Al Horford appeared a perfect fit for the Golden State Warriors from the moment he was first linked to the franchise, having now officially joined his former Finals rival on a two-year, $12 million contract in free agency.
It took three months for that to take place given the drawn out negotiations of Jonathan Kuminga's contract, but the ringing endorsements are already coming thick and fast in the hours since Horford officially became a Warrior.
Al Horford could be the best free agent signing of the offseason
Horford might be 39-years-old and entering the 19th year of his career, but his impact at the Warriors is set to be immense from both an on and off-court standpoint. Such is his potential impact that one analyst has already made a surprise declaration, with Michael Pina of The Ringer stating that Horford could be the best free agent signing of the NBA offseason.
"Now that he's officially on the Golden State Warriors, I think he might be in the conversation for best free agent signing of the off season," Pina said on the Bill Simmons podcast.
Simmons -- a lifelong Boston Celtics fan who's watched Horford closely over recent years -- certainly didn't disagree with Pina's take, albeit he did suggest the veteran center will only play 58 games during the regular season.
The way in which Golden State manage Horford -- and their other veteran trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green -- will be fascinating as the season progress. Horford appeared in 60 games for the Celtics last season who chose to keep him out of back-to-backs in the hope of preserving him for the playoffs.
The difference then was Boston, as a clear top seed in the Eastern Conference, could afford to manage their players through the regular season. Will Golden State be afforded a similar luxury? The sheer competitiveness in the Western Conference suggests it will be far more difficult, particular given the Warriors don't project to be as dominant as the Celtics were last season before the playoffs.
So long as the franchise does manage Horford and doesn't overwork him too much, there's no reason Pina's statement can't be proven correct given what Horford could bring to a team who desperately needed a veteran center capable of stretching the floor and providing defensive versatility.
Combine the Horford acquisition with the re-introduction of De'Anthony Melton, and the Warriors may have just done a stellar job of adding two crucial free agency pieces despite limited financial flexibility.