Al Horford's move to the Golden State Warriors remains on track, having been stalled for seven weeks by the unresolved restricted free agency of Jonathan Kuminga.
Yet there could be a surprise new twist when it comes to Horford's contract with the Warriors, having been slated to get the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception from almost the same moment he was linked to the franchise in the hours before free agency began.
Al Horford has been predicted to get a two-year deal from the Warriors
While Horford is still reportedly contemplating retirement this offseason, the 39-year-old could force Golden State into giving him a second season on his contract in the event he wants to play on into a 20th NBA season.
In an article on Monday predicting the contracts for five of the best available free agents left on the market, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report believes Horford will get a two-year, $11.7 million deal with a second year player option.
It's hard to see where the upside would be in this for Golden State, but it's worth doing if it gets Horford over the line once the Kuminga situation is sorted. If the veteran center plays well enough to the point of wanting to play on in the following next season, he could easily opt out and get a better/different deal from the Warriors or elsewhere.
The downside for Golden State doesn't appear apparent right now given Horford remains a valuable 25-minute per game rotation player, but things could change quickly if he starts to show greater signs of decline next season.
If that situation arises, the Warriors could be at his peril in what's an important roster-building tool for taxpaying teams. The Denver Nuggets just faced this with former Golden State big man Dario Saric who they surprisingly signed to a two-year deal in 2024, only for him to be used sparingly in 16 games last season.
Fortunately for the Nuggets, they found a team in desperate need of reducing their payroll, miraculously turning a non-factor in Saric into Jonas Valancuinas who they're keeping despite interest in returning to Europe.
That doesn't change the concern in giving a second year player option to a veteran player, even one like Horford who's defied father time for so long. The Warriors would likely believe that the 5x All-Star will simply retire if he regresses significantly, which combined with their ultra-importance in actually signing him, means it's still something that's worth doing if required.