After contemplating the idea of retirement, Al Horford decided to switch things up last summer and leave the Boston Celtics during free agency in favor of going to the Western Conference to join the Golden State Warriors. The 39-year-old veteran spent a total of seven seasons in Boston, divided into two separate stints, and he won a championship with the franchise in 2024.
Horford's decision to join Golden State, his fifth different organization, came as a surprise to many, especially those in Boston.
He had been the veteran leader of the Celtics over the years, and Horford played a pivotal role in the team's success both during and before their championship run. Although leaving Boston was obviously a tough decision for Horford and his family, he felt as if it was time to move on and finish his career elsewhere.
As for the reason why this was Horford's decision, the Warriors' big man shed some light on the subject for the first time since making his decision to join Golden State over the summer. However, the exact reason as to why Horford left, that's something that is still up in the air.
“The decision, it's something that's deeper than just the basketball stuff. And it's something that at some point I'll share with people, but for me, it felt like it was the time for me to go elsewhere,” Horford told reporters in the Warriors' locker room, via CLNS' Bobby Manning. “As far as the end of my career, I don't know. I always keep that open, and it would definitely be a privilege to do that (return to Boston).
“I'm just focused on trying to finish out this year.”
The Celtics had made it a point of emphasis to cut salary in the offseason, which is why they traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks and Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers over the summer. This philosophy continued at the trade deadline, as the Celtics went from being a second-apron team over the summer to moving below the luxury tax at the deadline.
Whether or not money played a factor in Horford leaving Boston is unknown, but his tone and reasoning for departure sure sound like there was something going on behind the scenes that bothered the veteran. Although he would not shut the door on a potential return to finish his career with the Celtics, Horford made it clear that his decision was impacted by something “deeper than basketball.”
In his first game against the Celtics since signing with the Warriors, Horford recorded five points, eight rebounds, and four assists in 28 minutes off the bench. The Celtics went on to defeat the Warriors 121-110 on Thursday night.
