The Golden State Warriors have drafted Yaxel Lendeborg 11th overall on Tuesday night, and the pick may have also all but confirmed Al Horford's return to the franchise for a second season.
Horford quickly took to social media reacting to the pick, stating "Bienvenido (welcome) Yaxel." While it may just be a case of the veteran center welcoming a fellow Dominican to the NBA, it's also a strong indication that they'll now be teammates at the Warriors.
Al Horford's reaction to Yaxel Lendeborg pick all but confirms future
Horford has a $6 million player option for next season that he'll have to decide upon over the next week, but all signs, including this one, point to the 40-year-old returning to Golden State after an up-and-down first year.
Horford was also seen in the Warriors' facility over the past week, suggesting he has no intention of leaving the organization despite the potential lure of re-joining the Boston Celtics or another team that could be considered closer to championship contention.
Bienvenido Yaxel!!!!
— Al Horford (@Al_Horford) June 24, 2026
Horford and fellow veteran Draymond Green both have player options for next season, but there's a growing likelihood they'll each pick them up. That could provide Lendeborg with a pair of experienced, championship-winning frontcourt players to learn from, offering the 6'9" forward excellent education to start his NBA career.
Lendeborg is set to be an instant plug-and-play rotation piece for the Warriors, and his potential fit with Horford off the bench is already intriguing if Green and Kristaps Porzingis occupy starting roles.
Horford's veteran savviness and floor spacing could be a perfect complement to Lendeborg's athleticism and down-hill aggression, while they both hold immense defensive versatility that could be a problem for opposing offenses.
Al Horford had mixed first season with Warriors
Horford was Golden State's most notable free agency signing last offseason, but had a rough start through the first few weeks before missing a period due to a sciatic injury. His return on Christmas Day against the Dallas Mavericks brought a change of fortune, with Horford an incredibly valuable on-court piece outside a calf issue late in the season.
The team's fortunues were a different story though. When Horford made the major decision to leave the Celtics for the Warriors, he wouldn't have envisioned an outcome where his new team finished 10th in the Western Conference and failed to make the playoffs.
Horford appears like he'll be back and trying to correct last season's disappointing outcome, and now he'll have a fellow Dominican frontcourt player to help in that ambition.
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