Any hopes of Al Horford re-signing with the Boston Celtics were dashed as the All-Star forward has joined forces with Joel Embiid.
What do you do as a Boston Celtics fan when the one big man you had who could frustrate Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase becomes a part of them?
You close all your doors and scream. Then you move on and hope Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has something up his sleeve to counter the move made by Philly.
And while you try to convince yourself the 33-year-old power forward is average, as the fourth star on a Philadelphia team that took the Toronto Raptors to final seconds of Game 7, folks Al Horford may just put the 76ers over the top in the East.
That’s why there was still a glimpse of hope the Kemba Walker signing would redirect his attention to Boston. Even with a mystery team in the mix, the idea was that all the sign-and-trade maneuvering the Celtics were rumored to be involved in to free up some cash was to Horford back.
But then Adrian Wojnarowski dropped this Woj bomb that dashed any hope of Horford playing out his career in Boston:
Five-time All-Star F/C Al Horford has agreed to a four-year, $109M deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, agent Jason Glushon tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
First, good for Al Horford for getting his money at this point in his career. It’s well deserved, and we can only applaud the player.
But, Philly?
It’s going to be hard to hate the ultimate professional that is Horford but seeing him in a 76ers uniform playing next to the one and only Joel Embiid stings. While emotions are bittersweet, here are three thoughts on the surprise signing and how it impacts the Boston Celtics.
A better championship shot with Philly
When Al Horford opted out with the Boston Celtics, the belief was the green pumping through his veins was strong enough to work out a more team-friendly deal.
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As the two sides weren’t able to work out such a deal and word got out that a team was willing to pay Horford massive bucks, the reality set in that perhaps the veteran big man no longer viewed the Celtics as a prime situation, especially for a player with championship aspirations.
Even with Kemba Walker taking over for Kyrie Irving along with a culture change in Boston, Horford doesn’t view a team now led by Kemba, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as a title contender, although one could argue they would’ve still been one of the top two or three teams with him if and when Kawhi Leonard goes out to Hollywood.
That can still happen, but the Celtics will have to go through a stacked 76ers team with Horford playing alongside Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris.
While many will be quick to point out Horford’s average numbers, watching him for three seasons, it’s the little things he does on the court that makes him an elite player. He’s smart, he can pass, he can stretch the floor, he is versatile defensively.
Most importantly, he has the veteran leadership the 76ers are missing.
This is a tough one folks, but unless Danny Ainge has a blockbuster move up his sleeve to obtain an All-Star level big, the Boston Celtics are going to have a hard time stopping Al Horford’s new team.
Trading Aaron Baynes really stings
Now that Al Horford is officially gone, the draft night trade involving Aaron Baynes really hurts.
Yes, it freed up some cap space, but now the Boston Celtics are without two of their best defenders. There is a chance Baynes get bought out in Phoenix and returns, but one now has to wonder if Boston would be at the top of his list.
As the roster stands now, Robert Williams and first-round pick Grant Williams represent the team’s depth. Free agent Daniel Theis and undrafted free agent hope Tacko Fall could round out that depth, but there is no way Danny Ainge goes into an NBA season with the roster as currently constructed.
There has to be another move out there. Whether it’s a trade for Clint Capela or signing an Enes Kanter or Kevon Looney or even *gasp* convincing DeMarcus Cousins to Boston, someone out there will be brought in to fill the Al Horford role.
With a team now led by Kemba Walker and filled with wings, someone needs to set screens and play that pick-and-roll offense Brad Stevens likes to run.
In all, Horford’s departure really makes that Aaron Baynes trade hurt, especially a player who actually opted in because he wanted to stick around.
Horford gets to flourish at the four
As much as Al Horford frustrated Joel Embiid, it is extra frustrating to see him play next to him in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform.
While he’ll probably spend a lot of time at the five either starting in place of or backing up Embiid, the 76ers will be at their best when Horford is playing power forward, a position he is most comfortable in.
With the Boston Celtics, Horford really played well on both sides of the court when both he and Aaron Baynes were in the lineup. When on the floor with Embiid, Horford should be even more effective because of his ability to knock down shots and play down low.
His presence should allow Embiid to play more outside offensively or even take double teams off him when he does decide to post up down low. On the defensive side, the interior defense the 76ers can now throw at teams will make them a tough team to drive to the rim against, especially for a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Yep, this signing has to hurt even more for Boston Celtics fans.
Can’t hate on the player, but boy is his absence going to hurt unless some big move still lies ahead.