Getty Al Horford, then of the Philadelphia 76ers, battles for a rebound with the Boston Celtics' Rob Williams and Gordon Hayward in 2020.
When the Boston Celtics brought Al Horford back into the fold over the summer, his actual, on-court impact felt like an afterthought in the move. The trade that allowed for his return was more about shedding Kemba Walker’s massive, multiyear salary. And much of the excitement surrounding Horford was more about the feelgood story of his homecoming than anything.
Fast-forward to now and the 35-year-old is suddenly in a position to play a big-time role in Beantown, according to reports out of Celtics training camp.
“We want to look at everything, honestly,” head coach Ime Udoka said when asked about his starting lineup. “We feel versatility is an asset for us, with the lineups we can start, but a guy like Al is making a huge case.”
Who’d a thunk it?
Horford still resembling the guy that played for the Celtics three years ago feels like icing on one of Stevens’ best offseason cakes. That said, the notion that the 14-year pro could actually find himself in the starting five on opening night presents a Rob Williams-sized predicament.
The Time Lord Cometh
Horford’s potential starting turn presents the best kind of problem for Udoka. On the one hand, he now has the option to tap a five-time All-Star to anchor his frontcourt. On the other, there’s the youngster that electrified the pivot down the stretch last season in Williams.
Although it took a few years for him to get a real bite at the apple — and the injury bug keeps rearing its ugly head — Williams had seemingly locked up Boston’s starting center spot with his efforts after the 2021 NBA trade deadline.
Taking over for the outgoing Daniel Theis, Williams started 13 in games for the Celtics when he wasn’t sidelined. Along the way, he averaged 9.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in just 23.7 minutes per contest as a first-teamer. However, the measurable positive impact he had while on the floor was even more impressive than his individual line.
In his post-deadline appearances, Williams logged a team-best net rating of 9.1. The biggest difference came on the offensive end, where the Celtics scored 119.1 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.
Williams was so good that the team saw fit to ink him to a contract extension that could pay him up to $54 million over four years. Clearly, he’s the center of the future for the franchise. Whether he’s the center of the present remains to be seen with Horford looking revitalized and ready to compete.
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Williams Already Bracing Himself for the Demotion?
There are definitely cases to be made for both players as the starter, however, Udoka’s commentary isn’t the only thing suggesting that a change could be in the works. Statements made by Williams at Celtics Media Day have further lent credence to the notion.
While commenting on the bulk he added over the summer, Williams namechecked a backup center as somebody he would be competing against in 2021-22.
“They got Andre Drummond over there with the 76ers, man, come on,” Williams said, via Boston.com. “I need a little meat on my bones. Obviously, don’t want to get to the point where I can’t use my versatility but for sure I tried to some pounds on.”
There’s a good chance this was just an offhand remark by Williams; at seven feet tall and 280 pounds, Drummond is a pretty great reference point for big centers in the NBA. Still, it’s a pretty specific example for a player who one would have expected to be matching up with Joel Embiid before this week.
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