Al Horford is Changing the Boston Celtics Free Agency Perception
Al Horford is changing things for the Boston Celtics, and not just on the court
Before the Boston Celtics signed Al Horford last summer the harsh reality was that free agents, for whatever reason, did not come to the Celtics. Horford was arguably the best free agent signing in the history of the team, and now he is putting in the extra work to make sure that trend breaks.
On top of being one of the most significant free agent acquisitions in franchise history, it was also reported that Horford played a role in recruiting Gordon Hayward. All of a sudden the Celtics have become a prime location for free agents, and they continue to pitch the same thing: winning.
There are a lot of different factors that could have brought Hayward to the Celtics, and at least for the Brad Stevens era, it is impossible to say they are not a top free agent destination, and that should continue as long as they have the money to throw around.
The Celtics have the coach, they have the regular season success and they have all the future assets to offer free agents anything they may want.
More from Hardwood Houdini
- Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
- Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
- ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
- Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
- Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?
The best sign, however, has to be the players. Isaiah Thomas is one of the most well liked players in the NBA, and now Horford is out there selling other free agents, right after he made the same decision. When you look at the players, you see all you need to know about the Celtics as a free agent destination.
The Celtics no longer have the cap space to be big players in free agency, but the bottom line is that the two years they needed to add someone the most, they did it. On top of that, the Celtics got the second best league wide option with Horford last year, and the top league option in Hayward this year.
The Celtics have been considered by any player that they have shown interest in, and that was not the case not too long ago.
It started with Horford, and now he is doing everything to make sure there is no reason for anyone to dismiss the Celtics as a free agent destination.
One of the best parts is that one thing is common to all these free agency pitches, winning. These players are not coming for the bright lights and they are not coming for the market. The Celtics are pitching winning and with what Stevens has already done, everyone looks ready to buy into what the Celtics have built. It is easy to see why players would want to be a part of what is happening in Boston right now.
Next: What if An Irving Trade Makes the Cavaliers better?
Who knows if Horford had any real impact on Hayward’s decision, but he is a great example of what can happen if you choose Boston. Stevens unlocked parts of his game that we had not seen fully realized before, and he saw immediate success. If the same happens with Hayward, then they could be ready to end King James’ reign.