The Boston Celtics' quest for the second of back-to-back NBA Championships ended on Friday night. Jayson Tatum's season-ending Achilles tear proved to be too much to overcome, as the Celtics fell 119-81 to the New York Knicks in Game 6, officially marking the start of the formerly defending champions' offseason.
Likely Tatum-less throughout the 2025-26 season, the Celtics will have a busy offseason ahead of them. Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office will have some tough decisions to make if they still want to contend next season, which could result in the departure of several familiar faces, including some who'll be easier to say goodbye to than others.
Al Horford is on Thin Ice to Begin Celtics Offseason
A handful of Celtics' future in Boston is up in the air, including that of veteran big man Al Horford.
Horford, 38, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending the last four years in Beantown. Although the former 2007 third-overall pick has done a lot to become a fan favorite throughout his second Celtics tenure, his latest playoff performance likely hurt his chances of being re-signed this summer.
Once a reliable offensive threat, Horford barely moved the needle this spring. Despite averaging 31.5 minutes across 11 playoff appearances, the former five-time NBA All-Star only averaged 8.0 points per outing. Yes, he averaged a respectable 47.2% field-goal and 40.0% three-point percentages, but that doesn't mean much when he only hit double-digit point totals three times.
Horford's play has already been declining year-to-year, meaning his chances of a turnaround are slim to none. Even though he's popular among Boston's locker room and fans, the last thing the Celtics need is to use a roster spot and cap space on an aging veteran who might be more detrimental than beneficial on the floor next season.
Unless Joe Mazzulla's coaching staff is confident they can help the pending free agent turn back the clock, Celtics fans may have just witnessed Horford's last game in a Boston jersey. If that's the case, the ex-Florida Gator can be proud of the fact that he'll be in Celtics fans' hearts forever, especially after his role on the 2023-24 championship-winning roster.
Free agency doesn't open until July, giving Horford over a month to figure out how to get off of thin ice if he wishes to continue his Celtics run.