NBA free agency: 30 greatest free agent signings in NBA history

Greatest free agency signings in NBA history: 9. Al Horford- Boston Celtics, 2016

If you ever want to find out how much someone knows about basketball, just ask them how good they think Al Horford is. If this strawman basketball fan answers with something in the ballpark of “He’s not that good, he only averages 12-14 points a game”, chances are that this hypothetical fan also likely thinks that Andrew Wiggins isn’t good because he lacks “heart” or a “killer instinct”.

If “Fan B” says something to the effect of “if anything, he’s a bit underrated, he does so many things well”, then that person is probably on to something.

I could sit here all day and gush about Horford’s game, but I’ll keep this brief: Horford is the quintessential “Jack of All Trades” player. His post game is surprisingly smooth, he can occasionally put the ball on the floor against slower bigs, he spaces the floor with his 3-point set shot, he’s a great passer for his position, and is a strong, smart, switchable defender. I think that’s everything. If not, here’s a nifty compilation video:

Obviously, the Celtics found his diversified skillset alluring, which is why they gave him a four-year, $113 million deal in 2016. The numbers speak to how well that worked out for Horford and Boston: 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .498/.382/.800 shooting line, 18.4 PER, .161 WS/48, and an All-Star nod.

In a league where we often celebrate the players who get the gaudy counting stats, a player like Horford can get overlooked. But taking everything into account, he’s one of the best bigs in the game and the Celtics will miss him when he’s gone.