Getty Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media.
Al Horford will be coming into the 2022-23 season at 36 years old. He will be entering the final year of the contract he originally signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 where he’ll be paid $26.5 million, according to Spotrac. With his advanced age (for an NBA player) and his contract up, many have wondered how much longer Horford can keep this up.
Horford is coming off an excellent season in which he played a hand in helping the Boston Celtics make their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010. In the playoffs, he averaged 12 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks a game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 48 percent from three.
As impressive as that is to do that in his mid-30s, NBA players can keep that kind of production for so long. It may not be too long now until Horford retires. However, according to Chris Mannix of NBC Sports Boston, not only does Horford believe he can keep this up, but he has a good idea of when his time will come to an end.
“Talking to Al Horford, he was telling me he’s not just thinking about playing this year,” Mannix said. “His body feels so good he feels he can play two or three more years and keep his career going close to the age of 40.”
Exec: ‘I’d be Shocked’ if Horford Leaves Boston Again
An Eastern Conference executive gave Heavy’s Sean Deveney his take on what Horford’s future will be after his contract expires with the Celtics.
“I think he probably has a couple of years left, but after this year, he is maybe looking at a taxpayer midlevel deal (about $6 million per year),” the exec said. “I don’t think Boston is going to want to spend more than that, but if he is comfortable with that paycheck, then I’d be shocked if he left. I’d be surprised if he does not retire a Celtic.”
Deveney also took to Twitter to express his belief that the Celtics re-signing Horford won’t be hard.
@Patrickgreen18 @HeavyOnSports @celtics No need, really. He won’t be hard to re-sign next summer. If they get it done before then, great. If not … he’s not gonna get a ton of offers.
Though all indications are Horford will stick with the Celtics, the team will still be cautious with him throughout this coming season. Jared Weiss of The Athletic reported that the team will rest Horford on back-to-backs.
“They will certainly need center depth, as Al Horford is expected to sit out most back-to-backs and have his minutes limited even further next season, according to team sources.”
Horford Sounds Off on Malcolm Brogdon
In Mannix’s same article about Horford’s retirement plans, Mannix also revealed what Horford told him about new addition Malcolm Brogdon. In short, Brogdon appears to be all in on doing his part for the Celtics this season.
“If there’s one concern, it’s will these guys be willing to sacrifice? Malcolm Brogdon comes in, will he be willing to sacrifice? Well, I talked to Horford, and Horford worked out with Brogdon this summer,” Mannix said. “He said the one thing Brogdon kept saying to him was, ‘What can I do to fit in? What can I do to help us win?’ So right now, all the signs are positive for this Celtics team.”
Brogdon is expected to come off the bench when the team is at full strength, but with Robert Williams III out for four to six weeks, he may be inserted into the starting lineup until Williams comes back.