The surging Boston Celtics have quietly righted the ship, winning five straight games after a slow start to the season. As they climb the Eastern Conference standings, they have done so without former starter Al Horford.
Horford previously played seven seasons with the Celtics over two stints, but they opted to let him walk in free agency. He later signed with the Golden State Warriors as a result.
That hasn't worked out so well for the Warriors, who are still waiting for Horford to live up to expectations. He is currently shooting just 29.8% from three, with most of his shots coming from outside.
He himself admitted that he isn't playing up to expectations, and Golden State has struggled as they look for solutions to their lack of size in the front court.
To be fair, the Celtics could use a front court upgrade after losing Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet. If they want to make a playoff push, they will likely need to upgrade at center.
Be that as it may, their deciding against bringing back Horford has clearly proven to be the right move, with them now free to pursue a younger option that has a future with the team rather than an aging big man who, while still talented, clearly doesn't have many games left in him.
The Boston Celtics don't miss Al Horford at all
Even after they moved on from Horford, Boston could still use a front court upgrade with a few possible options. There are a few potential big men on the market who can help them.
Anthony Davis is clearly the most high-profile option, though after the Celtics worked in the offseason to clear out long-term salary, bringing him in seems highly unlikely.
They could instead pursue Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic, who is one of the best-available offensive centers on the trade market. Then again, he is 35 years old and a turnstile on defense.
In his defense—see what I did there—he is in the final year of his contract. He likely wouldn't cost much for the Celtics to trade for and would help solve their center issues in the short term.
The Celtics are still looking for a long-term starting center
Other options include Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner and Dallas Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford. Turner could be available if the Celtics are forced to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, with Turner being a highly intriguing option.
That is considering that he previously led the NBA in blocked shots twice. He has also shot nearly 40% from three on 5.3 attempts per game over this season and last.
Meanwhile, Gafford is more of a traditional center. He can block shots and grab rebounds on defense and set screens and finish lobs on offense. If the Dallas Mavericks move on from Davis, that could signal a fire sale. Gafford could also be moved considering that he has three years remaining on his recently signed contract.
He could be a reasonable target for the Celtics, who could have him be the starter going forward. Him being under contract for the next 3 years might actually work out in their favor. He is set to make just $40.4 million over the next three seasons and would be paid less than most starting centers should the Celtics acquire him.
Frankly, all those aforementioned players are better options for the Celtics than Horford. In fact, they have already been proven right in their decision to let him leave and seek a long-term upgrade.