Members of the Golden State Warriors were hesitant to discuss the arrival of Al Horford before confirmation of Jonathan Kuminga's contract situation on Tuesday, but that hasn't stopped them from answering questions regarding the veteran center in a roundabout way.
Horford officially agreed to a contract with the Warriors on Sunday, with Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reporting on Tuesday that it will be a two-year, $12 million deal for the 39-year-old that comes with a second year player option.
Steve Kerr has already realized just how big an addition Al Horford is
Head coach Steve Kerr failed to mention Horford specifically during his media interviews on Tuesday, yet still found a way to discuss the 5x All-Star and how important his addition will be as Golden State strives to win another championship.
"I think we'll be able to have better spacing than we've had one through five since I've been here. You know it's my 12th year -- I don't remember ever having this kind of spacing and so that alone changes some things we do offensively," Kerr said.
Steve Kerr talking about Al Horford without mentioning him: “We’re gonna be a little different. I think we’ll be able to have better spacing than we’ve had one through five since I’ve been here.” pic.twitter.com/Jffdf6pna9
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 1, 2025
It's not that Horford is the first floor-spacing big man the Warriors have had in Kerr's dozen years, but he is the first one who combines that with defensive versatility, and who has the stature of being a long-term starter and All-Star in the league.
The likes of Mo Speights and Nemanja Bjelica were beloved stretch bigs who won championships with Golden State over the past decade. At the same time, both were bench players who averaged 16 minutes or less during their time with the franchise.
The Warriors have tried to fill that role in recent years, yet without the success they would have liked. JaMychal Green certainly wasn't the answer for Golden State in the 2022-23 season, nor Dario Saric the year after.
Without disrespecting those guys who have/had long succesful NBA careers, Horford is a completely different calibre of player who Kerr should be able to comfortably slot straight into the vacant starting center role.
The Warriors will now have two legitimate floor spacing threats from the center position, with Quinten Post sure to learn plenty from Horford as they share the big man minutes. The two could even play together given their shooting prowess and Horford's ability to slide to the four, making for much more versatile combinations that Kerr can put on the floor.
Combine Horford's addition with a couple more dangerous 3-point threats in De'Anthony Melton and Seth Curry, and you can understand why Kerr is excited about the roster for this season despite the wait it took to materialize.