Al Horford set to leave Celtics for deal with Golden State Warriors

The Celtics’ frontcourt depth has taken one other hit. Veteran middle Al Horford has agreed to a multi-year take care of the Golden State Warriors, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Horford posted a goodbye message on the social media platform X, thanking the Celtics and Boston followers.

“From the second we arrived, you have got welcomed my household and I with open arms,” Horford wrote. “This chapter in my profession will maintain a particular place in my coronary heart. Elevating a banner on this metropolis will probably be a second I’ll at all times cherish. I’m eternally grateful for the followers and the group. Thanks, Boston.”

Horford has spent seven of the final 9 seasons with the Celtics. He arrived as a free agent acquisition forward of the 2017 season, and left for Philadelphia the subsequent time free company got here round. After a 12 months in Philadelphia and one other one in Oklahoma Metropolis, the Celtics introduced him again by way of commerce in 2021.

Throughout his second stint with the Celtics, the multi-time All-Star discovered find out how to adapt to a job on the bench, serving as a key reserve throughout Boston’s 2024 title run. At age 38, Horford remained a productive contributor, averaging 9 factors, 6.2 rebounds, and a pair of.1 assists in 27.7 minutes per recreation off the bench. He performed in 60 of the Celtics’ 82 video games final season.

Horford’s departure is simply the most recent in a collection of shifts inside the Celtics’ frontcourt. Boston dealt Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta as a part of its quest to get beneath the second apron stage of the luxurious tax. Luke Kornet signed with the Spurs in free-agency. Now, Horford is heading out West to affix Stephen Curry, Draymond Inexperienced, and the getting old Warriors.

The Celtics retained Neemias Queta, and added Luka Garza in free-agency. The majority of each gamers’ professional expertise has been on the G-League stage to this point. Queta performed in 62 video games for the Celtics final season, marking the primary time he had spent greater than 30 video games with an NBA membership in a season.

Boston additionally drafted Amari Williams, a 23-year-old, 7-foot middle out of Kentucky within the second spherical.

This upcoming season will probably be Horford’s nineteenth within the NBA. He spent 9 years in Atlanta, seven in Boston, and had a pair of quick stints in Philadelphia and Oklahoma Metropolis in between. He received his first title in Boston, and was regular presence on the court docket for years.

Khari A. Thompson

Sports activities Reporter

Khari Thompson covers skilled sports activities for Boston.com. Earlier than becoming a member of the staff in 2022, Khari lined faculty soccer for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.