It appears that Horford will not be wearing a Celtics jersey next season.
“I’d say that’s unlikely,” Brad Stevens said in a press conference on Tuesday morning. Stevens opened his presser thanking Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet for their contributions to the Celtics over the past few seasons, now that all three players have officially been introduced for their new teams.
“The only reason I haven’t talked about Al is because it’s not final,” Stevens said. “I could probably talk about Al my whole press conference and not say enough. But, I don’t want to speak in absolute terms until an ultimate decision is made.”
Multiple reporters, including Anthony Slater of The Athletic, have named Horford as a top target for the Golden State Warriors. He’s also been linked with the Lakers and Nuggets. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has also reported that Horford has considered retirement this offseason.
Stevens didn’t officially rule out Horford returning to Boston, but he heavily implied that the door had closed, and took a moment to discuss the big man’s impact in Boston.
“But another guy that, if he were to go and play somewhere else, was an all-time Celtic. A winner, and did everything he could for this organization,” Stevens said. “Not only from the games but also how he impacted our younger players, who, in a lot of ways, now have to take what they’ve learned from the Jrues and the Als and people like that and apply that from a leadership role.”
Horford first signed with the Celtics as a free agent in 2016, and rejoined by way of trade in June of 2021. He was a critical member of the Celtics’ championship team, starting nearly every game in the postseason en route to the franchise’s 18th title. That season, he shot 51.1% from the field and 41.9% from three.
This past season, Horford averaged 9 points per game on 42.3% shooting, including 36.3% from three. His efficiency improved in the postseason, as he averaged 8 points on 47.2% shooting, including 40% from three. He started in 42 of the 60 games he appeared in last season.
Horford was previously non-committal about his future in Boston
The day after the Celtics were eliminated by the Knicks in the playoffs, Horford cast doubt on his future.
“For me, it’s just too soon to talk about that stuff,” Horford said of his looming free agency. “I’ll take some time here with my wife, with my kids. It’s not even been a day. There’s still a lot for me to process, just feeling everything out from last night. That was difficult.”
Still, there was hope that Horford would remain on the Celtics even if the team wasn’t in the mix to win a title. Teams lobbied for his return in their final media availabilities, with Sam Hauser deeming Horford one of the best teammates he’s ever had “at any level.”
“You can’t replace Al,” said Payton Pritchard last month. “So, I definitely hope we get that figured out. Because his locker room presence alone is just crucial, and then having him on the court. For all the young guys, just to see how he goes about his business, how professional he is. He’s just a leader.”
Now, Horford’s chapter with the organization appears to have come to a close.
