Al Horford’s decision to leave the Boston Celtics this summer in favor of the Golden State Warriors stung. At the same time, it was understandable that the 39-year-old center wanted to make the most of his final seasons in the NBA by joining a team with championship aspirations.
Sure, Golden State wasn’t the same juggernaut that they’ve been in years past, but after trading for Jimmy Butler last season, they put together some impressive hoops up until their second-round exit in the playoffs. Said exit, by the way, may not have happened had Stephen Curry not missed the majority of the series after injuring his hamstring.
Even so, there were plenty of Celtics fans who weren’t as upset about Horford’s decision to leave, but rather about where he went. The Warriors prevented Horford and the Cs from winning an NBA title in 2022. Plus, seeing the five-time All-Star join forces with Butler rubbed salt in the wound.
Butler established himself as one of the great Celtics villains of the 21st century during his time with the Miami Heat. Boston and Miami met in three of the four Eastern Conference Finals from 2020 to 2023, which gave him the chance to be a colossal thorn in the Celtics’ side on one of basketball’s biggest stages.
Despite that, no one was rooting for what happened to Butler on Monday night. The Warriors forward tore his ACL in the team’s win over the Heat and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Losing Jimmy Butler could entice Warriors to buy out Al Horford
He’ll undoubtedly be a big loss for the Dubs. The injury may have squashed any remaining hopes of competing for a championship. Golden State currently sits seventh in the Western Conference with a 25-19 record. They weren’t having a bad season before the injury, but they were very much a streaky team.
Those inconsistencies will likely be magnified in Butler’s absence.
It’s difficult not to wonder what happens out in San Francisco if the wheels completely fall off. Does this make the Warriors sellers at the trade deadline? If they do sell, what does that mean for Horford? Do they buy him out of his contract?
As of now, there’s been no indication that Golden State or Horford would push for that outcome, but you never know. His motivation to play for a competitive team could get the ball rolling on those discussions.
If the hypothetical were to become a reality, a reunion with the Celtics would make a ton of sense. Though the Cs are nowhere near as thin in the frontcourt as many thought heading into the season, they could still use an extra trustworthy big man to help fill the rotation.
Of course, Horford has already played for Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla knows how to get the most out of him, as he’s shown an ability to do with almost everyone who suits up for him. Monday’s loss to the Pistons is a perfect example of a game where Boston could’ve used their former center.
Detroit’s overwhelming paint presence made things difficult for Neemias Queta at times and caused Luka Garza to get into early foul trouble. Had Boston had Horford on the bench, it would’ve taken pressure off of both men.
As fun a solution as it would be, for now, it’s just a pipe dream, though.