With Al Horford likely to leave the Boston Celtics, is there a possible chance for the Charlotte Hornets to pursue the veteran center during free agency?
The Charlotte Hornets have a lot of options on the table for this year’s free agency, and one of them could be taking a shot at the veteran center, Al Horford. With this season’s drama with the Boston Celtics, it’s likely that Horford will seek a new team.
Reports on Horford’s possible departure came after he declined his $30.1M player option. The Hornets have lacked a veteran presence at their center position since Dwight Howard was traded, and Horford would be a prestigious addition.
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Horford had a consistent year with Boston last season while starting in all sixty-eight games that he played in. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game for the Celtics.
He is a five-time All-Star and played a key role for the Boston Celtics last season. He has received the honors of All-NBA Third Team (2011), and the NBA-All Defensive Second Team (2018).
He only appeared in 29.0 minutes per game for Boston, making this the season where he received the least amount of playing time in his entire career. His veteran experience and scoring production would be welcomed in Charlotte.
What concerns me the most, is the amount of money that Horford may want. The Hornets need to be careful in this area, as the team is actively trying to re-sign star point guard, Kemba Walker.
It’s hard to imagine that Horford would come at a cheap price since he is seeking a potential four-year deal from a team. The only way I see Charlotte signing him is if they dump some of the bad contracts on their payroll.
Horford could easily be a player who could encourage Walker to stay in Charlotte. He was not the star of the Celtics’ offense, but he would definitely receive more scoring opportunities under Coach James Borrego.
Horford has the ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor, while also providing a nice presence on the defensive end of the court. Being a 6’10 Center has not stopped him from a nice defensive option.
Coach Borrego stated that he would like to see the Center position upgraded defensively, and the Hornets could do that with Horford. Horford will turn 34 next June, so the Hornets can still get some production from the veteran.
If Horford was to come to Charlotte, he could be an instant starter, and he could mentor players like Willy Hernangomez and Cody Zeller. Both of these players could learn a lot while playing under Horford.
Horford played a majority of his career in the NBA’s Southeast Division and I would like to see the Hornets at least make him an offer. The NBA Draft on Thursday should fully determine the team’s plan at the Center position.