Boston Celtics Targeting Al Horford

With the final days of the offseason approaching most of the world has come to accept the idea that the Boston Celtics will be beginning the season without acquiring their superstar. Danny Ainge promised fireworks and even though they made solid additions in David Lee and Amir Johnson, those moves were not quite of the magnitude that was expected.

It may be getting close, but the season is yet to start and Danny Ainge is not giving up on making a move that can change the face of the franchise. The most recent rumour is that the Celtics are going all in for Al Horford.

May 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) controls the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) during the first quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics will potentially have to gut their team and give away many of their great assets. Ainge has already told the Boston Globe that “We’re going to go after anybody and everybody that we think is a significant player to upgrade our talent. And when I say upgrade our talent, you’ve got to be pretty good to upgrade our talent, because we have good players. And so we’re going after all the top names on the list and seeing what happens.”

Al Horford certain falls into the category of players talented enough to be an upgrade because he would immediately be the most established player on the team.

As promising as the name Al Horford sounds, Celtics fans should temper their excitement because he is arguably the most important player on the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks had a phenomenal run last season and after they already lost DeMarre Carroll, they’d risk throwing everything that they built if they also lose Horford.

The problem for the Hawks is that Horford is becoming a free agent after this season and the Hawks may want to get as much as possible out of him if they are not confident that they can get a contract agreed upon.

For a player like Horford, the Celtics would put the Hawks in an ideal position to build from the draft, as well as give them a potentially great young player. There is no doubting the Celtics have the assets to make this trade happen, it really will come down to whether or not the Hawks believe Horford will be returning.

May 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (center) reacts during the fourth quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena. Cavaliers won 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

One last season with Horford will not be as valuable to the Hawks as the package deal they could get in return for him. The Celtics have unprotected first round draft picks that have a good chance of ending up in the lottery and they have the best collection of young guards in the league.

If the Hawks have doubts about Horford’s future, then they would be foolish to ignore the Celtics’ offers. The problem is that the Celtics should be weary of threatening their future for potentially one year with Horford. It is a bonus that the Celtics have more than enough cap space to give Horford the biggest contract he desires but the Celtics have already started building from the draft and even it if is a longer path, it may be the better one.

Ainge is looking for a sure fire franchise changing player and Horford can be that. The Celtics have assets that will have the potential to be a franchise changing player but Horford can speed up the process significantly.

If the Celtics can acquire and keep Horford for the long term then there may not be an offer that is too much for him. He will solidify the Celtics in the paint and finally create the balance they need between their front and back court.

Ainge has sparked countless trade rumours that have not panned out and until the Hawks start seriously expressing interest in dealing him, the Celtics should anticipate beginning the season with the players they currently have.

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