Boston Celtics free agent Al Horford was named in a new report.
New Al Horford, Celtics Report Emerges Amid Retirement Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Al Horford’s NBA future has been the subject of speculation throughout the offseason. After helping the Boston Celtics through another deep playoff run in 2024-25, the 39-year-old now faces a critical decision: continue playing or walk away after a decorated career.
Horford was instrumental off the bench for Boston last season, providing stability on defense and spacing the floor with his reliable 3-point shot. He averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and shot 36.3% from beyond the arc, further cementing his reputation as one of the league’s best veteran leaders. Despite his impact, the Celtics’ tight salary cap situation has made his return far from guaranteed.
On Sunday, CLNS’ Adam Kaufman provided an update that could shape what is left of Boston’s offseason. Kaufman reported that for Horford, his next step appears to come down to four choices — staying with the Celtics, joining the Denver Nuggets or Golden State Warriors, or retirement.
“As time passes, a return to Boston feels more realistic (my opinion), so long as the Celtics can shed the cap space. Bottom line, this roster seems far from finished,” Kaufman wrote.
This report from Kaufman, while just his opinion, is significant because it is one of the very few at this stage still naming Boston a potential option for Horford. Many others have deemed his departure inevitable.
For Al Horford, it’d appear to come down to Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, or retirement. As time passes, a return to Boston feels more realistic (my opinion), so long as the Celtics can shed the cap space. Bottom line, this roster seems far from finished. https://t.co/MMm8fQVIHv
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) July 7, 2025
A return to Boston would certainly resonate with fans who have watched Horford anchor the frontcourt during two stints with the franchise, including helping deliver the 2024 championship. But the Warriors and Nuggets remain realistic options too.
Golden State, fresh off a disappointing finish and in need of frontcourt depth, have been linked with Horford as a potential low-risk veteran pickup. Denver, meanwhile, could see him as an ideal piece to support Nikola Jokic and lead the second unit, with new signing Jonas Valanciunas’ NBA future up in the air.
At the same time, retirement remains firmly on the table for the five-time All-Star. After 17 NBA seasons and more than 1,000 career games, Horford has nothing left to prove.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
