A-level signing! Horford joins the Warriors on a multi-year contract, bringing valuable experience and projection

Translator's note: The original text was published on ESPN, and the data in the article were as of the time of the original text (September 28 local time). The dates and times involved were local time

free agent center and former Celtics inside Al Horford agreed to sign a multi-year contract with the Warriors on Sunday.

Rating: A-

Finally. As early as the beginning of the free market, there were rumors that Horford signed with the Warriors three months ago, and the signing became natural after other potential suitors quickly used their exceptions to fill the frontcourt demand.

Throughout the summer, the Warriors postponed formal contracts to maintain flexibility, awaiting the outcome of Jonathan Cuminggana's seemingly endless restricted free agent status issues. Based on the final amount of the Kumingga contract, the Warriors could have designed Horford’s contract slightly differently—the contract would use their luxury tax middle class exception, which would trigger the team’s salary to the second tyrant line.

Let's not talk about the financial impact of Horford's contract for the time being, let's discuss his fit at the basketball level. Even before the Warriors got Jimmy Butler on the February trade deadline, the frontcourt shooting ability was the Warriors' biggest need.

Draymond Green's shooting ability at this stage of his career is unstable (32.5% of the regular season three-point shooting percentage and 27% of the playoffs), while Butler (1.9 three-point shooting per game) is unwilling to shoot three-pointers, so the Warriors urgently need other players on the court to open up space for them. This is also part of the problem with Kuminga, who shot only 30.5% of his three-point shooting percentage last season, hitting a career low.

This limitation led to Warriors coach Steve Cole eventually using an ultimate small lineup to deal with the final stage of the regular season, with Butler at 6-foot-7 inches (about 2.01 meters) being the highest player in that lineup. Of course, Green's on-court role is far better than his registered height of 6-foot-6 (about 1.98 meters), but in the Warriors' best small ball lineup, the frontcourt players he has partnered with are bigger than they had seen last season. Horford, who is 6 feet 9 inches (about 2.06 meters), appears, and he is still a model of all-roundness when he is nearly forty. (Horford turned 39 in June and will be 40 by the end of the 2026 NBA Finals.) Horford shot just 36% of his three-point shooting percentage last season, but in the two previous seasons, he shot more than 40% of his three-point shooting percentage. And Horford is still able to switch defense to the outside, doing better than most centers who are twenty years younger than him.

To keep Horford healthy during the long playoffs, the Celtics carefully manage his playing time. His last time playing back-to-back was in March 2022, and although the Celtics lacked starting center Christaps Porzingis for most of last season, Horford's average playing time was still limited to 28 minutes. The Warriors would also like to operate in a similar way, so it became crucial for young backups Teres Jackson Davis and Quinten Post to help share the load of 82 regular season games.

In the playoffs, the Warriors have unparalleled playoff experience. Last year's NBA Finals was the second time since 2014 that there were no Warriors (the team still had dynasty Green and Stephen Curry), Butler or Horford, the last time was in 2021. These four players are all in the top ten in the current players' playoffs.

How much salary Kumingga can get this season will be limited by the rich line. If the Warriors sign Seth Curry, D'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II with expected basic salary to fill the lineup, the Warriors will have about $24 million left to give Cuminga, while still maintaining below the second rich line.

Signing other free agents and giving contracts like Horford with player options will slightly lower the maximum starting salary quote to Kuming as their salary will be calculated in full, not at the veteran’s base salary. But the Warriors still have enough cap space to provide Cuminga with a fair multi-year contract, and this contract will also be of great deal value.

Author: Kevin Pelton

Translator: GWayNe