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Al Horford says it was tough leaving the Boston Celtics this past summer, but the All-Star big man just couldn't pass up the opportunity to play with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons on the Sixers.
Horford spent the previous three seasons in Boston before signing with the Sixers this past offseason. He signed a four-year, $109 million contract with Philadelphia:
Horford comparing leaving Boston to leaving Atlanta: "It was definitely tougher when I had to make the decision to leave (Boston), but ultimately I understood that was the right decision for me to do."
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) December 13, 2019
Al Horford: "I know that I really felt like the opportunity to go over there and play alongside a guy like Joel and Ben was something that was going to be hard for me to pass. To have that opportunity to, I feel like, win now — that was one of the things that really drove me."
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 13, 2019
Horford averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season with Boston while shooting 53.5 percent from the field, 36.0 percent from beyond the arc and 82.1 percent from the free-throw line.
The Sixers are 18-7 on the season. Horford is putting up 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He’s shooting 48.0 percent overall, 36.6 percent from the 3-point line and 67.6 percent from the charity stripe.
The Celtics underachieved as a team last season and were dysfunctional. Horford, one of the leaders in Boston, knew that big changes needed to be made if the Celtics wanted to run it back and compete for a championship.
While changes were made in Boston with the departures of Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier, Horford just felt like playing with the Sixers gave him the best opportunity to win a championship. It also helped that Philly was willing to pay him a contract he was looking for.
The Sixers have four elite defenders in Horford, Embiid, Simmons and Josh Richardson. Philly acquired Richardson from the Miami Heat in the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade deal.
