SANTO DOMINGO. — Dominican veteran
Al Horford has reached a verbal agreement to sign a multi-year contract with the
Golden State Warriors, according to his agent Jason Glushon confirmed to ESPN this Sunday.
After spending seven of the last nine seasons with the
Boston Celtics, a franchise with which he won the NBA championship in 2024, Horford will begin his
nineteenth year in the league as the new starting center for the Californian team.
The agreement would be officially finalized in the coming days, pending the final decision of restricted free agent
Jonathan Kuminga, a key piece in Golden State’s sports planning.
At 39 years old, Horford considered the possibility of retirement, but ended up leaning towards continuing his NBA career with the Warriors, who had him as their main target at center from the start of free agency.
Performance and Expected Role
Last season, Horford averaged
9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, with a
36.3% on three-pointers in 5.2 attempts per game. In addition, he started in 42 of the 60 games he played with Boston, showing that he can still contribute at a high level.
With more than
100 three-pointers made in each of the last three seasons and a solid
41% success rate from the perimeter, the Warriors consider him an ideal complement to the stellar trio composed of
Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green.
Defensively, he also provides guarantees. According to GeniusIQ, Horford recorded a
46% field goal percentage allowed defending isolations, the seventh-best mark in the NBA in 2024-25.
Legacy in the NBA
Horford becomes one of the few players in history with at least
900 three-pointers and 1,300 blocks, sharing that distinction with Rasheed Wallace, Brook Lopez, and Clifford Robinson.
With this signing, the Dominican player expands his legacy in the league and joins a Golden State project that seeks to maintain competitiveness in the Western Conference while betting on experience and versatility in the center position.
