The Golden State Warriors have come to the realization that they're not a championship contender as currently constructed, with head coach Steve Kerr already outlining the need for younger legs and more availability on the roster going forward.
That realization could cost them Al Horford if the veteran center also struggles to see how the Warriors can contend next season. Horford holds a $6 million player option, but could foreseeably have stronger contenders chasing his signature should he opt out and enter free agency again.
Warriors' non-contending status could see Al Horford depart
Nick Friedell of The Athletic believes Horford is still a 65% chance of returning to Golden State next season, but concedes the near 40-year-old will have to question whether he wants to spend what will likely be his final season playing for a team who just finished 10th in the Western Conference.
"The problem for Horford — who played only 45 games because of a variety of injuries and doesn’t play both sides of back-to-backs anymore — is that the Warriors are no longer under the illusion they are still title contenders, which was one of the key reasons he wanted to play with Curry and company in the first place," Friedell wrote.
Can the Warriors have more injury luck next season, particularly when they're already going to start without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody? That's the question Horford will have to ask himself because if he answers no, he'd essentially be conceding the Warriors aren't a playoff team.
The 5x All-Star may be willing to remain if he thinks Golden State can at least be a playoff team, but he's not going to want to stay at a team he thinks will be eliminated at a similar point to this season.
Al Horford may be doing Warriors a favor if he opts out and leaves
After a slow start to the season and a sciatic injury, Horford certainly proved his value and impact to the Warriors in the final months of the season. However, the reality is that he appeared in only 45 games and averaged an easily career-low 21.5 minutes.
As much as Golden State may want Horford to pick up that player option, he could actually be doing them a favor if leaving means they get a younger alternative who can comfortably average at least 20 minutes while appearing in 65+ games.
In an ideal world the Warriors might have that younger center and Horford both on the roster, but no one would begrudge the 19-year veteran for seeking greener pastures considering where the franchise is at entering the offseason.
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