanging up his boots as one of his options this summer. Per ESPN insider Shams Charania, “I’m told he is reviewing multiple options, including the Warriors, the Lakers, but also retirement.” At 39-years-old, the former champ and five-time All-Star does not have anything left to prove as a player, which could be the reason behind the retirement talks. And that could mean trouble for the Warriors, who are counting on Al to solve their size issue next season.
Addressing the concern on the Locked On Warriors podcast, hosts Chuck and Kylen said, “I think that it’s not a good indication for the Golden State Warriors if Al Horford is seriously considering retirement over one last run with a team that in theory or at least is trying to be championship contenders… You would think people wanna play with Steph Curry.”
Well, Warriors’ interest in Al is understandable because he perfectly fits their system. Standing at 6’9, with a career three-point efficiency of 37.7%, he would be an ideal stretch five playing alongside Steph. He has played that role brilliantly in Boston for the last four years, and was a key contributor in last year’s title run. If Horford decides to put an end to his illustrious career, Warriors would be left with a massive void at the Center position, especially with the recent departure of Kevon Looney. That would directly impact Curry’s future, who is entering the final year of his contract and hopes to win another title before hanging up his boots. Unfortunately, Mike Dunleavy has not done much to facilitate his desire so far.
Warriors’ dry summer continues as new suitor emerges for Al Horford amid career uncertainty
During his end of season interview, Steph acknowledged his team’s size problem and trusted Dunleavy to solve it this summer, “We need to probably get a little bit bigger across the board. Those can be addressed, but how and how you get to that I think is what Mike’s gonna have to figure out. We got confidence that he can do it.” But the GM has made zero moves in this free agency so far.
Feb 10, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors assistant general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr before the game against the Miami Heat at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Of course, a lot depends on the looming Jonathan Kuminga decision. However, Warriors’ silence is not a good sign for the team’s future. “It’s not a good indicator for the Warriors in terms of what has been the issue in them drawing free agents to the Golden State Warriors.” The analysts remarked. If Horford picks retirement over playing for the Warriors, it would raise major doubts about Dunleavy’s ability to attract free agents.
Even if Al decides to continue his career, a new suitor could ruin Warriors’ hopes of acquiring him. Per the podcast hosts, “Now, it’s reported that the Nuggets are expected to pivot to make Al Horford somewhat of a priority.” Yes, Denver is also looking for more firepower following Michael Porter Jr. and Dario Saric’s departure. And Horford could be the perfect backup for Nikola Jokic. It looks like the Center is slowly slipping away from Warriors’ grasp, which could put them in a tough spot for rest of the summer. What are your thoughts?
The post Al Horford’s Behavior Raises Concerns For Stephen Curry’s Future Amid Warriors Free Agency Silence appeared first on EssentiallySports.