The Golden State Warriors are not enjoying the charmed season they expected when they assembled this group in the offseason. In particular, their commitment to Al Horford looks like a grave mistake that they wish they could take back.
At the time, agreeing to terms to sign Horford for their Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception ($5.7 million) seemed like a slam dunk. The Warriors have sought a bona fide stretch 5 for years to complement the lack of shooting that Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga provide; adding Jimmy Butler only increased the need for someone to fill that role.
Horford was the perfect fit for that role. Sharpened and honed in the Boston Celtics’ all-triples, all-the-time offense, Horford was one of the best high-volume shooting bigs in the NBA. He was a sniper from the corners and comfortable above the break. He would instantly transform any lineup he was in with his floor-spacing gravity.
The best part was that Horford also brought elite defensive chops as well. Up through last season with the Celtics, Horford remained a solid interior defender and one of the league’s best switch defenders, comfortable locking up anyone from wings to agile bigs on the perimeter.
Horford was nearing the end of his career, and everyone understood he wouldn’t be able to play all 82 games. Yet in last year’s playoffs he was still playing at a high level on both ends of the court; even if he took a step back due to aging, he could still be a very useful part of their rotation and ultimately had the inside track to a spot in the closing lineup.
Absolutely none of that has happened.
The Warriors made a mistake signing Al Horford
Every year a new injury term seems to become popular, and this year that ailment is sciatica. It sounds like something senior citizens deal with, and while that isn’t wholly true, it has flared up for two of the league’s oldest players, LeBron James and Al Horford.
James missed the first month of the season while he managed his sciatica issues; Horford has been in-and-out of the lineup a few times trying to manage it. The veteran center has been limited to just 13 games thus far this season.
That lack of availability would be one problem to manage, but Horford also hasn’t been very good when he has taken the court. He is shooting just 32.1 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from deep. He is playing just 21.5 minutes per game when he does suit up, by far a career-low number. His turnovers and fouls are up, his rebounding is down, and overall his offensive impact is a significant negative.
There are some glimmers of hope for Warriors fans. His defense has been good — not elite, but it’s been fine. If he shakes off the cold shooting and his sciatica gets to the point where he can move normally, perhaps he starts to play better.
The clock is ticking, however, and the Warriors need help now. They are clawing just to get above .500 and Draymond Green might be turning into a pumpkin himself. Having a solution at center would be a major help; right now, it’s all on second-year Quinten Post to save them.
Signing or trading for a different solution at center this summer could have done a long ways toward setting this team up for success and eliminating some of these close losses. Instead, they are getting an inaccurate, aging form of Al Horford one third of the time. That’s not going to cut it.
What looked like a huge success this summer has turned into a grave mistake.