Sunday, news of Al Horford's commitment to join the Golden State Warriors finally broke, courtesy of ESPN's Shams Charania. Boston Celtics fans have known this was coming for months. The holdup was his new team's ongoing attempt to resolve matters with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
As Horford departs Boston for the Bay, he posted a heartfelt message to his former franchise and to Celtics fans on social media.
— Al Horford (@Al_Horford) September 28, 2025
"From the moment we arrived, you have welcomed my family and I with open arms," stated Horford in a thank-you note to the team and its fan base. "Raising banner 18 with this city will be a moment I will always cherish."
Al Horford's impact on the Celtics
Boston doesn't have that 18th championship without Horford. His two-way impact, versatility, and willingness to come off the bench and figure out how to thrive after Kristaps Porzingis arrived were essential to completing that quest.
When it mattered most, Boston could count on the team's elder statesman to elevate his play. With that came a rise in intensity. He gave Giannis Antetokounmpo a taste of his own medicine, delivering a retaliatory elbow as he dunked on him in a 2022 playoff game.
He woke up the Celtics and TD Garden after a lethargic start to Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2024. Wearing his emotions on his sleeve, he delivered another memorable moment in his tenure in green. It was at the heart of a successful closeout effort to return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
And while the 2022 loss to the Warriors, the team he now joins, sparked concerns that he would never lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy, continuing to carry much of the workload in Porzingis's absence, two rounds later, he finally reached the NBA summit.
From his two national championships with the Florida Gators to the ring he earned that summer, making the postseason nearly an annual tradition throughout a career that may span at least 20 years, the five-time All-Star and former All-NBA selection deserves enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame. It's a call that should come his way in due time.
As his career continues, what Golden State is about to experience is how beneficial it is to add him to its work environment. Whether it was taking Jayson Tatum under his wing or teammates studying his regimen from a distance, he made a significant impact on players throughout the roster.
Now, individuals like Quinten Post, a second-year center from Boston College, get to reap the rewards of learning from Horford as he continues his championship pursuit alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.