For the better part of a decade, Al Horford has been anchoring the frontcourt for the Boston Celtics. The five-time All-Star has become known for his elite defense and knock-down three-point shooting, and he just won his first championship, delivering Banner 18 to Boston.
But Horford is already 38 years old. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and it’s not crazy to think this could be his last year playing professional basketball.
Luckily, the Celtics have already started their audition process to find the next Horford.
Xavier Tillman and Anton Watson are the first Celtics auditions to be the next Al Horford
Obviously, there is no replacing Horford. Boston isn’t going to be able to find another All-NBA-caliber big man to turn into an elite role player. But they can find a guy capable of playing his role at a high, high level.
At the trade deadline, they started that process by trading for Xavier Tillman, and in the 2024 NBA Draft, they continued it by selecting Gonzaga big man Anton Watson (who was recently signed to a two-way contract).
Outside his veteran leadership and experience, which are completely irreplaceable, Horford’s best asset is his defensive versatility. He’s a big body capable of guarding some of the best centers in the world, but he also has the ability to get out and guard quicker players on the perimeter.
Horford lost some of his quickness as he’s gotten older, but he’s still one of the most versatile defensive bigs in the league. That’s what Tillman and Watson already bring to the table.
Tillman played an important role in the Finals thanks to his ability to switch onto Luka Doncic and guard him effectively. And while it was on a much smaller scale, Watson was elite on the defensive end in Summer League.
But what makes Horford truly unique is that not only is he a top-notch defensive player, but a great three-point shooter as well.
Tillman showed some progress from distance during the playoffs (though on very minimal volume), and Watson showed fearlessness from range with the summer Celtics.
There’s obviously no guarantee that either player becomes anything close to Hoford, but it’s no coincidence that the Celtics have brought them in this close to the potential end of the veteran’s career.
If Tillman or Watson can play a similar role at even half the level that Horford does, it would be a huge win for Boston. And who knows, maybe one of them will pop and become the Celtics’ next Ol’ Reliable.