San Antonio Spurs: 4 Players To Target In Free Agency

Al Horford

Let’s go ahead and state the obvious: there is no replacing Tim Duncan.

The 40-year-old has been the driving force of the Spurs’ success for the better part of almost two decades and has brought the franchise five championships in that course of time. No matter what happens in the future, Duncan will go down as the greatest player to ever don the black and silver.

More literally, we don’t know if Duncan will need to be replaced yet, as there’s no indication that he will retire despite his least statistically impressive season and postseason yet.

However, if Duncan chooses to do so, there would be few players better suited to replace the all-time great than Atlanta Hawks big man Al Horford.

Horford is a player after Duncan’s own heart as he’s fundamentally solid, fills up almost every category on the stat sheet and boasts a team-first attitude. If that’s not enough, Horford’s time under Gregg Popovich disciple Mike Budenholzer all but ensures he’s familiar with the Spurs system and would almost seamlessly fit right away.

Pairing a well-rounded center like Horford with a talented offensive big like Aldridge would guarantee the Spurs’ continued success in the frontcourt should Duncan decide to call it quits this summer. Horford could provide the same rim protection Duncan has for so long as well as the ability to score inside and out in supplement to the points Aldridge is sure to put up.

Like Duncan, Horford is also an adept passer, averaging 3.2 assists in each of his last two seasons.

Al Horford’s been a cornerstone for some solid Hawks teams over the years and could serve as a strong presence on the low block for a Spurs squad looking to stay on the short list of championship contenders.

Next: Potential Ginobili Replacement