Golden State Warriors fans are waiting for the Jonathan Kuminga situation to be resolved before the team signs free agent Al Horford. At least, that's what they hope will happen. There is no guarantee Horford will play for Golden State, and ESPN dropped a reminder on Monday.
Anthony Slater wrote that people around the league believe Horford will sign with the Warriors once everything is settled, but that he is also still considering retirement. The 39-year-old could call it a career rather than make the move to San Francisco.
It's not as if Horford wants to give it one more try in hopes of winning an NBA title; he won his first championship in Boston a year ago. Sure, he could help the Warriors win another with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but that isn't as big of a priority as it would be otherwise. The fact that retirement is still on the table speaks volumes.
Al Horford still considering retirement amid Warriors pursuit
Golden State hasn't made any free agency signings or trades because the Kuminga situation remains unresolved. The Warriors offered a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option in the second season (and removing the no-trade clause), but Kuminga doesn't want the team to have that control.
ESPN reported that Kuminga picking up his $7.9 million qualifying offer is "more appealing to him than the Warriors' current pitch." That tells you everything you need to know about the current state of affairs between him and the organization.
It's a saga that has drawn out far longer than fans had hoped for. It'd be a double blow if Horford decided to retire, rather than give the Warriors a much-needed center. Yes, Horford is old and has his limitations, but he is a missing piece that Golden State needs. He's a missing piece that Draymond would appreciate the Warriors having.
Horford's future doesn't boil down to Golden State or retirement. He could always decide to sign with another team, like the Lakers. Even though the league-wide consensus is that Horford will end up with the Warriors if he chooses to continue playing, that doesn't mean it'll come true. It could change at a moment's notice.
The sooner Golden State can end the standoff with Kuminga, the better. Duh. The fact is that we're approaching mid-August, and there isn't a light at the end of the tunnel. Please, let it end soon, and to the Warriors' benefit!